Just four years to their first anniversary: Leap of joy for Telford wedding couple
A Telford couple have leapt into their new life together with a February 29 leap year wedding day.
Jodie Evans and Richard Simmons were married on Saturday, and have said that despite the prospect of their anniversary only coming round every four years they will find a way to make sure they mark the occasion.
The ceremony took place at the Best Western Valley Hotel in Ironbridge, adding an unwanted complication with the town having been thrown into chaos by flooding over the past week.
Speaking after they tied the knot the couple praised the staff at their venue for making sure the day went ahead without any problems, despite the challenges posed by the aftermath of two major storms, and a week of flooding.
Jodie said: “The weather has been awful in recent weeks and we were concerned about access and people getting to The Valley, but the hotel came up with contingency plans, alternative routes and maps for everyone if the roads had still been closed.
“Fortunately some of the roads around Ironbridge were reopened on Friday and remained open through Saturday so we had a window there to get guests in and out and enjoy the wedding. It was a great day and one we will always remember."
Jodie explained that they had not intended to get married on a leap year day, and said that the date just coincided with the start of their relationship ten years ago.
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She said: "Getting married on February 29 came about a bit by accident really, we got together on February 25, 2010, and wanted to get married on the 10th anniversary but that fell on a week day this year and we thought it would prove to be a bit awkward for guests making it to the wedding.
“We thought about it and decided to move it to the following Saturday which we thought was March 1. It didn’t cross our minds that it was a leap year and would actually be February 29 – but that was alright and we thought it would be great.
“The only thing is, we will only be celebrating our wedding anniversary every four years, but I’m sure we will find a way around that!”
The couple, who live in Lawley, married in a civil ceremony, with 125 guests attending on the day.
Jodie, 40, is an NHS administrator at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford and Richard, 54, works as a contractor for the Ministry of Defence. They will be honeymooning in the United States later this year.
The newly-weds said they were thankful to the staff at the hotel for ensuring the day went smoothly – especially considering the flooding difficulties of the past two weeks.
Jodie said: “We wanted a laid-back stress-free wedding and The Valley staff were great all along. It’s been two years in the planning but we’ve really stepped things up, sorting things out, over the last month.
“Our main concerns were obviously the weather but The Valley team were fantastic, calling us each day to keep us updated. We couldn’t have asked for more.”
Lisa Snape, sales and marketing manager at the hotel, said: “Jodie and Richard have been fabulous and we were able to keep them informed about the flooding situation in Ironbridge and our contingency plans if roads remained closed.
“It was great news for everyone when roads were reopened on Friday and the flooding eased, if only temporarily, meaning the wedding could go ahead and everyone could enjoy a wonderful day.
“Ironbridge has featured heavily internationally with recent media coverage of the floods, it’s a memorable time being leap year and we were delighted to provide a wedding which will be long remembered.”
