Latest news with #PerfectForMe
Irish Examiner
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Wedding of the Week: 'When we met, I had a black eye and his ear was stitched together'
Photogenic Limerick couple Kristine Reidy and Keith Lacey were the ultimate chic traffic-stoppers on their big day. Kristine, from Kilmeedy, and Keith, from Dromcollogher, were married at St Mary's Church, Feohanagh, Co Limerick. Kristine Reidy and Keith Lacey. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography En route to their reception at Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel & Spa, Adare, they posed at a busy roundabout for Kaspars Sarovarcenko ( 'The plan was to have photos taken in St Nicholas's Church in Adare, but when we arrived, there was another wedding there, so we ended up taking them at the nearby roundabout,' says the bride. Kristine Reidy and Keith Lacey. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography 'Kaspars did an incredible job; passing cars were beeping at every picture taken — and it was all great fun.' The pair had also sported head-turning looks on their initial encounter 16 years before, on Keith's local GAA pitch. Kristine Reidy and Keith Lacey. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography 'When we first met, I had a black eye from a football game and he had just got his ear stitched together from a hurling match!' says Kristine, a secondary school teacher. Keith, a social care worker, proposed on Ballycotton Cliff Walk, Cork, on January 21, 2023. 'I didn't want to go on the walk that day — I had new runners on, I didn't want to dirty them, and the weather wasn't great. Keith was behind me, and when I turned around, he was down on one knee,' says Kristine. Kristine Reidy. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography The bride exchanged her Feohanagh-Castlemahon and Limerick GAA colours for a Mozart gown by Suzanne Neville, sourced in Kadee Bride in Athlone, and the groom was dapper in a suit purchased at Red Church, Cork City. The bridal hairstyling was by Anne Marie Fitzgerald, Tie The Knot, with Lauren Sexton as makeup artist. Kristine Reidy and Keith Lacey and Loretta Hanley. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography Krisine's lifelong friend Loretta Hanley was maid of honour, and her college pals Laura O'Neill and Sara McQuinn were bridesmaids. Keith's brothers Alan Lacey and Damien Lacey were his best man and groomsman, respectively, and his friend Liam Murray was groomsman. Kristine's cousins Ellie and Grainne Collins presented guests with the Mass booklets. Kristine Reidy and Keith Lacey. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography Claire Heffernan provided the church music, and the couple's friend Cathal Murphy performed Bradley Marshall's 'Perfect For Me' during the Mass. 'Cathal sang incredibly, got the biggest round of applause you could imagine, and his moving performance reduced many guests to tears,' says Kristine. Kristine Reidy and Keith Lacey. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography The newlyweds travelled in style in a 1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II, supplied by Bentley Wedding. 'Keith had organised for pick-and-mix sweets from our sweet cart to be in the car for after the ceremony. We had those with a bottle of prosecco.' Meanwhile, Kristine treated the nine brides-to-be among their guests with personalised special goodie bags at the reception. Kristine Reidy and Keith Lacey. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography All table numbers were in the day's gold and navy colour theme. "They were written in French (because I'm a French teacher) and supplied by Katelyn @Prettyglamcreations,' says the bride. Enchanted Flowers, Macroom, created the décor and content creator Ellie-May of @Thecontentclub captured special moments also on camera. As guests had entered the church, snapped their photo for a keyring which was featured in keepsakes left on each table. Kristine Reidy and Keith Lacey. Pictures: Black Diamond Photography Entertainment for the drinks reception was by Sax Appeal and wedding band The Pearls, and DJ Paudie Walsh kept the dance floor full. The newlyweds' first dance was to Justin Bieber's Anyone. Kristine and Keith enjoyed a mini-moon in Monart. 'We are building our forever home (on my land in Kilmeedy) so no big honeymoon plans yet,' says Kristine. 'Maybe we'll plan something for 2026." If you would like your wedding featured in Weekend email
