Announcements

A HONEYMOON in Sicily followed the wedding of Richard Napolitan and Hilary Thorpe.
The couple were married at Hexham Abbey, in a service led by Canon Chris Simmons.
The bride is the daughter of Graham and Kate Thorpe, of Hexham. A solicitor by profession, she formerly attended Dame Allan’s School in Newcastle, the University of Northumbria, and the University of Orleans.
In her spare time, the bride enjoys tennis, badminton and foreign travel.
The bridegroom is the son of Michael Napolitan, of Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire, and Sharon Michaels, of Bierton, near Aylesbury.
He was educated at Merchant Taylors’ School and the University of Buckinghamshire. Richard now works as an accountant, and enjoys gardening, DIY and Formula One.
Given away by her father, the bride wore an ivory silk dress with lace panel, a sweetheart neckline, lace bolero, and a full-length veil with sparkles. This was complemented by a bouquet of burgundy, pink and ivory roses.
Bridesmaids were the bride’s close friend Hilary Dale, along with her 11-year-old daughter Lucy Dale, the bride’s cousin Rachel Payling, the bride’s sister-in-law Debra Thorpe and the bride’s 10-year-old niece Hannah Thorpe.
The adult bridesmaids wore burgundy silk dresses, while the children wore ivory silk dresses with burgundy bows around the middle and burgundy boleros. The bridesmaids carried bouquets of ivory roses with burgundy and pink roses.
The best man was James Thomson, the bridegroom’s best friend.
Ushers were the bridegroom’s stepfather, Colin Stone; the bride’s brother, Chris Thorpe; the bridegroom’s cousin, Blaise Clough; and Hubert Herphelin, the French godson of the bride. Ben Thorpe (8), the bride’s nephew, was an attendant.
The congregation sung the hymns, Love Divine, Praise My Soul, and Lord of all Hopefulness, played by organist Matthew Wibberley.
Following a reception at Langley Castle, the couple, who met over the internet, enjoyed a honeymoon in Sicily.