After 10 years these workmates from Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, finally tie knot

Bride Nicole (nee Parker) has multiple sclerosis - a lifelong condition that affects the brain and spinal cord - so the couple wanted to wed before anything happened.

With an intimate crowd because of the Covid guidelines, the Fareham couple wed at the town’s register office on June 25, followed by a reception at Lysses House Hotel.

Noel, 47, said: ‘We waited 10 years to get married. Life kept getting in the way.

‘Boris didn’t lift all restrictions in time for our wedding, but we actually had a much better wedding.

‘There was no disco and limited people, but we had musical bingo and a great laugh with our nearest and dearest.’

Nicole asked guests to ‘take as many photographs and videos as they could’ in instead gifts.

The couple met while working for the Department of Work and Pensions in Fareham a decade ago.

Ever since, they have been joined at the hip and have worked in the same department at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, Portsmouth for six years.

The devoted couple tell The News they are ‘best friends and do everything together.’

Noel added: ‘We got together quite quickly in 2011 and got engaged in 2012. It was more of a conversation because we both wanted to get married.

‘The reason we wanted to get married was that one of our very close friends sadly died recently. He was in his 40s, so very young. We thought life is just too short.’

They originally planned their wedding for June 2020, but it was postponed due to the pandemic.

Despite the delay, Nicole said: ‘It was perfect.

‘The Rev Dawn Banting, who leads the chaplaincy at Queen Alexandra Hospital, did the blessing for us, and it was wonderful.’

The Applebys spent their honeymoon in the Lake District instead of their original destination, Mexico. But all was not lost, as the newlyweds claimed they would not have enjoyed the temperatures.

Nicole and Noel Appleby would like to thank Clive, James and all the staff at the Lysses Hotel – as well as Lucy Bernier who did Nicole’s hair and makeup - and Nicole for Occasions, Fareham, for Nicole’s dress.

A message from the editor, Mark Waldron.

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