Sunday World
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Rising Irish star on the heartache that inspired the songs behind his sudden rise
The Irish singer says he manifested his success in the music biz, but he's had his challenges along the way so far. Bradley Marshall's career took off after posting music on TikTok during Covid Bradley Marshall's career took off after posting music on TikTok during Covid He's on his way to becoming Ireland's next big pop star, but Bradley Marshall is taking it all in his stride. The 24-year-old singer and songwriter from Dublin's Tallaght today reveals the personal challenges and heartaches that keep him grounded. Bradley tells Magazine+ that he was bullied at school, had his heart broken in relationships and has been coping with the trauma of psoriasis skin disease. His career took off after he started posting music on TikTok during Covid. And he wrote his debut single, Lost, during lockdown. Bradley Marshall on stage Since then, Marshall has gone from strength to strength. His 2023 hit, Perfect For Me, became a global phenomenon, was featured as the soundtrack to a scene on Love Island and is a popular wedding song earning him a dedicated fanbase along the way. His songs often draw from his own experiences, tackling themes of love, loss, and self-discovery with unflinching honesty. Looking back on his early life, Bradley says that his reputation as a singer made him popular with girls at school, which in turn led to him being taunted by his male contemporaries. 'I had a great childhood, great friends… kicking football on the road for six or seven hours a day,' Bradley recalls as he chats by Zoom from his home in Tallaght. 'But growing up singing wasn't easy, to be honest, because around this area being a man and singing wasn't the normal thing. If you sang as a male here you were gay… that's the type of stuff I used to get thrown at me a lot in the school corridor. 'I used to sing in the school yard and girls would chase me around the yard to sing songs. Looking back now I think the reaction of the guys was jealousy.' Bradley Marshall's career took off after posting music on TikTok during Covid Before becoming a full-time singer, Bradley studied business management in college. 'I was also an electrician when I left school,' he says. 'And I worked in a bookies, a cinema, a pet shop… I had so many jobs, but always in the back of my mind was the music. You need all those experiences to be able to tap into songs.' Speaking about dealing with psoriasis he says: 'Growing up and having psoriasis affected my mental health because of my appearance. 'It's a really hard condition to get by with. When I was in college at 18 or 19 years old it was all over my hands. I used to wear gloves to college, so it was quite a tough time for me. 'But I'm starting to embrace it now. I guess it's who I am, it's just a part of me. I'm also letting other people know who have psoriasis or eczema that it's OK to be yourself. Showing your vulnerability is really important.' Marshall says he has 'manifested' his success as a recording artist and singer. 'It's down to hard work and believing in yourself, but also putting it out to the universe,' he explains. 'I always believed in myself and getting signed last year [by Capitol Records] was always something that I believed would happen. Having a positive mindset all the time when negative things are happening is so important. 'But success to me is touching people's lives with your songs. I got a message off a girl not too long ago about my song called You'll Be Okay. A friend of mine tried to commit suicide a few years ago and I wrote a song to them saying basically, 'you'll be okay.' 'The person told me that they were in a car, they really wanted to drive into a wall and then they heard the song on the radio and that stopped them from doing it. People talk about numbers in terms of your success, but if you can touch someone's heart and change their perspective on life that's success to me, that's what I really try for.' His songs of love and loss also come from a personal place. Has he had his heart broken? 'Yeah, absolutely I have,' Bradley admits. 'I think that's the story of my life to be honest, but maybe I'll fall in love soon and the happy songs will start coming out.'
