History repeating for happy couples

THREE generations of a family have married at a Henley church over the last 61 years.

The most recent wedding took place in St Mary’s Church in Hart Street last month.

Charlotte Harding, 27, a swimming teacher who grew up in Church Road in Earley, married Lewis Harding, 28, an architect, on June 21.

She wore a white A-line dress with a lace-detailed bust and a chapel-sized veil with lace details and held a bouquet of white and cream roses with foliage.

The couple, who have been together for eight years, met in a pub in Reading while Mr Harding was on a placement from the University of Kent.

Mrs Harding, who was also christened at St Mary’s, would often spend time at her grandmother Julia’s house in Milton Close, Henley, who was married at the church in 1964. Mrs Harding, who has just returned from a honeymoon in Bali, said their vows were her favourite part of the day.

“It was a really lovely service,” she said. “We were telling them to each other and even though we were in a church full of people, in that moment, it felt like it was just us.”

Mrs Harding said having the service at St Mary’s was important to them. She said: “Even though we now live in Kent, it only felt right that we got married there because we feel so connected to that church. We asked my grandma, who also got married there, to be our witness and it felt like a full-circle moment.

“She wasn’t able to have bells at her wedding because it was during Lent, so she paid for us to have the bells at our wedding as a gift.

“It was a really special day and I really can’t describe the feeling. Everyone was in such a good mood and so happy.”

The couple wasn’t prepared for the 31C heat, which impacted the reception held at the Manor of Hurst. She said: “It was extremely hot, which none of us were expecting.

“The cake was sliding and halfway through the meal, everyone got out of the tent to stand under a tree because it was that hot. Mum was even giving out ice packs to people and I even had to lift my dress right up under the top table.”

Mrs Harding said her father, Henry Hepburne-Scott, gave three pieces of advice to the couple in his speech.

She said: “He said there are three things we’ve got to do — make lots of babies, listen to Charlotte and keep talking to each other.” Mr Hepburne-Scott, 55, who used to work in cancer research, married his wife, Rebecca, 55, who grew up in Henley, on December 7, 1996. The couple met through mutual friends while Rebecca was completing her A-levels at The Henley College. They went on their first date in March 1989.

He said: “I can remember when I asked her out for a date. I phoned her from the Duke of York pub off a piece of paper, long before mobile phones. I had to have a couple of beers to pluck up the courage.”

Mr Hepburne-Scott carried on the tradition by getting married at St Mary’s, as his wife’s parents did.

They now live in Sonning and have two other children, Oliver, 21, and Jemima, 24. He said: “We had the reception at Leander Club and, because we married in December, it meant for a very bitterly cold day.

“I remember feeling sorry for the guests having to stand around for photographs in the cold. The whole day gave us a sense of continuity, which we liked very much.

“We knew it would make her parents very happy and nostalgic as it brought a sense of family and tradition.”

Julia Marsh, 82, grew up in Henley and now lives in Milton Close. She met her husband Robert Crawford aged 17 on the beach in Hayling Island.

They married aged 21 at St Mary’s on February 22, 1964 and then lived together in York Road. They were married for 43 years before Robert died of skin cancer in 2007. He was 70. Their other child, Anthony, lives in Caversham. Mrs Marsh said the couple were very happy during their marriage. She said: “Our wedding day was lovely, no one forgets it.

“Having the children was very fulfilling, especially seeing them growing up because we spent a lot of the time at the coast with them, enjoying summers down at the seaside.”

Her favourite memory from their wedding day was the ceremony.

Mrs Marsh said: “During the service, when you give your hands over to the vicar, it’s really lovely because you’re being given to God, then back to your future husband, which was a touching part of the ceremony.”

Mrs Marsh advises newlywed couples to “listen to each other”, adding: “If you have any problems then talk until it passes and you get on the right track again.”