A couple who wed in Honiton more than 40 years ago returned to the town to have their marriage blessed.
A couple who wed in Honiton more than 40 years ago returned to the town to have their marriage blessed.
Janet and Colin Mulroy were joined by family and friends at St Paul’s Church for the special occasion, followed by a grand afternoon tea at the Boston Tea Party in High Street.
Janet said: “It was lovely. I wasn’t nervous but Colin was!
“He was saying ‘I can’t do this’, but we told him to man up! We were howling with laughter at him.”
Despite the sudden attack of nerves, Colin made it through the touching ceremony, which was also attended by veterans from across the UK, and a Chelsea Pensioner.
Janet also praised Sue Roberts, vicar at St Paul’s, who she described as ‘beyond amazing’.
The pair, who now live in Leeds, wed in Honiton’s former register office on June 12, 1976, before moving to Bulford, in Wiltshire, in 1977.
They previously lived in Rousemount Close, in Honiton, for a short while, which Janet said was the ‘best time of our lives’.
The ceremony also capped off a testing few years for Janet and Colin.
In June 2016, Janet received a bombshell diagnosis of breast cancer, which she has overcome.
However, the fear of the disease returning still plagues her on a daily basis.
Janet and Colin’s son, Andrew, also suffered a brain aneurysm in July 2017, which robbed him of his sight.
However, he underwent an operation which successfully restored his vision.
Janet said: “It was a mind-numbing period.
“It completely changes your outlook on life.
“All of things which were important, like tidying the house and other tasks, meant nothing to me.”
The Herald was on hand to capture the Mulroys’ special day, as neither Janet or Colin took photos of their marriage in 1976.
“When we got married, we had nothing,” Janet added. “We did not have the money to even afford a disposable camera.
“We are so grateful to St Paul’s church, which has made our wish and dreams come true.
“We needed this ceremony, it felt like divine help after everything had that been thrown at us. It gave us that bit of strength to carry on.”
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