BRIDE TIES KNOT THEN DASHES TO RUGBY
A VALLEYS bride took time out of her big day to watch Wales’ latest Six Nations clash down the pub in her wedding dress.
Jess Duffy, along with groom Louis and members of her wedding party, halted their celebrations to sip pints and cheer on Alun Wyn Jones’ boys at The Rock Inn in Aberaman during the Ireland v Wales clash.
The pair, both from Pontypridd, had just left the church after tying the knot at nearby St Margaret’s in Mountain Ash before making a detour to watch the Welsh team take on the might of the Irish in Dublin.
“The ceremony was at noon, so we worked out that if we’d done the ‘I dos’ by 12.25pm and got the photos done and dusted we’d be in the bar in time for the 2.15pm kick-off,” said Jess, 22, who met Louis, 27, on a night out two years previously.
“In fact, we didn’t start planning the wedding until after the full 2020 Six Nations fixtures had been announced, so we were able to fit everything around them nicely.
“My whole family is rugby mad, so I think they would have shunned us had our wedding day clashed with the game,” she laughs.
However, the pair, who run their own business selling health and wellness products, said the the Welsh players’ 24-14 defeat at the hands of Andy Farrell’s impressive side wouldn’t put a dampener on their special moment.
“It was still a brilliant afternoon, both at the church and down The Rock – there were 45 of us in there in total, all suited up to the max.
“I’m not sure the staff knew what was happening altogether.”
Speaking to us just after the rugby match, Jess said there would be plenty of celebrations during the evening reception at Llechwen Hall in Nelson, regardless of the outcome on the pitch earlier.
“There’ll be lots of Guinness drunk no doubt, just to show there’s no hard feelings,” she said.
“Then we’re off on honeymoon to Disneyland – although me and Louis have made sure we’re back home in plenty of time for Wales’ next match.”