IAN Oakley and Jayne Townley hadn’t met before they volunteered for the UK City of Culture but on August 25 they sent the Assembly Festival Gardens off in style with a blessing ceremony to cap off their magical wedding day.
The couple were city hosts during Coventry 2021, completing over 270 volunteer shifts between them welcoming visitors and assisting audiences at events.
They got married at Coventry Register Office followed by a buffet for wedding guests at Metropolis restaurant, before a blessing at the Queen of Flanders Spiegeltent in Assembly Festival Garden, where they first met.
Jaws dropped as Rev Christine Thomas, who conducted the blessing, began singing ‘We’ve Only Just Begun’ by the Carpenters in a mesmerising wedding moment.
And the couple donated the leftover food from their buffet to Coventry Comfort Carers Crisis Support Projects, and the parents and staff at UHCW children’s wards benefitted.
Jayne signed up to be a City Host to make new friends locally and support the year of Culture, while Ian decided to join after becoming involved in community activities during the Covid-19 lockdown.
“We both have disabilities and I remember Jayne had asked a question on the City Hosts Facebook page about where we might park for the event.
“I suggested somewhere and asked if Jayne would like to meet up. The rest is history.”
The couple grew closer during shifts together before Jayne dropped in on Ian at his home after volunteering at the nearby Observations On Being installation.
“I decided to show Jayne my grandad’s 100-year-old fob watch as a conversation ice-breaker.”
“Unbelievably, it started working. I thought to myself, my grandad was looking down and trying to tell me something.”
Ian said: “I truly can’t describe how magical our wedding day was, it’s a real unique legacy of the City of Culture.
“The main thing is that we have each other, we sent the Queen of Flanders off in style and we are incredibly happy.”