Irish Daily Mirror
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Inside Emmerdale actress' dream wedding with co-stars, tears and baby bombshell
A soap star since she was just 12 years old, Emmerdale favourite Isabel Hodgins is used to all eyes being on her. Fast-forward almost 20 years and she's marrying her soulmate, teacher Adam Whitehead, in front of her nearest and dearest, including many of the stars of the ITV show, that airs on Virgin Media in Ireland. 'I know I'm an actor but I don't like being the centre of attention,' admits Isabel, as we catch up with her days after her wedding. But while she confesses to not enjoying the wedding planning process as much as she'd hoped, the same can't be said for the day itself. 'A wedding's quite stressful, so even before it I was over it,' she laughs. 'Then the day came and I was like, we'll just go with the flow. It was perfect. I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed it, how full my heart was. It was just brilliant.' Isabel may earn her bread and butter in a Yorkshire soap, but she's Manchester through and through so only a city-centre ceremony would do – and they got married at the cool Castlefield Rooms. 'Some of our first dates were in town,' explains Isabel. 'And we like to run there, so I think it was nice that we kept it there.' The pair were blessed with beautiful weather, so Isabel's strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline from Australian designer Sassi Holford was the perfect choice, despite her initial reservations and a stressful dress-picking process. Isabel explains, 'At first, I was like, 'Why am I looking at sleeveless dresses for an April wedding? What an idiot.' But we struck gold with the weather. 'I'm only 5ft 2in and a half and I feel like wedding dresses are made for tall ladies,' she continues. 'I thought it would be more fun than it was. The dresses were beautiful, but not on me, so I quickly realised it needed to be plain because otherwise it's the dress wearing me, not me wearing the dress. And whenever I tried a veil, I felt like I was playing dress-up.' So she kept her choice simple – and it paid off, Mirror UK reports. 'I felt beautiful in it, which is all you want,' she tells us. Helped by her bridesmaids, Emmerdale co-star Eden Taylor Draper and school pal Shannon Moran, as well as her mum, Isabel says she just about managed to keep her emotions in check while getting ready. 'My dad came up, looked me up and down and just said, 'Wow.' If he'd started saying nice things, he would have sent me over the edge.' Isabel held it together for the entire day – but the same can't be said for Adam. 'It's funny, because I made a joke before the wedding,' she explains. 'The whole time we've been together, Adam's cried once. He's not an emotional person. And I was like, 'If you don't cry when I walk down that aisle, how is that going to make me feel?' But he did, he got teary.' Isabel says walking down the aisle to Perfect For Me by Bradley Marshall in front of 63 guests was a magical moment. 'It was so special,' she beams. There was so much light coming into the room, and he looked so handsome. I was too happy to be emotional. It was like, 'There he is, I can't wait to be his wife.'' And Adam was bowled over by his beautiful bride. 'She looked incredible,' he says. 'She knows I love it when she has her hair up, so the first thing I said to her when she got down the aisle was, 'I like your hair.' We go to the gym together every day, so I had an inkling she'd be revealing her back.' Adam was so taken aback by Isabel's beauty and the occasion that nerves got to him. 'I forgot my name during the vows,' he laughs. 'That was the worst part, the vows. I was so nervous. I'm not a big fan of public speaking. I'm a teacher and do it front of kids, but when it's in front of people your age, it's different. I was sweating.' 'I've never seen him like that before,' says Isabel. 'I said, 'You've messed up now so that's fine, you've got it out your system.'' With the vows out of the way, the pair could relax. They walked out as man and wife to Adam's favourite band Coldplay's hit A Sky Full Of Stars. Some photos around Manchester city followed and then it was back to the venue to enjoy a slap-up meal of mini beef pie and peas, chicken wrapped in parma ham and sticky toffee pudding. Next up was the speeches, with Adam, his best man and Isabel's dad Graham all grabbing the mic. But the most memorable of all was from the bride herself. 'It bothers me that it's just the men, so I was like, 'I'll absolutely be speaking,'' says Isabel. Supportive Adam was impressed. 'I was proud she wanted to do her own speech,' he says. 