Worthing woman’s wedding surprise

Her fiancé of seven years, Ian, got so fed up with Emily’s nerves getting in the way of their big day, that he, with the help of her mum Elizabeth Bennett, organised the whole thing himself, only telling her about it on the morning of their wedding.

Emily said a church had originally been booked as far back as 2004, but had to be cancelled.

“I knew I wanted to marry Ian, but I was just so nervous, I couldn’t do it. There’s just so much pressure, and I was so worried, about the planning, and about what people would think,” she said.

Elizabeth said the pair, who live in Littlehampton and who have been together since they met at Northbrook College 10 years ago, had been planning the wedding for so long she and the rest of the family knew exactly what Emily wanted.

But there were hurdles to overcome, said 30-year-old carpenter Ian, such as giving the notice of marriage.

The team of secret wedding planners overcame that, though, by convincing Emily she might go abroad to tie the knot at “some point next year”, so she might as well sign the forms.

Her dress was the other main obstacle, which was solved by a covert girlie shopping trip with sister Lucy where Emily was convinced to buy her “perfect dress” in case she never found it again.

Emily, 28, did not cotton on, though. “I really had no idea! Ian said he was going on an all-night fishing trip, so I went to stay at my mum and dad’s.

“When I spoke to Ian the next day, he said ‘will you marry me today?’ I said ‘no, I have to go to work’!”

Ian said it took five attempts before she realised he was not mucking around.

He said: “I had no doubt that she wanted to marry me, it was just getting her there without her stressing out.”

They married at Arundel Town Hall, with the reception at the Norfolk Arms.

“Everything was perfect, just how I would have imagined it,” said Emily.

“It was a perfect day.”

Elizabeth, who works at Worthing Hospital, said she and husband Richard had been extremely proud.

“It was beautiful and I couldn’t have wanted anything more for her.”