After checking the weather forecast all week, we were expecting slight clouds and no rain, but Saturday 17 July came with an hour of torrential rain in the morning!

The bridal party were getting ready at Duncton Mill Farmhouse, close to Seaford College in West Sussex. My hairdresser, Janet, arrived, followed by another hairdresser from the Metropole Hotel for the bridesmaids and my mother, Annette, and then our make-up artist. A beauty parlour was emerging!

Up at Seaford College, our caterers were busy with their preparations, and the florists were battling with the rain to dress the chapel arch with white roses, delphiniums and lavender bunches.

Meanwhile, the groom was busy playing golf with the best man and ushers!!

The five bridesmaids were ready to go. They wore a simple, cowl necked, layered, georgette satin dress with spaghetti straps, in different sweet pea colours – Cath in seafoam green, Sue in periwinkle blue, Jo in soft lilac, and chief-bridesmaid, Kerry, in rose pink. Their bouquets were bunches of sweet smelling herbs and lavender tied with matching ribbons. Six-year old Amy was a fairy princess in sequinned ivory carrying a basket of rose petals to scatter before the bride.

At 1.30pm our chauffeur arrived with a beautiful Daimler Landaulette to take the bridesmaid’s to St Peter’s Church at Seaford College. The sun began to shine and as the limo made it’s way through the grounds it was followed by a double decker Brighton and Hove bus carrying frantically waving guests!

The photographer was busy taking photos of me preparing to leave with my father, Keith. My dress was a fairytale princess style with handmade three-tiered veil which sparkled with jewels. My fantastic ‘new’ shoes had a gorgeous band of crystal which showed off my bright red painted toes!

‘Borrowed’ was the 1970’s tiara which belonged to my mother, and my great grandmother’s engagement ring was ‘old’. As I revealed to Damian later in the evening, I wore a lacy garter decorated with the ‘blue’ Brighton and Hove Albion crest!

The tiny chapel was packed with family and friends. Damian and his best man, Simon, were anxiously checking their watches as the Bridal Chorus began at 2.10pm – I was late again! We had two Bible readings, and my brother, Robert, read an extract from ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’, reminding the congregation that ‘Love is a temporary madness… Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away…’

The Wedding March played us down the aisle, into the sunshine and delphinium confetti! Pimms on the terrace was to follow and one guest was heard to comment that is was ‘the most romantic wedding I’ve ever been to’. A trio played during the wedding breakfast, and we had a complimentary Jack Daniels and cigar bar to accompany coffee and the cutting of the wedding cake. My aunt made a fabulous five-tied chocolate cake as a present, and iced it on the morning of the wedding!

As the candles flickered outside, we danced to ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ – choreographed by the Damian’s mother and stepfather (Damian had chosen his wedding day to take his stepfather’s name).

Evening guests arrived by bus and all enjoyed the Sizzling Pig roast and disco dancing in the starlit marquee, with everyone dancing a finale to ‘New York, New York’.

All too soon the big Brighton bus arrived to ferry guests back home –clutching their sticks of Brighton rock – personalised with the Bride and Groom’s names!

We travelled in a Daimler to Avisford Park Hotel for our first night before flying to New York for our two-week honeymoon at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

Do Differently: What can you change when a day is absolutely perfect? Everybody asked whether my mother was a wedding organiser as the day went so smoothly and everyone had such a good time.

Grooms Comments: Damian complimented my mother at the end of the evening – he is food and beverage manager at the Hilton Brighton Metropole – so this was praise indeed!