Hello! magazine
EastEnders' actress and mum of four Patsy Palmer has finally had the white wedding of her dreams 12 years after marrying her sweetheart Richard Merkell!
Patsy and Richard renewed their wedding vows on a Caribbean beach after Patsy admitted they had married in a 'rush' first time round because of the premature birth of their son Fenton.
The yummy-mummy told Hello! Magazine: "I'd just given birth to Fenton prematurely at 32 weeks and he had to stay in hospital. We went to register Fenton's birth at Chelsea Register Office and out of all the gloom and worry we wanted to do something really lovely and get married."
She said their first ceremony was so low key they didn't even bother with wedding photos, and wore a 'baggy cotton frock' rather than a proper wedding dress as she was 'still big' from her pregnancy!
Rex Patsy's first wedding to Richard in 2000
Patsy said second time round, the service was a "a celebration of our lives and love for each other", adding that the couple wanted a "simple but spiritual ceremony with lots of fun and laughter and to take away some really lovely happy memories, as well as make the children feel secure. It was exactly that and more. I feel really blessed."
Their three children and Patsy's older son Charley were all part of their big day. Charley, 20, and Fenton 11, looked dapper in linen shirts and trousers, whilst gorgeous
Emilia, 10, wore a floaty white dress, with her long brown locks flowing around her shoulders. Baby Bertie, 16 months, looked chubby and adorable in a polo shirt and shorts.
Patsy wore a stunning white low cut dress with wide shoulder straps, which was nipped in at the waist and with a tulip shaped skirt. The blushing bride said that every couple should follow their lead and get married 'every 10 years': "It is so easy to get divorced now but much harder to stay married," she said.
The full story appears in this week's Hello! magazine, out now.
Aw, how lovely is this! What a gorgeous family! Have you had a 'second wedding' to your partner?