New chapter for'¨book-loving duo

Alex Elms and Ruth Johnson who were married at Farington Lodge.

And that meant collecting 430 books to decorate the Blossom Room at Farington Lodge, creating a stunning setting for a couple who just love books.

Property manager and business owner Ruth, 28, said: “We both had an idea in our heads about what the venue would look like, but it surpassed that.

“We are both keen book lovers so we wanted to have a book theme which decorated the room and the centre pieces on all of the tables too.

“Each table after one of our favourite books – the top table was His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, another table was The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.

The couple met during a night out at university in Derby when Alex, a software engineer, introduced himself by spilling an ice cold Kopperberg down Ruth’s back.

A few months later after lots of talking, they went on our first date.

The proposal came when they went for a meal at their favourite restaurant.

They had talked about getting married but it was a complete surprise for Ruth.

She said: “He looked at me in the most loving way, and said, ‘I can’t wait any longer, I love you’ and got down on one knee – I couldn’t stop crying with happiness.

Their wedding day was everything their dreamed of.

They rehearsed a routine for their first dance and their cake topper featured figureines of themselves sat on the sofa, reading with their cats.

“The whole day was perfect,” said Ruth.

“I married the man of my dreams and we couldn’t have asked for a better day.

“If I could do it again, I wouldn’t because there’s no way it could have been better.”

Alex, 26, added: “It couldn’t have gone any better. It was the happiest day of my life.”