'It's in 30 minutes': Bride's surprise wedding for groom after Covid scare and three cancelled attempts
After three failed attempts to plan a wedding due to family illnesses and her partner even catching Covid, Katrina Bowyer decided to take matters into her own hands and planned an intimate, surprise wedding for her groom, Mark.
The couple, who live in Hope, near Welshpool and have been together 11 years, tied the knot at a small, picturesque church in rural Wales last week, after Katrina popped the big question to Mark just half an hour before the ceremony started.
Mark, 35, caught coronavirus earlier this year and as a result, now has scarring on his heart and subsequent heart problems. Mark, who's father had passed away from heart problems at a young age, started to contemplate the couple's future together.
Katrina, also 35, said she wanted to think of the perfect way to show him how much she loved him and what their relationship meant to her – and came up with the plan to organise a surprise wedding for Mark on August 27, his birthday.
"Five years ago we had booked to get married in Mauritius," Katrina explained, "but my dad had a heart attack so we couldn't get married out there because of the long flight, and had to cancel.
"A couple of years went by and one day we were going to book a church but instead we came across Janet and Keith Jones at Quaint Country Weddings in Trelystan and I thought, the wedding has to be there. It is gorgeous and the view is amazing.
"So we booked to get married on August 15 this year, but unfortunately last October we found out my mom has cancer. We didn't know where she would be in terms of chemotherapy so we thought we should maybe bring it forward to June 6 this year."
The couple's big day was all set to go ahead, then the coronavirus pandemic struck and Mark even caught the virus and was hospitalised two weeks later with heart problems, leaving the couple uncertain of the future.
Katrina said: "I was thinking what can I do to show him how much I love him and how serious I am. So my mom, my auntie and my friend Lorraine and I came up with this idea for a surprise wedding on Mark's birthday."
Katrina had to organise her wedding dress fittings, sort the groom's suit, which included buying two pairs of trousers in case they didn't fit, and even sort the wedding rings.
"On the actual day I had to put the ring on one of Mark's smaller fingers because I had still bought the wrong size," Katrina said.
"I was so nervous before he came in. I had told Mark we were having a surprise party at my mom's house and my dad would drive him up separate to us so he could have a drink. Then we organised for Janet to call Mark that day and say the venue was hosting an event but her lawnmower was broken, and Keith was out, so could Mark come and fix it.
"So Mark came up to the church and I remember being stood there in my wedding dress, I had done my own hair and makeup and everything, and I was so nervous but I did not once think he wouldn't say yes.
"We have been through so much together and had so many things thrown in our way this year, it was all worth it. I am so happy, the day was so fun.
"Mark loved it all. When we were standing at the alter, he said he couldn't believe I had managed it all – I am normally not very good with secrets."
The couple have two children, Ryan, aged 15, and Lily, aged 9, who joined them on the big day along with a small group of 13 friends and family.
Mark and Katrina went on a honeymoon around the Welsh coast with some friends in their boat, and were even treated to a beautiful display by a pod of dolphins off the Porthmadog coast.
Katrina added: "With Mark's dad passing away, and then him having coronavirus, he has had a hard time and I thought it was about time he had some goodness in his life."
