1987 has to have been the most stressful year of my life. I moved back to Liverpool, bought a house and got married. Gina had one more stress to contend with - she graduated.
After months and months of intense revision, Gina took her final exams in 1987 and we prepared to move back to Liverpool,move into our new house and get married. Luckily, we didn't have very much and a white van was all that was needed.
We moved into our new house in the June - a new build in Hightown
Hightown is a seaside village and our back garden was basically a beach! For next two years Stan (my father-in-law) and I spent all our spare time landscaping the back garden. I had a vision of the garden on several levels, and a patio area immediately outside. 30tonnes of top soil later.....
So the June saw us move in and the July 11th 1987 was our Wedding Day.
After several unsuccessful attempts at wedding dress shopping in Newcastle Gina decided to go for a made-to-measure dress from a lady in Liverpool (Gina still has the pattern). Bridesmaids were Anne Desmot and Gina's sister, Karen.
The wedding was a very local affair - a marquee in Gina's back garden, local caterers, the cake made by local celebrity cake maker - David's Cakes of Distinction, Aunty Irene arranged the flowers, Mrs Crewe - the history teacher - sang Ave Maria in church and Anne Desmot designed the invitations (Anne is a wood engraver).
We brought our own priest in for the ceremony - Fr. John, who had been our priest at the Chaplaincy at University.
No music, Gina forgot!
Inside the marquee.
Our fabulous cake - the top tier later to be our first-born's Christening cake
Invitation design by Anne Desmot - a G and a J
Gina - of course.
Anne, Gina and Karen.
Me and Gina.
Me with Best Man, Andy Bell.
Who caught the bouquet? Caroline.
We spent our wedding night at The Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool City Centre ( at that time the best hotel in Liverpool), took a train to London the next day and flew to Kenya. Our honeymoon was an African Safari in Mombasa. We have very few photos of ourselves as I photographed far too much wildlife!
A stressful year 1987 but also the best - the start of our married life.