A couple celebrated uniting two cultures at a community venue in Hexham.
Mercy Ezuwe, 32, married Ian Byers, 46, at The Torch Centre last week.
There were two wedding ceremonies as Mercy is from Nigeria, so a traditional Nigerian wedding was held on Friday, August 16 before the church ceremony and reception took place on Saturday, August 17.
Ian is an outcare assistant at Elm Bank Care Home, while Mercy is a domestic supervisor at the RVI in Newcastle.
The couple live in Newcastle and decided to have the wedding at The Torch Centre because Ian grew up in Hexham.
"His life has been all around Hexham, he grew up there and works there so he wanted his wedding to be there. The Torch Centre is somewhere he has always loved and is always happy there," Mercy said.
The pair met when Mercy started working at Elm Bank Care Home as a care assistant.
"He was calm and very friendly and then he asked if we could be friends. We started out going to the cinema and we worship at the same place because we're one of Jehovah's Witnesses."
Ian popped the question when he invited both their families to the restaurant Cosmo, in Newcastle.
"We were eating and all of a sudden, he came to where I was sitting, threw a tissue on the floor and he pulled out the ring and everybody screamed. Then he proposed," Mercy said.
The traditional Nigerian wedding outfits were made in Nigeria while her second wedding dress was from American designer Rachel Allan.
Ian's suit was from Slaters in Newcastle.
His best man was Nelson Ogudu and Mercy's maid of honour was her niece, Daniella Effiong, who travelled from Canada.
Mercy had seven bridesmaids. "We are all so close, although I'm older than all of them they're all so close to me."
Speaking of the wedding at The Torch Centre, she said: "The decoration was on point, the service was fast, and they were all there for me and Ian. We felt as if we were home. I loved the fact everyone was happy and danced and ate."
Her immediate elder brother was her only family member who couldn't attend.
Flowers were handmade by Mercy's family friend, Judith Essien, who was also the wedding planner.
The wedding cake was vanilla and chocolate, designed by Trev Cakes.
Their first dance was to Perfect by Ed Sheeran and I'll Be, by Edwin McCain.
"Ian always loved Perfect because it made him feel so close to me as his best friend, and I'll Be because we're always there to support each other, so that's why we chose the songs."
Ian and Mercy will travel to Paris and Dubai in January for their honeymoon next year.
Photography was done by Prilenz Media and the videographer was Hitec Imagery.
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