Cultures come together at Rowena and Stuart’s classic wedding

Rowena Pyne’s Indian-Irish heritage was on show at her wedding to beau Stuart Vause.

The couple, aged 32 and 31 respectively, met while in costume as ‘Brazil’ and ‘New Zealand’ at a World Cup fancy dress party in 2010. After a long-distance relationship for 12 months, they settled in at Manchester where they bought their “forever home”.

Their classic wedding on August 24, 2015 boasted a ceremony at Eaves Hall, Clitheroe, followed by a reception in the same location with 80 guests. “As I am half-Indian, half-Irish I wanted this to be reflected in our day, therefore we arranged for a henna artist to do henna in the evening for the guests if they wished,” explains Rowena. “We also got a buffet of Indian sweets for dessert.”

To represent her Irish side, a Ceilidh band performed for the guests. “The dance floor was packed,” recalls the bride. The couple chose to have speeches before the meal so everyone could relax and enjoy their food. “And in true best-man fashion, we were suitably embarrassed,” laughs Rowena.

To top off a perfect day, the newlyweds made sure their honeymoon was one to remember. “We flew out to New York where we spent a couple of days, and then on to Ecuador and the incredible Galapagos Islands, followed by a trip to the Amazon,” says Rowena.

Photos courtesy of Tim Emmerton Photography.

Elegant bride Rowena chose a classic A-line gown with sheer back, sparkly hair comb and shoes from Rainbow Club.

The groom and his dapper crew were dressed in three-piece suits from Debenhams.

“As a gift to Stu, I managed to get his role model, Sir Alex Ferguson, to write him a personal wedding card wishing him well on his wedding day!” says Rowena.

“The bridal party stayed at Eaves Hall lodge the night before the wedding and had plenty of girly fun,” says the bride.

“We can honestly say it was the best experience of our lives so far,” smiles Rowena.