Mandy and Gavin Ross. Pictures by Carla Mortimer.
The couple from Portsmouth celebrated their wedding at the Newtown House Hotel in the historic and breathtaking location on Hayling Island, invited 100 guests to their special day and loved the efforts of everyone involved.
“They exceeded themselves, they really exceeded my expectations,” says Mandy.
The pair looked like something out of a fairy tale as they were surrounded by a sea of yellow sunflowers, practical footwear next to their formals and a pair of rubber boots to wade through the wet field.
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Mandy and Gavin Ross. Pictures by Carla Mortimer.
Mandy and Gavin Ross. Pictures by Carla Mortimer.Mandy, 36, says there were mixed feelings on the day of the wedding, “it took a long time, we had already rescheduled our wedding from August 8, 2020”.
Mandy says the day was “totally amazing”, but her late father was “the only thing missing” after he unexpectedly lost it in April this year when he was originally supposed to attend the first appointment exactly a year earlier.
“He was there in spirit without a doubt, it rained until half an hour before the wedding and then the sun came out for the rest of the day,” says Mandy.
“I’m sure he had something to do with it,” she adds.
Wedding of Mandy and Gavin Ross. Pictures by Carla Mortimer.
Wedding of Mandy and Gavin Ross. Pictures by Carla Mortimer. 
That day, Gavin, 44, suffered from nervousness on the wedding day. “Gav was nervous until I was walking down the aisle,” says Mandy.
The nerves soon melted when Mandy and Gavin met to exchange their vows.
Mandy from Havant and Gavin from Waterlooville met at the casino in Gunwharf Quays and Mandy, skeptical of Gavin’s intentions, initially questioned the number he had given her, but it soon turned out to be his lucky sign.
“I got really mad at him and said, ‘If you give me your number, give me your real one or don’t ask,” says the fiery Mandy.
Wedding of Mandy and Gavin Ross. Pictures by Carla Mortimer.
17 years later, Gavin demonstrated his loyalty on a wedding day so dreamy it would make a Disney princess jealous.
While most of their time together is spent with friends and family, jet setters Mandy and Gavin, who live in Bedhampton, have visited Las Vegas and Miami and love a weekend getaway too.
“Before the pandemic, we used to go away for the weekend, Gav played golf, and I got spa treatments,” says Mandy.
The couple had originally planned two honeymoons for their wedding, and Mandy explains that now they are “making up” for lost time after the pandemic and now “have a lot to look forward to”.
Wedding of Mandy and Gavin Ross. Pictures by Carla Mortimer.
The couple have just returned from a Mediterranean cruise and are looking forward to their honeymoon and next adventure, a luxury trip to the Caribbean booked for January 2022 and a trip to Santorini slated for July next year.
A message from the editor, Mark Waldron.
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