THERE wasn't a dry eye in the house when jet-setting pair Sophie and Martin exchanged their personal vows after ten years together.

Sophie Mason, 25, and, Martin O’Neill, 27, who both live in Whitehaven first met at a friend’s birthday party nearly ten years ago.

The pair, who both work in the nuclear industry, got engaged in June 2019 whilst on holiday travelling round Italy.

“Martin charted a boat on Lake Garda for the afternoon and got down on one knee before asking me to spend the rest of my life with him,” Mrs O’Neill said.

“He asked for my dad’s blessing beforehand, which was lovely! It really was the most amazing day, a fairy-tale proposal.”

The couple got married on December 29 at Lodore Falls Hotel and Spa in the Lake District in front of 110 of their nearest and dearest.

The standout moment from the wedding day was the ceremony and speeches, Mrs O’Neill said.

“My mam and dad telling me how proud they were of me before walking down the aisle is a memory to treasure forever,” she said.

“Then walking down the aisle to Martin after all the uncertainty with Covid-19 was just such an amazing feeling.

“We didn’t take our eyes off each other (except when our dog Lily the Cavapoo ran towards me at the end of the aisle).

"Martin held my hand and kept me close all through the ceremony as he knew I was nervous. We did our own vows, which at first I was sceptical about but something that Martin wanted to do and I am so glad we did.

“There wasn’t a dry eye in the room and it made the ceremony have so much more meaning.

“And then the feeling of walking back up the aisle as a married couple surrounded by all our friends and family being so happy is something I will never forget. The speeches have to be up there as one of the top highlights.

“There was a great mix of emotion and humour in them all!

“I loved doing the first dance with Martin, then again I just loved dancing all night together!

“The dance floor was literally never empty, in fact it started right after the speeches and never stopped until the lights come on.”

The newlyweds enjoyed a honeymoon to Dubai followed by the Maldives after tying the knot.

Mrs O’Neill said: “Our favourite thing to do as a couple is travel, we have been all over the world together so a honeymoon abroad was a must.

“We booked to go Dubai followed by the Maldives and it was absolutely amazing.

“We had a jam-packed ten days in Dubai – going to beach clubs, world class restaurants, site seeing and just having fun together to relaxing in the Maldives for a week in our over water bungalow, it was perfect! We plan on having a honeymoon year to celebrate after all the stress of Covid so we have Mexico booked in a few weeks and then are looking to go Sri Lanka shortly after.”