Wedding: Blackpool couple celebrate marriage and special birthday

They had already planned for Kate’s 40th but one day in March this year, Paul phoned Kate and asked her if she would like to combine her birthday with their wedding.

Paul, a plasterer and Kate, a florist first met online and became friends at first.

But when Kate was asked to do the funeral flowers for one of Paul’s family members, and attend the funeral, they became inseparable.

They tied the knot on September 1, an emotional day for Kate, 40, as her mum had travelled from Cyprus to be there for her big day.

“It was very exciting getting ready,” said Kate, “I wasn’t nervous at all, excited to see him.

“Blake my stepson broke down in tears at the top of the aisle, which in turn made me emotional, and we had to get nana to come and walk him down the aisle.

“He was so happy for his daddy he couldn’t control it.”

Kate and Paul, 37, asked all their guests to provide a song for the wedding reception so that everyone played a part in their day.

As the day was originally booked as a masquerade ball, they still asked guests to bring a mask. After they had their photos taken, all the guests were wearing them.

“It was brilliant to see, that made our day, combining all three events into one memorable day, amazing.”

A heritage Blackpool bus was hired to take our guests from the town hall to the Attic Room at the Pleasure Beach for the reception and the couple were keen to use local suppliers for their day.

“I did my own flowers,” said Kate “and our first dance song was Maroon 5 Girl Like You

“I walked down the aisle to Etta James At Last and I also shared my wedding day with Britney in concert!”

Paul said: “There’s no other girl like you, it was an amazing day.

Kate added: “I married my best friend I am truly blessed.”

They plan a honeymoon in Thailand.