SURPRISE REAL LIFE
Amy Walkinshaw, 31, from Essex, had a dream to link arms with two very special people on her big day…
Preparing to ask one of the biggest questions of my life, Iwasn’t exactly sure how to approach the subject.
Rehearsing the same lines over and over in my mind, I didn’t want to hurt my dad Andy, now 58, in the slightest.
But Ihad to approach the subject one way or another – especially as the countdown until my big day was finally on. After meeting my husband to be, Ryan, now 31, back when we were just 15, over the years we had drifted apart.
I’d gone on to have afamily of my own, Oscar, now 11, and Harley, now eight, after meeting someone in Greece after working abroad there.
Only with everything coming to ahead, Imoved back to the UK with my kids.
And naturally in 2016, me and Ryan got in contact again.
Everything just fell into place after that moment and we went on to have our son Ronnie, now four, before Ryan got down on one knee in Brighton in February 2022.
‘You know I’ve always said that Iwant ashort engagement, that I’d love to be married within ayear,’ I reminded Ryan.
So we started aplan of action pretty quickly.
Which meant Ihad to bite the bullet and approach a difficult subject with Dad. After my mum Ann, now 57, and Dad split when Iwas young, with Dad staying in Swindon as the rest of us moved to Essex, we still maintained agreat bond.
And with Mum going on to meet Jeff, now 65, tying the knot years later, we too had agreat relationship.
Bringing me up, Isaw Jeff not only as astepdad but as arole model, too. So, Iknew I wanted both Dad and Jeff to play an important role on my big day.
‘I’ve got something to ask you,’ I confessed to Dad not long after getting engaged. ‘Go on…’ Dad said, listening. ‘I’d like it if Jeff could be a part of walking me down the aisle –it would still be just us coming out, but Iwould like to involve him,’ I confessed.
I was worried that Dad would be upset
Not wanting to hurt Dad’s feelings, Iwas worried that he’d be upset.
‘Of course!’ he agreed. ‘If that’s what you’d like then that’s fine.’ Creating no difficulties, after all that rehearsing, I didn’t need to worry about asking Dad in the slightest.
But there was something else Iwas slightly panicked about.
Wanting it to be asurprise, I did wonder whether Jeff would be upset that he didn’t have a bigger role in the wedding. And what’s more, after telling my mum our plan, I knew she was normally a nightmare at keeping secrets.
‘It will ruin it,’ I said, begging her not to say anything.
‘I won’t!’ Mum insisted, as she felt alittle emotional about the plan –appreciative
