Magical Disney World proposal prompts ‘beautiful’ country house wedding for Portchester couple

They were due to tie the knot in May 2020 but were forced to push forward their plans to June 2021 – which again had to be put on hold.

But the couple from Portchester - who met aged 18 and 20 – eventually settled for a big winter wedding on December 11 which turned out to be ‘just perfect’.

Katy, a gatehouse administrator and James, a master technician at Volvo tied the knot at New Place, a picture-perfect former country house at Shirrell Heath, Fareham with 70 guests in the day and about 100 in the evening.

Katy, née Ivemey, 27, says: ‘After we had to postpone the wedding we went from a summer wedding to a winter wedding and the weather was on our side.

‘I thought I was going to be freezing but it was just perfect.

‘Just being able to get all our families together in one room and celebrate felt amazing.

‘We've got two children and they've all got their dad's name so I was the odd one out. It was almost like being able to complete our family properly.’

After meeting in a club in 2013 through mutual friends, the pair soon started dating and it came as a bit of a shock when Katy discovered she was pregnant with their eldest, Alfie, just a few months into their blossoming relationship.

But ever since, the smitten couple have never looked back and now share another little one, Isla, who’s two.

James, 29, proposed to his teen sweetheart on a family holiday in 2018, and Katy admits she was taken completely by surprise.

‘He proposed outside the Magic Castle Kingdom at Disney World Florida,’ says Katy.

‘We went on a family holiday with our little boy and James’ parents and then he just randomly decided out there that he was going to propose.

‘He did it right in front of the castle with the photographers there!’

The pair were deliberating over venues for a while, and originally had big plans to marry at Portchester Castle.

However, on seeing other couples get married at New Place, a Grade I listed building, Katy realised she wanted to bring to life that beautiful wedding she’d dreamt of for years. Initially, the hefty price sum was a bit daunting.

‘Eventually we properly looked into it and it worked out about the same and it was just beautiful,’ says Katy.

‘It was picturesque for all the pictures, the grounds were lovely, and the staff couldn't help you enough. The wedding coordinator there kept to all of our timings and it was just amazing.’

While James was overcome by emotion from the start of their special day, Katy was as cool as a cucumber and ‘more excited than nervous’.

It was only until about half an hour before Katy was due to walk down the aisle that she received her final rose – James had been sending her a rose every hour with a heartfelt message attached on the lead up to their ceremony – and this one really did pull at the heart strings.

‘The last one said "you'll be my wife in half an hour” and that's when I turned into a bit of a blubbering mess’, she says.

‘Apparently James was very emotional all from the start.’

Because of Covid rulings, sadly James’ best man was stuck in Australia so couldn’t make the couple’s big day.

Instead, he filmed a recording of the speech which was played out to guests filled with heart-warming memories of their friendship.

‘It was gutting that he wasn't there but he tried his best and Covid-19 is to blame for it again,’ says Katy.

‘But then we all took a video and raised a toast to say thank you and sent it to him. It was kind of like he was there.’

The couple now eagerly await a family-moon to Rhodes which has been postponed to next year.

Despite all the setbacks, the newlyweds were delighted to spend a few days in London where they indulged in the finer things in life complete with cocktails from the top of The Shard.

All wedding pictures by Carla Mortimer Wedding Photography

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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