A BEAUTIFUL bride had even more cause to blush as her firefighter colleagues surprised her by raising their axes in a ceremonial arch when she emerged from church with her new husband.
Sparks flew as Laura and Martin McCabe tied the knot at St Bartholomow’s Church in Tardebigge on Friday (August 7) after 12 years together.
Laura, who is a retained firefighter at Droitwich Fire Station and the only female firefighter serves on Redditch Fire Station’s Blue Watch, was left speechless after the surprise which she said made their day.
Laura, who lives in Hanbury, added: “It was so lovely, so thoughtful. We are very lucky to have such lovely people around us.”
The team slipped into the vestry to change into full uniform as the newly-weds were signing the register and were waiting outside as the happy couple emerged from the church.
As Laura made her way down on the aisle on Martin’s arm she was wondering where the men had gone but had no idea what they were planning.
Stephanie Brittain, mother-of-the-bride, said: “It was absolutely magical — everything went to plan and it was all so beautiful.”
The surprise was the finishing touch to a fairy-tale day for the couple who met during a Young Firefighters Association (YFA) demonstration when Laura was just 16 and a cadet.
Stephanie said: “It has always been her dream to be a firefigher.
“When her father John and I first took her to the YFA we thought it was just a five-minute wonder but she’s never looked back.”
Rev Richard Johnson, who offers a counselling service for firefighters across Hereford and Worcester, performed the ceremony.
Laura’s colleagues were full of compliments afterwards.
Stephanie said: “They were all saying how well she scrubs up. They’re used to seeing her with her hair scraped back under a hat.”
The blissful couple, who have two young sons, will travel to the Costa del Sol for their honeymoon after attending V Festival next weekend at Weston Park — a tradition the pair used to enjoy when they first met.
Laura added: “Martin is an amazing husband and an incredible dad to our two beautiful children. I am so lucky to have him — becoming his wife is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
