When Nailsea Croquet Club chairman Marcus Evans married Emma Packham players formed an arch using mallets as the couple left the church.
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A marriage procession with croquet mallets
Marcus, aged 26, a pensions consultant with Hargreaves Lansdown, and Emma Packham, 25, a staff nurse at the BRI, wed at Abbots Leigh on Saturday, October 29.
The newlyweds first met in April 2003 at the Greenhouse pub, at Park Street, Bristol.
Seven years later in August 2010 while travelling in a gondola in the romantic Itatalian city of Venice Marcus proposed.
For the big day Emma wore an ivory silk long dress with shoulder length veil.
Emma’s sister Katie was chief bridesmaid with Sarah Calderwood, Kay Llewellyn, Chrissie Davies and Cara Collins in attendance.
They all wore purple three-quarter length bridesmaid dresses and carried purple flowers.
Boyhood friend Nick Fox acted as bestman with six ushers Toby Kushner, Mike Gazzard, Nathan Hunt, Ross Calderwood, Tom Hamey and Ian Ridge, who are all from Nailsea.
The men wore grey tails with Marcus and Nick sporting purple cravats while the ushers wore ivory cravats.
Emma and Marcus exchanged gold and titanium rings during the service led by the Rev Decia Smith.
The organist was John Talbot and Nigel Nash conducted the Bristol Bach Choir.
The 100 guests were joined by a further 40 at the evening reception at Coombe Lodge, Blagdon.
Among the in-laws were Marcus’ parents Anthony and Rachel Evans, of Engine Lane, Nailsea; Emma’s father Stephen Packham, of Stowey Road, Yatton, and mother Julia Packham, of Henleaze.
The two week honeymoon which the couple described as ‘fabulous’ was spent at Mauritius.
The couple will be making their home in Cotham.
The croquet players who lined up outside Holy Trinity church were from the left Pam Hendry, Geoff Hughes, Brian McCausland and Peter Dyke and on the right Mike Tracy, Robin Hendry, Brian Roynon and Ryan Cabble.