It was a white wedding in every sense for a couple on the Lizard Peninsula when Wednesday’s snow almost prevented their big day from going ahead.

For every bride and groom their wedding day is unforgettable, but Sam Bullingham and Katie Bray have more reason than most to remember it.

They had organised their wedding for 12 noon on Wednesday – almost exactly the same time that west Cornwall ground to a halt in blizzards, with roads quickly becoming impassable.

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Photos: Toby Lowe Photography

In scenes that could have come straight from a film set, the vicar, was spotted walking the last three miles to the church in St Martin, after being forced to abandon his car at Rosevear Hill near Mawgan.

Thankfully Canon David Miller of St Michael’s Church in Helston, was noticed by a guest as he trekked through the snow in his dog collar, and they gave him a lift the remainder of the way.

Dave Penrose, who found himself stuck at Cury, went to even further lengths to ensure he managed to pick up the bridesmaids – taking a diversion through two cauliflower fields when he found the road blocked by abandoned cars.

Other guests were forced to push cars out of the way so they could get past – all while dressed in their smart wedding outfits.

The farming community pulled out all the stops to make sure the couple made it down the aisle, with tractors on standby from families who were not even due to attend the wedding and Chris Benney gritting the entrance to the church.

Despite the forecast, Katie, whose family farms at St Martin, said she would never have predicted the day would turn out as it did.

She told the Helston Packet: “It was sunny at 7am when we were having our hair done, then it started snowing and just got worse – it was crazy.”

However, she said that despite everything going around her she “didn’t actually panic at all” and was able to see the funny side.

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For Katie, ready in her wedding dress - which as tradition dictates could not be seen until she walked down the aisle – it proved to be a relatively relaxing morning. The same could not be said for Sam, who was frantically trying to make sure guests made it to the church.

It meant that while often it is the bride who is late, in this case the bridal party had to wait for confirmation that the groom had arrived before they could make their way over.

In the end the wedding started only 90 minutes late, despite all the chaos, and the wedding party managed to reach the reception at the Polurrian Hotel with rather less drama.

Katie and Sam did brave it down to Poldhu Cove for photographs in the snow with photographer Toby Lowe, with Katie giving a special thank you to family friends Stephen and Jane Blee for transporting them around all day in their Freelander 4x4.

Unfortunately around half the guests were unable to make it due to the weather, but Katie said she and Sam still managed to enjoy every moment of the day.

“It was fine,” said Katie. “It was a proper talking point and definitely one to remember. I suppose you have to laugh about it.”

Katie praised the band, The Qwest, who managed to travel down from Newquay despite initial fears they would not make it, hairdresser Joy Faull for keeping her calm, and Ruth and Everett Tripp for doing the flowers and still getting them to the church and hotel in blizzard conditions.

She was also full of thanks for the Polurrian Hotel, who she said were “really great” at dealing with the changes to times and also for giving discounted rooms to guests who found themselves having to unexpectedly stay the night.

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Sam and Katie had to travel back to Okehampton the next day, where they run Taw River Dairy, producing ice cream and milk, as they had deliveries to make. They were due to fly to Venice today for their honeymoon – weather and airport allowing.

Katie’s bridesmaids were her sister Suzanne and friends Susie King, Laura Penrose, Alice Whitehead and Charlie Bullingham, while Sam’s best man was Graham Francis, Martin Bray and Tom Bullingham the ushers and Ben Parr as master of ceremonies.

Her dress was handmade by Hazel Davis, mum of one of Sam’s friends, working from just a photograph and Katie’s measurements, with Unique Designs by Tin decorating the hotel with cherry blossom trees.

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