Real lifewedding
Cristie Stanley and Dave
Gallihawk recently held their
wedding in Monmouthshire.
Here they share their big day
with MCL…
Pictures:Mansel Davies
Tell us a bit about yourself and your Where did you have the ceremony?
husband...
St Madoc’s Church, Llanbadoc. We’ve
I was born and brought up just outside known Andrew, the vicar, since I was
Usk. My husband, Dave, was brought small, and St Madoc’s is really beautiful.
up in Plymouth and Gibralta. We now It’s a small church on the River Usk, and
both live in Battersea, London. We’re is only half a mile away from the castle,
both IT management consultants, and so it felt like a very personal ceremony,
met at work four years ago. and it meant that people could walk to
the reception if they wanted to.
Did you always know what kind of
wedding you wanted? How did it go?
I’d never really thought about it until It was brilliant – I was a bit late (not were involved it took a lot of the stress
Dave proposed, but as soon as we deliberately, I was just having fun out of it. We had a marquee from
started thinking about it, everything getting ready and didn’t want to rush). County Marquees and we also had a
just came together. We had 100 guests The ceremony was serious, but really ‘chill-out tent’ which we filled with
for the day, which was more than we’d light-hearted – lots of people bean-bags to give people somewhere
originally intended, but even though commented on how much fun Andrew to relax.
we only invited the people we really was, and how happy the whole
wanted to be there we couldn’t cut it occasion was. How did it go?
down any more.
Where did you have the reception? Quickly! The whole day was so much
fun it flew by. We had a harpist (ShelleyUsk Castle – I had horses when I was
Fairplay) who played during theyounger and spent time riding there as
welcome reception and meal. She wasa kid. Rosie (who owns the castle)
exceptional – she played beautifully forbought one of my horses, who still lives
much longer than expected and shethere. I wanted the wedding to be
was really friendly and helpful. Davesomewhere personal to me, as opposed
booked a close-up magician (Phil Jay)to just picking a pretty venue that I
who mingled with the guests whendidn’t know. It actually made the
they arrived and during the meal. Daveplanning really easy, as so many friends
hadn’t told anyone else about it, and
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