Shrewsbury News

Keen footie fan Jonathan Espley discovered earlier this year that his big day clashed with England’s vital first match in the World Cup after the couple had booked the event in Summer 2009.

After choosing The Wroxeter Hotel, near Shrewsbury, as their idyllic wedding venue, Jonathan was disappointed to find there was no TV in the hotel lounge.

But the hotel’s assistant director Margot Foster came up with the solution of siting a TV screen in one of the hotel’s side rooms so as not to disappoint England fans among the wedding guests.

Bride Sally Fielden won’t be watching the match but has given her blessing to both bridegoom and guests to watch it on TV. She will be dancing the night away on The Wroxeter’s dance floor with family and friends who are not among the football fans.

“Sally booked The Wroxeter Hotel because she loved the room and it was only six months after that I realised it was World Cup day,” said Jonathan, a Mullers maintenance technician, of Radbrook, Shrewsbury.

“I thought it would be nice to watch the England match at The Wroxeter hotel but they didn’t have a TV in the lounge so I asked if we could have one in a side room and they were very obliging.

“Sally originally said that it’s not a football match, it’s a wedding but then she later said she wouldn’t mind. She’s really been great about it.”

The bride’s mum – also a keen football fan – will miss the footie match to enjoy her daughter’s big day.

The best man, three bridesmaids, three ushers and a trio of page boys will all receive England shirts as presents on the day from the bride and extremely happy bridegroom.

For more information on weddings in Shropshire, visit Shropshire Wedding