‘Amazing memories’ of the special day we got married in the Big Apple

In 2007 Antony Till and Laura McDermott, following a set up by their friends at the Black Horse pub, Houghton, “got on like a house on fire” and, after exchanging phone numbers, agreed to go on a date.

“He said he would take me to the pictures and then to a restaurant,” says Laura, “I didn’t realise the restaurant was going to be KFC!”

Five years later the couple flew to the French skiing resort of Val D’Isere with friends Richard and Catherine, and with Antony, a heating engineer from Preston, carrying a very precious piece of hand luggage.

After the group of friends made their way up to the top of the Olympic mountain range, Antony asked Laura, a project manager at BAE Systems, also from Preston, to be his wife.

Having already fallen in love with New York City, Antony and Laura decided to get married in the Big Apple.

“We were quite prepared to fly to New York on our own,” says Laura, “but our friends Simon and Laura asked if they could share their honeymoon with our wedding - we were elated.

“Antony’s dad Paul and his partner Diane also joined us to celebrate Paul turning 50 and Diane’s third year in remission from a brain tumour, and at the last minute Liam Walls flew out to be with us.”

After a few minor mishaps, like leaving her dress in the hotel reception in London, Laura and Antony were married on May 24 by the side of a lake in the city’s most famous park.

“Little did I know but Antony and the lads had to ask a homeless person to move from the bench where we got married,” says Laura, “they did give him a small donation to thank him.”

Following the ceremony the newlyweds took the subway to Grand Central Station where their wedding attire caused quite a stir.

“Our photographer, Vito, told us to stand in the middle of the station and ignore everything around us.

“It was only after five minutes we saw around 150 people standing on the stairs and balcony taking pictures of us - it was so surreal.”

As they waited for one of New York’s famous yellow taxis in the pouring rain, Antony and Laura were apprehended by an opportunist photographer.

“The guy in front of us couldn’t believe he was standing with a wedding party and he turned out to be Adam Kent, a destination photographer from California,” says Laura.

“He asked us whether he could take our pictures - which was a massive compliment - so there we were in the middle of New York, in the rain, in our wedding outfits, and all people wanted to do was take pictures of us!”

Later that evening Antony, Laura and their guests took a cruise on the Hudson River, taking in the city skyline by night.

On their return home, not wanting to leave any of their friends and family, the pair celebrated their wedding once more with a reception at The Barn at Charnock Farm.

“Everyone had truly an amazing time,” say Mr and Mrs Till, “we have so many amazing memories and pictures of both weddings, we feel truly privileged.”