VALENTINE'S Day has an extra special significance for Val and David Harbron-Smith.
Not only is it Val's birthday and the reason her parents chose her name, but February 14 is also the day she and David got married, and the day they first got engaged – 14 years ago.
The couple, both retired, tied the knot yesterday wearing period costume, as did most of the guests.
David said: "She is saying now that she picked Valentine's Day because my memory is not very good and I will only have one day to remember for our wedding anniversary, her birthday and Valentine's.
"I shall have to buy about three presents."
David Smith was living on a boat in Nottingham when his cousin introduced him to Val.
"I took them up the river in the boat," said David. "When I said goodbye Val said 'It would be lovely to see you again, give me your phone number.' It's quite romantic really."
That was on August 21, 1996, and they got engaged on February 14, 1997. But time went by so they got engaged for the second time last year, when David proposed on August 21, 2010, 14 years after the day they first met.
They decided to wear period costumes for the wedding because Val could not face choosing a dress. "I do not like shopping, full stop," she said. "But the thought of going out in period fancy costume, I'm all for that."
Most of the costumes were bought at auction, from a firm in the south of England. Instead of a wedding dress Val wore an elegant ivory and gold gown, of a design typical of around 1740.
David described his own costume as Prince Charming.
His son, who was best man, came dressed as a musketeer. His brother went as Henry VIII and other costumes included Victorian ladies and gentlemen, medieval queens, highwaymen, knights, princes and princesses.
One of the guests even came as a chimney sweep – thought to be lucky for a bride to see in Victorian times. "My little grandson said he was coming as Batman, but that wasn't allowed," laughed Val.
The ceremony was held at St Helen's Church in Burton Joyce and the reception was at the nearby Wheatsheaf pub, where guests enjoyed a medieval buffet, including a pheasant recipe cooked by Val herself.
"We would like to thank everyone involved in the wedding for all their help and support," said Val. The newlyweds, who live in Burton Joyce, will go on honeymoon tomorrow to Spain, where they have hired a villa.
The couple were previously known around Nottingham for their boat, Ratty's Retreat, which won first place in the Best Decorated Boat competition at the Riverside Festival in 2003 and 2004. They won second place in 2002 and 2005.
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