Unique wedding for ukulele fans
ACOUPLE who struck a chord after joining a Beatles tribute band have said love me I do – with a little help from their friends.
Ukulele and Beatles fans Mark Millar and Alison Carey met each other in 2013 when they both joined the Beatleleles.
So it was no surprise when they decided that both would feature prominently when the loved up duo decided to tie the knot.
Alison, 29, entered King Edward Street Chapel in Macclesfield to the Paul McCartney song My Love, before the couple surprised guests by performing The Beatles tune Real Love together on their ukuleles.
The ceremony also featured The Beatles’ 1969 hit Something and Mark managed to shoehorn the lyrics ‘ Grow old along with me’ – from the John Lennon song of the same name – into his vows.
But the newlyweds got their own surprise on leaving the chapel when Beatleleles bandmates – Dave Phillips, Claire Hutchinson, Ian Musgrave, Stuart Fraser, Law- rence White and Huw Williams – formed a ukulele ‘guard of honour’.
Mark, who works for the NHS, said: “It was a perfect day and we’re still buzzing from it.
“The Beatles and the ukulele played such a big part in getting us together, it was only right that they played a big part in the wedding.
“It was an emotional moment watching Alison walking up the aisle to the song My Love. She looked amazing and it took my breath away.
“Instead of readings during the ceremony we decided to surprise everyone with a song.
“There were a few pan- tomime groans as I pulled out the ukulele but it was a special moment when we sang a slow version of Real Love.
“We are used to performing, but doing it at your wedding if very different.
“We left the chapel to Ken Dodd’s tune Happiness and the guys had formed a guard of honour with their ukuleles held high.
“It was a funny and touching moment – and possibly a world first.”
The couple are planning to honeymoon later in the year and are currently spending time with Alison’s family who travelled all the way from Australia for the wedding.
Mark and Alison, who live in the town centre, are also playing their first gig as man and wife at the Cotton Tree in Bollington on Friday (July 22).
The couple now hope to start a family, and admit they won’t have to look far for potential names for boys: John, Paul, George and Ringo, or maybe Lucy or Eleanor for girls.