Published at 21:33, Wednesday, 17 September 2008

Tradition has it that it’s the bride’s prerogative to be late to the church on her wedding day and Laura Brooks was no exception.

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But for husband-to-be Paul Henderson it was worth the wait as she walked down the aisle of St Michael’s Church in Isel in a beautiful A-line style ball gown.

Laura, 29, and Paul, 26, who were Cumbrian Weddings’ first Live the Dream competition winners in 2007, tied the knot on August 1 watched by 100 family and friends.

“I was 15 minutes late,” said Laura. “I didn’t know that though, because I wasn’t wearing a watch.”

Laura and her five bridesmaids Danielle Hazel, Peggie Liu, Susie Turner, Kate Macleod and Zoe Atkins got ready at her mother Helen’s home in nearby Blindcrake.

Her wedding gown, from Dresses and Dreams in Workington, was chosen by readers and Laura was excited to be finally wearing it.

Three of her bridesmaids, who Laura met while teaching in Shanghai, wore traditional Chinese dresses made in the city and her two other bridesmaids wore dresses made using Chinese material.

Laura, who has just started a teaching job at Lorton Primary School, said: “I hadn’t seen them for a year because they teach abroad so it was fantastic for us all to get together.”

Laura’s step-father Graeme Forrester walked her down the aisle and her proud mum gave her away.

Opera singer Beryl Amos, a friend of Paul’s parents, sang in the church as the newly-weds signed the register.

Photographs were taken at the church and on the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, before heading to the reception venue at The Castle Inn nearby, where they had more photographs taken in the gardens.

The couple chose Harringtons Photographers to capture their big day and used a voucher given to them as part of their £5,000 Live the Dream prize.

The 100 guests enjoyed the wedding breakfast and speeches and a further 80 guests attended the evening reception – a disco by DJ Iain T and a hog roast.

Laura said: “Paul has quite a big family and he also plays rugby, so the team were all invited.”

Paul, an agricultural consultant originally from Newcastle, said: “It was a fantastic day and we can’t thank Cumbrian Weddings enough for the prize.”

Laura and Paul spent two nights at The Castle Inn before returning home to get ready for their two-week honeymoon to the Mayan Riviera in Mexico, where they enjoyed relaxing in the sunshine, visiting the Mayan ruins and swimming with dolphins.

And little did they know when they were away that a surprise was waiting for them on their return.

Paul’s brother Andrew, who had been best man at the wedding, and his wife Michelle had redesigned the garden at the couple’s Dearham home while they were away.

Laura said: “Since moving into the house we hadn’t done anything with the garden so it was really overgrown.

“They have put down decking, gravel and organised the flower beds.

“When we got home and looked out of the window and saw the back garden we were shocked. We didn’t know who had done it until we saw a note they had left. It was a complete surprise. At the wedding they had said that they were waiting for our wedding present to arrive.”

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk