by Naomi Thomas
I put some feelers out and within a few days the event had grown so big that there was no way I could hold it at my home. A few calls to find some raffle prizes had soon turned my spare room into a treasure trove of wonderful gifts, and the guest list was now creeping up. I decided to move the event to a local house in Sidmouth, which was absolutely perfect for all sorts of occasions; in fact we’d held Devon’s christening there earlier that year. It also had a personal connection, as my dad had been born in the cellar when my nan and granddad had lived there.
I approached the local paper, the Sidmouth Herald, and explained my plans and reasons behind hosting the event. Soon the story was plastered all over the front page, as well as featuring in the paper every week afterwards, and my phone was ringing with offers of help and raffle prizes. We decided to call the event ‘Pink Ladies Day’, and to offer women of all ages the chance to pop along and be pampered for the evening. We would have cocktails, hair stylists, make-up lessons, spray tanning, nail art and pedicures, Reiki, scarves to buy, a photographer, and more – you name it and we had thought of it! Local personality Judy Spiers had been invited along to officially open the event, and Olympic silver medallist Mary King had agreed to draw the raffle.
It wasn’t long before the national press cottoned on to my story. I’ll never forget the day the Sun called me to do an interview! It helped that I was so passionate about the cause; all I wanted to do was raise awareness of the instances of breast cancer in younger people and decided that I would do anything that I could to educate people about it.
The event was planned for 15 January 2012 and there was a real buzz in the air. Wherever I went I was stopped by strangers who seemed to know my name. Just before Christmas I received a call from the local paper saying that a local lady, Sam Williams, had been in contact and really wanted to help. I got in touch with her straight away and we arranged to meet.
Meeting Sam was a wonderful experience; we chatted for hours as though we’d known each other for years. Sam had a background in event organising, and was just starting her own wedding planning business in Devon. She wanted to help as much as possible with the Pink Ladies Day and she was the sort of person I needed in my life; a real doer who wanted to get on with things. Within hours Sam had brought so much to the table. She was hugely organised and almost doubled our support network. She and her daughter were soon delivering, and she worked tirelessly to attract stallholders and raffle prizes. I will be forever grateful for her support.
Around this time our special friends Dave and Sophie got engaged in Paris. They soon approached me and asked for some assistance with finding their wedding venue. They wanted to get married in Somerset the following September and, while I didn’t know the area very well yet, I wasn’t fazed by the challenge. I quickly arranged viewings of venues across the county, but nothing seemed to really hit the nail on the head. Dave and Sophie were just about to book a venue close to Bath, simply because they wanted to get something sorted. I told them to hold off, desperate that they shouldn’t settle for second best.
It wasn’t long before I came across an amazing venue nearby: St Audries Park. The house looked absolutely stunning. It was going to be outside of their budget, surely? However, one look at their ‘Special Offers’ page suggested otherwise, and I decided to go and have a look at it the very next day.
St Audries Park was just 35 minutes away from where we all lived, on the edge of the countryside towards the coast. As I made my way down the long sweeping driveway the house suddenly came into view and my heart skipped a beat. From the outside it looked absolutely perfect, although I knew it was far too soon to pass any judgement on the venue. I’ve lost count of the times I have seen and loved a venue, only to find that their carpet clashes with their walls, or that the décor makes it impossible to have a colour scheme of your own.
However, St Audries Park did not disappoint. The place was incredible, with plenty of rooms including a separate room for dancing, and one for a wedding breakfast. The staff were lovely and went out of their way to make you feel special. Lynn, who showed me around, took me across the beautifully manicured gardens to the Orangery, where ceremonies took place. The Orangery was a white and glass building with grey flagstone flooring, a cream aisle runner, ivy-twined pillars, and music playing from carefully placed speakers. The room completely took my breath away. In all my years of wedding planning, I had never before been rendered speechless by a venue.
Lynn turned to me and smiled. She asked me if I was blown away. Not a word would come out of my mouth; I could only nod. St Audries Park was the perfect venue for Dave and Sophie and so I called them straight away and arranged for them to visit after work that day.
Later that evening Dave called. The couple was so excited and had absolutely loved St Audries, booking it there and then. I was so pleased for them, but felt insanely jealous at the same time. I was desperate to get married at the venue too and, despite their amazing deals, knew that we could never afford it. All of our savings had gone towards getting us through the last two years and I knew I had to come to terms with the fact that I might never marry Graham. That night, I am embarrassed to say, I sobbed my heart out. There it was, the venue of my dreams, and it was someone else getting married there. I cried like a spoiled girl, but it hurt so much.
Chapter Fourteen
One day while I was working with Sam, she suddenly turned to me and announced, ‘I want to help you to get married for as little money as possible.’ I was stunned; we still barely knew each other. Sam had seen just how generous people could be during the run up to Pink Ladies Day and she was certain that we could get the same amount of support for our wedding. Graham and I were overwhelmed by Sam’s generosity and couldn’t thank her enough. She was soon hard at work and had offers flooding in from every direction.
I paid a visit to the bridal boutique where I’d tried on my very first dress in the days after we became engaged, and was amazed to be offered the gorgeous Maggie Sottero gown for just cost price. A quick call to the supplier in America confirmed that they had one in my size. I felt so fortunate. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to order the dress that day as there was still one thing dictating the possibility of a wedding. Sam loved St Audries Park too, but it was still going to be pretty impossible for us to get together the funds to pay for the venue.
The local newspaper was closely covering the story of our wedding as events unfolded and we were getting many messages of encouragement from across the town. One day a reporter from the paper called to say that there was a lady who wanted to get in touch with me. She called to say that she was desperate to help Graham and me marry, and wanted to donate £500 towards the wedding. I was overwhelmed that a stranger could do anything so unbelievably kind. She didn’t know my family or me, and although she had a holiday home in Sidmouth she actually lived miles away. She didn’t want any recognition for the donation, but said if I wanted to mention it at all to call her ‘Mary Poppins’. So that was that; Mary Poppins had got the ball well and truly rolling, and helped me to believe that perhaps our dreams could come true after all.
One afternoon on Facebook I came across a charity called the Karen Trust, which had been set up by a man called Joe who had lost his sister Karen to cancer. Their motto was to count the memories, not the years, and they organised special things for people who wanted to make those memories while they still could. I felt that I had nothing to lose, and decided to get in contact to see if they could help with the cost of our wedding. I spoke to a lovely Irish lady called Mary. She immediately put me at ease, listening to my story and promising to get back to me as soon as she had spoken with the board.
A few days later Graham and I were in the garage while our car was having its MOT when Mary rang me back. She told me that the Karen Trust wanted to help and would donate over half of the money required for our venue. I started to cry; yet again people were being so lovely to us when they didn’t even know us.
A family member had offered to buy
my dress for me, although I knew it was unlikely that the one I really wanted would still be available. With that in mind I went off to look for an alternative, but in the meantime Sam had called the original dress shop to enquire about the Maggie Sottero gown on the off-chance that it would still be available. Later that day she called me.
‘Good news! The owner of the shop was so touched by your story that she bought the dress in the hopes that you’d be back in. She’s got it there waiting for you.’ I couldn’t believe it. Our wedding day was becoming the event of fairy tales.
While all of this had been going on we were also putting the finishing touches to Pink Ladies Day. The press were booked to come and cover it, and everyone was so excited. When the day finally arrived I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. I had put so much of my heart and soul into the event that I was just glad we’d pulled it off. I was also desperate for it to be a success so that we could raise as much money as possible for the three charities that had helped me since my diagnosis.
As we opened the doors of the venue at 2pm there were already people waiting outside and making their way down the long driveway towards the grand house. I stood next to Sam, gazing at all of the guests, and felt so proud of what we’d achieved. As the press looked on Judy Spiers cut the ribbon and officially opened the Pink Ladies Day; I couldn’t have been prouder. Devon came to the ladies day with me, and I hope that one day he will look back at the photos and be proud of my achievements too.
There was soon a real buzz emanating from within Kennaway House. Each room was filled with people having a good time, while a gospel choir sang in the entrance hall, and a photographer snapped pictures of those who’d been treated to a makeover. More and more people were arriving, and many came over to tell me how I was their inspiration. I had also noticed several guests popping folded notes into the collection tins, and many people had turned up bearing gifts of all shapes and sizes for me.
Shortly before the raffle was due to be drawn I broke down in the corridor. I was so overwhelmed by the love and support surrounding me. In just over four hours the Pink Ladies Day had greeted 400 people and raised nearly £4,500. It exceeded every expectation. Even my old school tutor had turned up to support me. As I stood at the front of the room to announce the raffle draw I felt all eyes on me; this was my moment to thank everyone who had made the day possible, but I broke down again and sobbed my way through the whole thing! I knew that my emotions had been significantly heightened due to my illness and medication, but I was also so touched by how the community had come together to support the charities closest to my heart.
Once the hype of the Pink Ladies Day had died down, I decided that I really wanted to start my own charity and help people. Suddenly it came to me; if I was so desperate to marry the love of my life before it was too late, then surely there must be others out there in a similar position. I’d seen so many young people in the hospitals when I’d been in for treatment and I knew that cancer, among many other terrible illnesses, was not restricted to the elderly.
I discussed the idea with Sam and Graham, and they both agreed that it sounded great. I threw some possible names on the table, desperate to give my charity an identity from the start, and decided upon The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation; after all, I would be helping couples’ dreams to come true. I also made an appointment to go and see someone at my local voluntary service, hoping to gather some information and advice on starting a charity. Luckily the ladies at the voluntary service were a huge help and pointed me in the right direction. In no time at all The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation was born.
Chapter Fifteen
I got stuck straight into my new charity, approaching a number of different wedding-related businesses to see if, and how, they could help. Everyone I spoke to seemed to love the idea and I’d soon gathered a small database of companies that I could call upon when we had a wedding to organise.
I had decided that I didn’t just want to operate my charity locally; I wanted The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation to help couples across the country. I had done my research and knew that there were no other organisations within the UK that were doing what I was proposing. I had big plans of the Foundation becoming a household name; in fact, the one and only name that people would think of when they came across a couple in need. I had also made the decision to try and build up the charity’s database before taking on any weddings. I wanted to be able to approach each couple’s special day with confidence, safe in the knowledge that we had plenty of help to call upon, no matter where the bride and groom were getting married. For that reason I chose not to publicise The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation beyond our tentative searches for help; the application form was on the website should anyone wish to apply, but I felt better knowing that we would be truly ready whenever we opened for business properly.
It was a few weeks before our wedding day, and I had been talked into having a hen night. While I was once the first person to head out on to the dance floor, clubbing really wasn’t my thing any more so I suggested that a few friends come to mine for some food and drink, and to have a bit of pampering. Sam and my friend Shari instructed me to head out for the day, making me promise that I wouldn’t return before mid-afternoon. Puzzled, I spent the morning doing some shopping and working out at the gym, all the while a little nervous about what would be waiting for me when I got home! When we pulled on to our driveway later on that day, we found that the front door had been attacked with banners and balloons. Graham and I went tentatively into the house, not knowing what we would find. As we made our way along the hall there were sticky notes all over the walls telling us to follow them, which we duly did. The second to last, stuck on the kitchen door, said, ‘Guess what?!’, while the next exclaimed, ‘You’re going to Egypt!’ I looked up to see Shari videoing our reactions, the kitchen festooned with photos of Egyptian pyramids and camels. There was even a Cleopatra outfit hanging on the curtain rail, ready for me to put on. Graham and I both rushed over to the devious pair and gave them a massive hug each. It turned out that Sam had secretly arranged for a charity to donate a holiday for us. We’d had no idea, even when she’d started quizzing us about our dream holiday destination! The hotel looked incredible, and I can honestly say that it was one of the best moments of my life so far; Graham and I will always be indebted to Sam for what she has done for us.
The morning of our wedding finally arrived, and we were beyond excited as to what the day would bring. The evening before I had stayed in a cottage at the venue with my mum, bridesmaid Shari, and Sam, and we’d had a lovely evening together. I’d wanted Sam to be a part of it all, partly as a thank you for all she’d done, and because she’d become such a wonderful friend. As we got back to the cottage after going for a delicious meal together, the ladies presented me with a special gift from Graham. Apparently he’d been really nervous, unsure as to whether I’d like it, but he needn’t have worried. Inside the carefully wrapped box was a book, which was filled with captions such as, ‘When I first saw you I felt …’ and ‘Marrying you will be …’, and he had decorated each page with photos of me, him and Devon. It was so lovely that I burst into tears. This was yet another reminder of how lucky I was to have found my Prince Charming.
Before I began to get ready for the wedding I headed to a little church that was located within the grounds of St Audries. Since the grounds were so huge, the church was actually quite a distance from the main house. Graham and I had opted for a civil ceremony in the beautiful surroundings of the Orangery, rather than a full church service. Although I am not a regular churchgoer I do have a strong belief and class myself as a Christian. Graham is the total opposite, so it made sense for me to compromise and head to the church by myself before the day got under way. Quickly getting Devon and myself dressed, I crept across the grounds and into the back of the church to join the service, which had already begun. It’s a tiny village church and was occupied by no more than ten people. Each one of them turned around and smiled as Devon
and I entered; we were made to feel so welcome. The service was lovely and, afterwards, the vicar approached me to introduce herself. I explained that I was getting married at St Audries that day, as well as telling her about my illness. The vicar asked if she could pray for us at the altar. I always find that churches really bring out my emotions, and before long I had begun to cry. Once again I was touched by the kindness of strangers, as well as being overwhelmed by my wedding day and the circumstances surrounding it. I left the church after 20 minutes of peaceful quiet time and wandered back to the cottage where breakfast was waiting for us. Before long it was time for us to make our way to the main hall for the makeover to begin!
The morning of our wedding was a busy one, and people seemed to be scurrying here, there and everywhere doing jobs of all kinds. Devon was with me, being his usual boisterous self, so it took me much longer to get ready than I’d anticipated. Shari and her little boy, Archie, were with me all morning too and, despite the air being filled with excitement, I can remember feeling an overwhelming sense of calm. All I could think about was marrying the love of my life; nothing had ever felt so right before. Shortly before 2pm I got into my dream gown and Sam laced it up for me. There was just enough time to present Sam and Shari with their gifts, and for a few more tears, and I was ready to go. By 2.15pm (late, of course!) I was heading towards the Orangery, gingerly making my way down the corridors and stairs shielded by umbrellas so that no one caught a glimpse of my dress until I was walking down the aisle. As I approached I could hear a beautiful string quartet playing; this was it. My dad and I stood just inside the Orangery as Shari and Devon made their way down the aisle together, my son holding the rings on a cushion which he decided to throw onto the floor as soon as he knew people were looking. As my bridesmaid and little boy reached the end of their walk, with all eyes on them, Dad and I got into position.
