A pirate’s wife for me!
For h her wedding, ddi Lisa Eagletonmuir, 44, from gateshead, just needed a frock, a cake...and a wooden leg
Our eyes first met across the breakfast room at a Gothic B&B for a film festival in 2013.
He’s really handsome… and probably
married, I thought to myself. Just my luck.
Back in 2007, I’d lost my leg in a car accident. Over two years, I’d had over 40 ops and worked hard to get my spark back.
Fitted with a prosthetic, I’d tried pole dancing and I was a finalist for Alternative Model of the Year in 2012.
I made sure to do the things I loved, like going to this film festival. But maybe a part of me was still lacking confidence, especially when it came to guys.
Sometimes I felt like the only single person left.
But then I clocked that the handsome stranger was alone…
Bite the bullet, I thought, and introduced myself...
Turns out Gav, now 38, wasn’t just hot, but he was hilarious, too.
We’d spent that day together laughing, and the rest is history!
Gav wasn’t fazed by my prosthetic leg when I told him my story.
He was more interested in the horror-inspired costumes I made for events like these.
But there were 250 miles between us – me in Wigan, him in Gateshead.
It didn’t stop us – and on 27 October 2014 Gav proposed.
Turns out I wasn’t the only one with quirky hobbies.
Gav loved sword fighting and historical re-enactment, as well as Gothic films, like me.
I moved to Gateshead, and we set a date for 7 October 2017. We wanted something a bit different…
‘What about getting married on a pirate ship?’ Gav grinned. Should have guessed my swashbuckling fella would suggest that.
But it was perfect for us. ‘Well, I have got one leg!’ I joked.
After some hunting, we managed to find a 200-yearold pirate ship in Hartlepool Marina, complete with muskets and cannons.
Hiring it for £750, my next focus were the outfits.
A local designer, Wyte Phantom, helped me create a fabulous pirate-princess gown.
My daughters, Hannah, 18, Rebecca, 15, and Colette, 14, joined me with turquoise bridesmaid dresses. Next, the leg..!
I found out that Howard, the man who made my prosthetic, used to be a cabinet maker.
‘Fancy making me a wooden leg?’ I laughed.
He spent over 60 hours whittling away an oak veneer to fit over a prosthetic limb. It was beautiful, but heavy! He made me it as a wedding gift – but it probably cost more than my dresses!
My big day was perfect, I was given away by my friend, Colin Fortune, a Captain Jack Sparrow lookalike.
Gav looked very handsome in purple pirate gear, too.
Our ceremony was interrupted by a sword fight, though. We’d planned it with Gav’s sword-fighting mates, to shock our 70 guests.
Once won, we were pronounced man and wife.
Walking under an arch of swords, with cannons blaring, I felt so loved.
For the reception, we had pirate-themed food.
‘Parrot’ chicken wings, ‘mermaid bra’ shell pasta and ‘Blackbeard boats’ – loaded potato skins!
Of course, we had a piratethemed cake too, topped with a chocolate skull.
We danced the night away to pirate band Blackbeard’s Tea Party… Yes, even with one leg!
‘Keep off me chest, mind!’ I laughed to Gav when we boogied together.
It was a perfect day and now life’s great.
I finally have a matey to treasure!