The ‘lovely’ wedding on the hottest day of the year in Old Portsmouth

Inside the Square Tower, Carly, dressed in her beautiful dress, and Dave, in a tweed suit, couldn’t stop smiling as they exchanged vows and handed out fans to their guests.

‘We got married on the hottest day of the year, July 25. We gave everyone fans and Dave included that in his speech,’ laughs Carly, 32.

‘It was a lovely day.’

The couple, from North End, first met when they both went to Mayfield School.

‘We met through mutual friends when I was 14 and he was 16. And we have been together ever since,’ says Carly, whose maiden name is Stares.

In September 2017, Dave, 34, and Carly were on holiday in Rome when he decided to get down on one knee.

‘We were having dinner and he was acting really strangely. I thought he wasn’t enjoying himself but I later realised he was just nervous.

‘Of course I said yes!’

The couple originally planned to tie the knot in Jamaica but unfortunately things did not go to plan.

Carly explains: ‘Originally, we were going to get married in Jamaica because I have always wanted to go. Everyone was willing to fly so we booked the hotel.

‘But last September, the hotel said it was going in for refurbishment. They gave us back our deposit so we decided to get married here instead.’

Carly and Dave married in front of 70 guests and their children Tia, 14, Lacey, 11, Dolly, 7, and Dexter, five, in their home city.

‘I’m not really one for fuss so I had never thought about getting married before.

‘But I feel we’re more connected as a family now,’ smiles Carly.

‘I loved it – it was great having all of our friends and family together.’

And while hundreds of young people lined the Hotwalls and riots raged outside, the blissful couple enjoyed their day before travelling to the Rifle Club, Portsmouth, for their reception.

‘It didn’t affect us much. We were lucky, though,’ adds Carly.

The couple are now looking forward to their honeymoon in Spain.