A couple, with family ties to Tenby, travelled from America recently to have a wedding blessing in front of family and friends at St John’s Church.
Lauren and Gus Schwieterman were married in America in June this year, at a time when travel restrictions meant that family members from the UK were unable to be with them on their special day.
The couple had hoped to have a blessing in Tenby shortly afterwards but, again, Covid intervened, forcing them to reschedule for November. This time, however, the celebration was able to go ahead as planned.
Lauren is the only daughter of Liam and Jane Feely of Highland Park, Illinois and the eldest granddaughter of Freddy and Sue Broomhead of Tenby.
Gus is the second son of Greg and Lisa Schwieterman of Tipp City, Ohio. The couple met while both student athletes at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
The bride was a gymnast competing for the college while the groom was on the American football team.
The couple currently live in Perrysburg where Lauren is a primary school teacher and Gus works for an accountancy firm.
Lauren had always wanted to get married at St John’s Church in Tenby – the same church where her grandparents and her parents were married.
She got her wish when her and her husband reaffirmed their vows in front of a congregation of family and friends.
The Minister, the Revd Stella Hayton lead the service which also featured readings by the bride’s brother (Stephen Feely) and the bride’s aunt (Judy McBlain).
The bride’s brother also stood in as best man in the absence of the groom’s brother, Ben Schwieterman, who was unable to be present.
The ring bearer was Master Zach Davies and the flower girls were Miss Esme Davies and Miss Maddie Peplow.
After the service, a fleet of tuk tuks from Tuk Tuk Time were on hand to ferry the guests to the Giltar Hotel for a reception.
Photos on the day wre taken by Owen Howells; flowers were by Elements of Floristry; hair by Katie Marie; make-up by Amy Louise; and the cake by Emporium Bakery, Saundersfoot.