Announcements

STOCKSFIELD’S Anna Grinsted had a birthday to remember back in April.
For it was also the day she married Rob Stockley in a ceremony at St Mary the Virgin Church in Ovingham.
The bride and her father wended their way on horse and cart along the river road from Stocksfield to Ovingham, sitting on bales under a willow arch made and decorated by the bride’s siblings Jessica and Peter, and a family friend Sonny Shepherd.
The bride, daughter of Tim and Caroline Grinsted of Stocksfield, was educated at Prudhoe Community High School and Bristol University and is now a doctor.
The bridegroom, son of Andy and Charlotte Stockley, of Northamptonshire, studied at Campion School, Bugbrooke and Bangor University, and is now a forester.
The couple both love the outdoors and live on a narrow boat on the Grand Union Canal.
The bride wore a simple white dress with embroidered high waist band and train, made by her sister-in-law Grace Stockley. She also wore her grandmother’s pearl necklace, had flowers in her hair and carried a bunch of fresh flowers from the garden.
Her three bridesmaids were her school friend Alison Hardacre, her second cousin Jo Baldock and her university friend Kathryn Griffiths. They wore blue dresses of their own choice and carried posies of blue chionodoxa.
The bridegroom wore a second-hand 1920s tailored suit. His best man was an old friend, Mark Jones. The bride’s two brothers, Simon and Peter Grinsted, and the bridegroom’s younger brother Joe Stockley were ushers
The church was decorated by the bride’s mother, sister and friends with early spring flowers from the garden, white tulips and 500 daffodils sent from Cornwall by a friend, Jenny Cooke.
The service was led by the Rev. Eric Lewis, with many friends and family involved. There were readings from the Song of Solomon, 1 Corinthians, Psalms, Shakespeare, e e cummings and Laurie Lee, as well as an Aramaic version of the Lord’s Prayer.
The bridegroom’s aunt Wendy Jackson played the organ for the three hymns and the Handel pieces for arrival and final procession, while Anna’s friend Lucy played a beautiful piece by J. S. Bach on violin during the signing of the register. The bridegroom’s father then accompanied Rob’s sister Deb Gunn singing On the sunny side of the street, for which everyone joined in.
The newlyweds returned to the bride’s home by horse and cart, where the reception marquee had been decorated with colourful material and bunting.
The guests were welcomed with sloe gin made by the bride and bridegroom, and enjoyed tucking in to hampers containing the couple’s favourite picnic food, much of it home made – including 200 scones by the bride!
The three traditional wedding cakes were made by the two mothers and the bridegroom’s sister, and were decorated with crystallised primroses. There were also diverse home-made cakes brought by guests plus an additional cake with a dramatic firework candle – the bride’s birthday celebration!
In the evening the guests moved to a second marquee, for music and dancing, with a bicycle-powered sound system.
The newlyweds honeymooned in a cottage on the Northumberland coast.