Oxford,
18
May
2018
|
09:51
Europe/London

Oxfordshire couples share their big day with the Prince and Meghan

Getting married is one of the biggest days of anybody’s life whether you’re an NHS worker or scientist in Oxford, a housing officer in Witney, a scaffolder covering the whole of Oxfordshire …… or a Prince getting married at Windsor Castle.

A total of 28 couples will be tying the knot at Oxfordshire County Council’s Registration offices throughout the county on Saturday, May 19 – the same day that Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle at St George’s Chapel.

Jon Sherwood, 33 will be marrying his Barcelona-born fiancée Mariona Casals-Caces, 34 at the Oxford Registration office on Tidmarsh Lane having proposed to her last May.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Lizzie Lavender, 28 and Jason Flint, 31, will marry at Stratton Court Barn near Bicester having known each other since being teenagers - with an Oxfordshire County Council marriage celebrant overseeing proceedings.

Jon and Mariona work in the health sector - Jon as a scientist for Public Health England and Mariona for the NHS in Oxford as a Project Manager.

“We didn’t deliberately choose the same day as the Royal Wedding but it’ll be interesting to see how much of an influence it has on our day. We chose May because I proposed to Mariona last May,” said Jon.

“It’ll be interesting to see if there are any events in Oxford that’ll become part of the scenery of our day. It’s likely there’ll be lots of people around watching the television.

“There’ll be a reception at the Randolph Hotel following the ceremony – and it’ll have a theme of afternoon tea, which is obviously a very English thing. Mariona’s visiting family from Spain will enjoy that and they’re also very curious about the royals and excited that we are sharing a wedding date with them.”

May will also always be the special month for Lizzie and Jason who became a couple in May 2010, were engaged in May 2016 and will now marry in May 2018. They live together in Carterton.

“We’ve known each other since I was 14 and Jason 16 when we both played semi-professional paintball,” said Lizzie who is a Housing Officer for a Housing Association based in Witney.

“It’s lovely to be sharing the same day as the royal wedding – we’re quite relaxed about the whole thing, although one of our guests can’t attend because they are part of the armed forces who’ll be on duty at the event.”

Special day

Superintendant Registrar Alicja Gilroy said: “”We conducted 2400 ceremonies last year in Oxfordshire and overall the county council’s Registration Service has 100 venues licensed for weddings and civil partnerships.

“Oxfordshire is a beautiful county and we attract people who from outside our borders who want to marry at the amazing venues we have to offer. That brings income in to the county which helps the county thrive.

“I’m sure the 28 couples who will have ceremonies on May 19 will forever member that their special day was shared with that of the royal couple.”