Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Wedding tackle
Bride surprised with rugby nuptials
HERE scrums the bride as Charlotte and Wes Keywood seal a rugby union in front of 26,000 cheering fans.
With TV cameras rolling, Charlotte swaps her bridal shoes for boots as she marches out for her nuptials.
The 20-year-old had hoped for a cosy and intimate ceremony.
But roofer Wes – charged with organising every aspect of the big day – had other ideas. He is rugby mad and arranged for them to marry during half time as Leicester Tigers played Northampton Saints. The pair, who have a baby son, appear in the new Channel 4 series of Don’t Tell The Bride – where grooms surprise their other halves.
As the big day approaches, Charlotte says: “I’d love it to be really cosy and intimate – just family and a few friends.”
But Wes, 22, contacts several rugby clubs and, after a few punts, Leicester agree to host the ceremony at their Welford Road stadium. Rugby nut Wes said: “It was a massive thing for me.”
Charlotte admits she enjoyed the ceremony even if it was a far cry from her dream do. She said: “I loved that we’d be seen by so many people. It was lovely being on the actual pitch and loads of people came up to us afterwards. I’d tried on dresses and the one he chose was really similar to the one I wanted.
“I don’t feel like I missed out. The shoes were perfect too but he did make me wear rugby boots on the pitch.
“The only bit I’m disappointed about was no veil – but he’d spent the budget and only had £3 left.”
The new series of Don’t Tell The Bride starts tonight on E4 at 9pm, featuring a Game of Thrones wedding. Wes and Charlotte’s episode is next Sunday.
Husband Wes secretly arranged for the ceremony to be held in front of 26,000 rugby fans for Channel 4’s Don’t Tell the Bride.
In the event, Charlotte enjoyed her big day – though the rugby boots were not the footwear she might have chosen. Never mind, Charlotte. It could have been worse.
Imagine the boots you’d have had to wear if Wes was a fan of deep-sea diving.