Southsea couple plan 'the loveliest wedding' in just four weeks

With four weeks to plan their dream wedding, Malou and Phil Brooks are still astounded everything went to plan.
Malou and Phil on their wedding day. Picture: Carla Mortimer PhotographyMalou and Phil on their wedding day. Picture: Carla Mortimer Photography
Malou and Phil on their wedding day. Picture: Carla Mortimer Photography

‘We organised the whole thing in four weeks from November,’ says Malou, reminiscing one of the most stressful times of her life.

‘It was very emotional but I had the loveliest wedding.’

Phil, 58, and Malou, 44, met years ago through a mutual friend at a party and couldn’t stop chatting.

The beautiful bride. Picture: Carla Mortimer PhotographyThe beautiful bride. Picture: Carla Mortimer Photography
The beautiful bride. Picture: Carla Mortimer Photography
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‘We were both separated from our partners and we grew closer because we have things in common,’ she explains.

In 2015, the couple, from Southsea, had their son Kieran. Despite always having the intention to tie the knot, the couple understandably put their plans on hold when Kieran was diagnosed with leukaemia.

Malou (née Glastonbury) explains: ‘We were really lucky with his treatment. Once the chemotherapy had ended, we felt we could focus on getting married again.’

To Malou’s surprise, Phil had organised a surprise birthday party for her at The Ship Inn, Havant, where he also got down on one knee in November 2018.

The Brooks on their wedding day. Picture: Carla Mortimer PhotographyThe Brooks on their wedding day. Picture: Carla Mortimer Photography
The Brooks on their wedding day. Picture: Carla Mortimer Photography
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She says: ‘I just wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t realise there would be a party, let alone a proposal so it was a double shock.

‘Phil has organised a surprise birthday for me, but also proposed to me then too.

‘My friends were there too. My family are from the Philippines, he has asked my siblings for my hand in marriage because my parents are sadly no longer with us.

‘They sent video recorded messages which were played on the TV after the proposal. It was very emotional.’

The Brooks' wedding party outside Langstone Hotel, Hayling Island.The Brooks' wedding party outside Langstone Hotel, Hayling Island.
The Brooks' wedding party outside Langstone Hotel, Hayling Island.
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Phil and Malou decided to set the date for their wedding in November 2019, just four weeks before they tied the knot.

‘My family were coming over from the Philippines at Christmas so we just thought we should do it then. We organised the whole thing in four weeks from November. It was very stressful. My niece got married that year too and she had planned her whole wedding for two years.

‘I got my dress two weeks before and booked the venue a month before.

‘A lot of venues were booked up because of Christmas, but luckily we got to Langstone Hotel.’

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And in four weeks, they pulled off the wedding of Malou’s dreams when her and Phil got married at Langstone Hotel, Hayling Island, on December 22, 2019, in front of 70 guests.

Malou says: ‘I had asked a wedding singer three days before to sing one of my favourite songs, Can’t Help Falling In Love With You. She said she didn’t think she could do it because she hadn’t had time to practice it. But a few days before she said she would do it for me.

‘My 17-year-old son Woody gave me away. That was special.

She smiles and says: ‘My favourite part was my son giving me away, walking down the aisle while the singer was singing my favourite song and seeing Phil waiting for me.’

Pictures by carlamortimerweddingphotography.co.uk