Portchester couple's 'perfect' wedding

Dave and Tammy Hind at Ventnor Botanic Garden, Isle of Wight. Picture: Mark Robbins Photography

Beaming with happiness, Tammy, nee Manning, recalls how she met Dave Hind, 48, when she was growing up in Portchester.

‘His friends used to live next door to me in Portchester. We have known each other for a long time and I always fancied him.

‘I would see him come and go because we were neighbours. We were close and would have waterfights over the garden wall,’ smiles the 40-year-old.

The newlyweds pose for their wedding photographs. Picture: Mark Robbins Photography

Unexpectedly, Tammy received a call one evening that changed life as she knew it.

She says: ‘His friend phoned me one evening and said Dave wanted to take me out. I thought he was joking because I thought “why would he look at me?”

‘We went on a couple of dates and it went from there. We’ve been together ever since.’

And 18 years later – to the exact day – the couple married at Ventnor Botanic Gardens, Isle of Wight, on May 15.

Tammy and Dave Hind on their wedding day at Ventnor Botanic Garden, Isle of Wight. Picture: Mark Robbins Photography

‘We got engaged five years ago. I remember it like it was yesterday,’ squeals Tammy.

‘Every year on Valentine’s Day, he would come home with 12 roses and a card. But this time he came home with a card and a massive teddy bear.

‘He told me to open the card first. It had “to my special fiancee” written on it. I said “what are you trying to say?”

‘I kept him guessing for a bit but obviously said yes. It was very emotional.’

Although the couple live together in Portchester, they decided to get married on the Isle of Wight because of Dave’s happy childhood memories of the island.

‘Dave used to go to the Isle of Wight a lot when he was young.

‘We fell in love with the botanical gardens and it was accessible for everyone,’ says Tammy.

In front of 15 family members and friends, the couple tied the knot with the waves of the Solent lapping in the background.

‘We were very excited and happy to be marrying each other. I loved all of it. It was just a perfect day.

‘Things go wrong all of the time for us. But everything went so well – we couldn’t believe it,’ she adds.

The Hinds are now planning their honeymoon to the Caribbean later this year and are enjoying married life at home.

‘Dave is caring, loyal, hardworking, funny, so loving and would do anything for me. He has always been there for me no matter what,’ grins Tammy.