I married the man who got my BBQ going – and proposed with a Haribo

The Corporal in Recce troop in 24 Commando Engineers, based at Chivenor in North Devon, married Lichelle, a HR Advisor at the LEP at The Villa Country House Hotel, Wrea Green, on Saturday December 21.

But their love story begins over their parents’ garden fence.

Lichelle takes up the story: “We met through our parents.

“I moved to Preston in 2003, my mum and Marc’s parents live in the same cul-de-sac next door but one.

“Our paths didn’t cross though until July 2006.

“His brother Gary introduced us one sunny Saturday afternoon.

“I invited Marc and Gary to my mum’s BBQ, but couldn’t get the BBQ going.

“Marc helped and ended up cooking – went to town later that night and the rest is history.”

Marc proposed on Saturday June 23 2012, a total surprise for Lichelle.

She said: “He wouldn’t tell me where we were going until we had set off that morning.

“As I have a love for horses, I had always dreamt of galloping along the sea front, sun shining, wind blowing in my hair and sea mist spraying.

“Marc shall we say, doesn’t like horses, he prefers motorbikes!

“Anyway, he had booked horse riding on Silecroft beach in Cumbria for the both of us, so I could live the dream.

“The plan was that after wards he would propose.

“Little did he realise that we were not alone, and a group of teenage girls were also booked on the same group ride down to the beach.

“Plus we were separated into categories.

“As I had ridden before, I was allowed to gallop, whereas Marc had never ridden, so was only able to trot.

“The beginners trotted on, while we waited, then galloped to catch them up. It was exhilarating!!

“Everything I had imagined and the sun even made an appearance. Marc’s plan B to ‘pop the question’ was after the ride, to get some pub lunch, and drive to Grizedale Forest. We stopped by a waterfall, by this time it was pouring down with rain.

“Marc asked me to be his wife, proposing with a Haribo ring! I of course said yes.

“Waiting back home was some chilled champagne.”

The big day had a Christmas, red theme but there was very nearly a disaster.

Lichelle adds: “The night before, my bridesmaids, my son and my mum stayed at Ribby Hall.

“In the morning, Jannine and Anna, the bridesmaids, were locked in their hotel room, the door had stuck, so had to climb out of the window.

“Thankfully that was the only thing that went wrong.

“We were the first to get ready at The Villa’s bridal lounge and the first to have the wedding ceremony in the newly-built extension The Hall.

“My mum surprised us with a wedding singer, Michael Buble from Wigan, aka Simon William.

“He sang after the ceremony, but before the wedding breakfast. He was fantastic.

“We had a receiving line so we high fived all of our guests before entering the wedding breakfast. Auntie Val, the father of the groom’s sister, flew from Canada to join us, it meant so much to us that she had travelled all that way.

“Marc’s mates from his regiment even travelled from Devon.

“I was on a natural high.

“It was such an amazing day and so fantastic to have all our family and friends together to celebrate our special day, especially as it was days before Christmas.

“We have been overwhelmed with everyone’s love and support.

“We gave guests a bag of Haribo rings, hearts and red lips and the wedding favours were in memory of loved ones who are sadly no longer with us.”

The first dance was Elbow’s Day Like This – and it really was.