Mr. B. Jones

Miss S. j. Mattinson

Recently married in tropical Phuket were Mr. Ben Jones and Miss Sammy Jo Mattinson.

The groom, proprietor of the popular Lifeboat Tavern and Coach and Horses pubs in Tenby, is the eldest son of Tony and Ann Jones, of Pleasant Valley, while the bride is the youngest daughter of Stephen and Jayne Mattinson, of Penygroes.

Nine monks attended the Buddhist ceremony to bless their union. The ceremony was carried out in the true traditional style of the country, which involves the groom arriving at the venue followed by a dancing troop of children who play long-drums and sing in a procession to the door.

After the blessing of the Buddhist monks and exchanging of personal vows to each other, the bride and groom are then seated while all family and friends take it in turns to pour holy water over their hand and give words of blessing to their future marriage.

The setting for the wedding was in tropical gardens on the seafront in the grounds of their friends home in Cape Panwa, Phuket Island.

Attending the wedding were close family and friends from all around the globe, from Thai people to Germans, Welsh and Americans.

Flower girls and gate keepers were the groom's daughter, Mia Jones and her cousins Ella Warren-Stock and Seren Stock.

The happy couple are now enjoying their honeymoon in sunny Tenby!