Cosham groom organises 'dream' wedding in three months so bride's ill father and granddad can watch her marry

It’s not every day you meet the love of your life at a burger van. For all of the things that are synonymous with love and romance, flipping burgers and crispy chips are not things that spring to mind.
Sophie and Lewis Field on their wedding day at Portchester Castle. Picture: Mark Robbins PhotographySophie and Lewis Field on their wedding day at Portchester Castle. Picture: Mark Robbins Photography
Sophie and Lewis Field on their wedding day at Portchester Castle. Picture: Mark Robbins Photography

However for Lewis Field and Sophie Thorpe, Mick’s Monster Burgers on Portsdown Hill is where they crossed paths for the first time.

Lewis, 28, smiles and says: ‘I asked for Sophie’s phone number but got given her friend Georgia’s number instead. I then insisted to Georgia that I wanted Sophie’s number.

‘I finally got it.’

Sophie and Lewis Field on their wedding day at Portchester Castle. Picture: Mark Robbins PhotographySophie and Lewis Field on their wedding day at Portchester Castle. Picture: Mark Robbins Photography
Sophie and Lewis Field on their wedding day at Portchester Castle. Picture: Mark Robbins Photography
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From there, the romance blossomed over many long journeys in their cars, dinner dates and cinema trips.

‘I knew there was something special about her,’ says Lewis, who works as a roofing contractor.

The couple moved in together in 2015 and now live in Cosham with their daughter Renei-Mai, eight, and two-year-old son Oliver.

‘One of our favourite weekend getaways has always been Bournemouth. We have always gone there for long weekends for a little time to ourselves,’ says Lewis.

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‘But on this particular occasion last year we had gone on my birthday weekend in March and I asked Sophie the question on the Bournemouth Big Wheel, she wept and said yes!’

Lewis, also known as Lewie, says: ‘We knew Sophie’s granddad wasn’t too well and didn’t want him to miss out on seeing his only granddaughter get married. Sophie’s dad Steve had also been unwell and we didn’t want him to miss out on the big day either so I took it upon myself from getting engaged to start organising the wedding in late June.

‘It was Sophie’s dream to get married at Portchester Castle so I went to inquire and booked September 21.

‘On the way home I passed the Village Hotel, Cosham, and decided to pop in there to inquire regarding a venue for the wedding breakfast and evening reception. They only had three dates available, one including September 21.

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‘I went home and told Sophie we were getting married in three months and I had already booked the venue.

‘She broke down in tears of panic.’

Sophie, 28, chose her dress two weeks after being told the date of her wedding day.

She says: ‘I had almost got everything within six weeks. I was told I was the easiest bride because I gave the decorators the colour theme and told them to do what they thought best.

‘Sweet Creations did an absolutely amazing job. It was beautiful.’

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Lewis adds: ‘I think with the hard work from everyone and generosity of family, everything fell into place and it was a dream come true.’

Sophie laughs and says: ‘Lewie has a love for trucks so our wedding transport was his truck to take us from the church. This got stolen in November 2019, but returned. It is an ongoing joke that if he could marry his truck, he would have!’

And everything sailed smoothly on their wedding day last September at Portchester Castle and the Fields tied the knot in front of 150 guests, with Sophie’s dad walking her down the aisle and her granddad tuning in via video link.

Lewis says: ‘It’s safe to say that I felt very nervous before the wedding. My best man Danny Efford and father of the bride Steve helped me keep my composure to get through it.

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‘My favourite part of the day was exchanging rings with my soulmate, best friend and partner-in-crime.’

‘We haven’t had our honeymoon yet as Sophie’s granddad passed away a week after the wedding so we decided to postpone until the new year,’ explains Lewis.

‘As time grew closer for the honeymoon, Sophie’s dad became unwell and passed away in January this year after a long fight with cancer so we have postponed until next Christmas when we will be taking our children to Disneyland Paris.’

Sophie adds: ‘It was the happiest day of my life marrying my best friend, and for my dad being able to walk me down the aisle and granddad watch on his TV at home.

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‘It was my dream to marry my best friend and the two most important men in my life being there. My favourite thing about Lewie is his kind heart and romantic ways.’

And Lewis adds his favourite thing about his wife is her personality. ‘Sophie is a unique person – truly one of a kind.’