St. Issell's Church, Saundersfoot, was the lovely setting for the recent wedding of Gary Thomas Waring and Stephanie Jane Phillips.
The groom, a clearance diver and bomb disposal expert in the Royal Navy, is the son of Graham and Carole Waring, of Broadwell Hayes, Tenby, while the bride, an ambulance technician, is the daughter of John and Marilyn Phillips, of Church View, Hodgeston.
Given away by her father, the bride looked stunning in an Amanda Wyatt, strapless A line gown with cathedral train in duchess satin. The bodice and a V panel of the dress were encrusted with bead work and hand embroidery.
The bride was attended by two matrons-of-honour who looked attractive in slender rose coloured dresses. They were Helen Bullock, a lifelong friend of the bride, and Maria Satchwell, a friend of the couple, from Plymouth.
The groom chose Matthew Davies, a school friend, for his best man, and three other friends, Adam Brown, Paul Foster and Anthony Simpson, as his ushers.
A happy atmosphere was enjoyed by everyone at the wedding service, conducted by Rev. Michael Butler, during which the bride and groom exchanged unusual concave traditional gold rings. A reading was given by the bride's brother, Gareth.
Family and friends who had travelled from all parts of the UK, and as far afield as Corfu, and even Australia, enjoyed a sumptuous wedding breakfast at the Fourcroft Hotel where the happy couple cut a magnificent three-tiered cake made by the bride's mother and beautifully decorated by Gill Pearce.
The day ended with a very unusual evening at the De Valence Pavilion. Apart from enjoying the disco provided by Steve Briers, the partygoers were also entertained by a violent bucking bronco and Sumo wrestling matches. It's not often the case that a wedding day deteriorates into the bride and groom's mothers being flung from a bull's back before engaging in fighting each other, Sumo style!
Following a scuba diving honeymoon, at an exotic location, in November, the couple will be making their home in Plymouth.