Planning the wedding was quite traumatic for the family. I wanted my dad to come but mum did not want his new wife to be there. I got in touch with my dad and told him our good news. We went through to his house in Southport one evening and he and Pauline met Heather for the first time. He was a charmer as usual and all went well. We came to a compromise that dad and Pauline would both come to the ceremony and reception but would not come to the evening meal. We drew up a list of people we wanted to come and it kept growing and growing. I had cousins over in Yorkshire, Heather had family in Scotland and down south, these had to be accommodated. I decided to give my bed in the new flat up for guests and went back to my mum’s for my last night. I did not have a big stag night just a couple of mates for one or two pints at the local. I was in bed by eleven and slept like a log.
I woke up on the morning of Friday 31st may 1974 and felt completely relaxed. Nothing was going to go wrong, it was all planned and should run like clockwork. I had had a haircut a few days before, I just needed to have a bath, have my breakfast and relax. We were not due at the register office until twelve thirty. I had my new suit pressed and hung in my bed room. It was burgundy single breasted with wide lapels and bell bottom trousers cut high to the waist, my shirt was white with a herring bone check and I had a wide solid burgundy tie. My shoes were burgundy patent leather and shone like a mirror. The flowers arrived mid morning, carnations for me and my three brothers and a special buttonhole for mum to match her outfit. I had a good breakfast and waited for the time to go by. At eleven o’clock Chris, my best man, arrived, we were going to Ormskirk on our own in his car.
At twelve we left Stanley court and had to drive past Heather house. As we left Stanley court I saw Heather and her sisters running through the village back to her home. That’s when I thought “ this is a good start thirty minutes to go and she is not ready yet.” We drove on and I said nothing. The radio was on in the car and the Three Degrees song “Year of Decision” came on, “is this an omen?” I thought.
We got to the register office and parked the car, all the guests were still arriving and Chris and I stood there welcoming them all. We waited for the bridal party and sure enough they were only five minutes late. The photographer took pictures of the brides arrival with her Dad in a Rolls Royce. Heather looked absolutely stunning, I had persuaded her to grow her hair long and she had it up with her head dress. Her dress was white Notingham lace with a high collar with long sleeves, mum had excelled herself with the design and making it. Helen and Morag the two brides maids were dressed in peach coloured dresses, they really looked amazing again in my mum’s creations. Ken walked up the middle of the room to me with Heather on his arm and he looked so proud, I was stunned and so proud to have her stood beside me as we said our vows. The service went without a hitch, every one congratulated us. We had more pictures of signing the register, then we went outside and had the group photos done on the steps of the register office.
After about thirty minutes of thanking all out friends and family for coming we got in the Rolls, Heather and I left to go to the reception at Lathom Womens Institute hall. It was about a fifteen minute drive and we arrived before most of the guests. Everything was ready for us, the tables looked fantastic, the chicken and ham salad had been prepared and laid out by Val Heaps from the Royal hotel in Burscough. We had sherry trifle as a sweet and Asti Spumate, which Heather liked, as a toast and everything went well. There were no hiccups during the reception and every one enjoyed the speeches.
Afterwards Ken, Heathers dad suggested that the men should go up to the Plough Hotel about half a mile up the road for a pint. So two hours after getting married I was bundled of in to a car and taken down the road to the nearest pub. As we walked into the Plough all dressed in our suits and with buttonholes, the landlord asked “ who is getting married?” My mate Phil said “ This one got married two hours ago” pointing to me. “ that’s the way lad, start as you mean to go on “ he replied to a peel of laughter from the men. We stayed for two pints and I said we ought to get back to see the ladies. When we got back to the reception Heather and Helen had gone back to our flat as Helen was not feeling too well. Chris and I said our good bye to the guests and said we would be back later. When we arrived at the flat Helen was really not well and Chris took her to Ormskirk Hospital.
Heather and I had to go back to the reception, we did this with Phil in his three wheeler Reliant. When we got back the party was in full swing with the beer flowing and the disco playing music. Lots of our friends had really pushed out the boat for us and we had really wonderful evening. When It came for us to leave I could not find my wallet, I had given it to Chris to look after earlier in the day and he was still at the hospital with Helen. I needed money as we had booked into a hotel for our first night. Ken, Heathers dad, came up trumps and gave me a twenty pound note and said we would sort it out later. We called a taxi and left to cheers from the guests as we off on our honeymoon. The day was over and we had done the deed, we were married. We still had some worries about the next day as Helen and Chris were supposed to be coming away with us to Barry Island for our holiday but in spite of all that I was the proudest person in the world with Heather as my wife.
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