'Power to the women.' Isabel admits writing it was stressful – she did it last minute, the night before the big day – but actually saying it was a breeze. She relived the moment she made the first move on Adam two and a half years earlier at the gym – and how she has her dad to thank for playing his part. 'I had a crush on Adam at the gym,' she explains. 'I thought he was younger than me, which was an issue. I train with my dad and I said I wanted to know how old he was. My dad went over and asked him!' 'Her dad was her wingman,' Adam laughs. 'I said that in my speech. He came up to me on that Monday morning and said, 'How old are you?' And when I answered he said 'Thanks' and walked off. There was no small talk. The day after, Isabel requested to follow me on Instagram and it started to make sense.' The pair met when Adam was 25 and Isabel was 28. They got engaged in November 2023, when they were 28 and 31 – the age gap no longer an issue. 'At the start I made such a fuss about it,' recalls Isabel. 'He thought I was going to break up with him over it! Now we're married and it's a non issue.' They later discovered they went to the same school. 'We were born in the same hospital, went to the same school, went to the same gym,' said Adam. 'We have so much in common.' Isabel and Adam have found they are kindred spirits, bonding over their obsession with the gym. 'Basically me and Adam are like a nana and a granddad trapped in younger bodies,' giggles Isabel. 'His best man was saying in his speech, 'How do I plan a stag do for somebody who doesn't drink and who goes to bed at 7.30? Which we do, because we get up at 4.30 to go to the gym every day.' 'And then he said, 'I didn't feel that bad because Isabel's hen do was pottery painting.' We're two old souls! Every morning we do an hour session at the gym and then go to work.' Isabel hasn't drunk alcohol in five years, and Adam decided to ditch booze after meeting her. 'It's the best gift I could have given myself, as I remembered everything from the wedding,' says Isabel. But the absence of alcohol didn't mean the pair weren't up on the dance floor. Their first dance was the orchestral version of I Could Get Used To This by Becky Hill, after which they continued partying until midnight. 'I was quite an antisocial bride,' admits Isabel. 'Once the evening kicked off, you could not get me off the dance floor. I took my heels off. I was over being poised and looking like little lady bride.' 'I've never been one for dancing, especially since not drinking, but I've never danced so much,' Adam agrees. 'We wanted a chilled but fun wedding and we got exactly that. I had that walking on cloud nine feeling, like you don't want to stop.' They were joined on the dance floor by Emmerdale pals Danny Miller, Mark Jordon, Laura Norton, Jeff Hordley and Zoë Henry, and Isabel says her co-stars are like family to her after almost 19 years in the Dales. 'I've known them for so long, Laura's like a sister to me. Eden was my bridesmaid. They're just all such special, beautiful people. I said in my speech that me and Adam hadn't been going out for very long and I was telling Zoë about him and she was like, 'I've got a feeling you're going to marry this man.' She just knew.' Secondary school PE teacher Adam says he was oblivious to Isabel's day job when they first crossed paths in the gym. 'I recognised her face but didn't know where from,' he says. 'When she followed me, I realised she was from Emmerdale. I went to the Soap Awards with her and only then appreciated how big she is. I'm proud, but she hates watching herself so we don't watch it.' After a two-night minimoon to Saltmoore just outside Whitby – a touching surprise from her Emmerdale wedding guests – Isabel was back to work on set the following day. 'It was full-on,' she admits. She and Adam have plans for a big California trip in the summer, and they're already thinking further ahead than that, with dreams of starting a family. 'If that happens, amazing. If it doesn't, I'll say that's fine too, but I won't really mean it,' laughs Isabel. 'My sister had two toddlers during lockdown. I moved in with them. I just loved it. I think I'm ready to have that myself now.' Adam agrees, 'Having a family is our next step. I'm looking forward to what the future brings.'
Daily Record
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Inside Isabel Hodgins' Emmerdale wedding complete with co-star guests
Emmerdale star Isabel Hodgins shares all the details of her fairytale wedding to teacher Adam Whitehead complete with beautiful vows and co-star guests. Emmerdale favourite Isabel Hodgins has shared the emotional details of her recent wedding to teacher Adam Whitehead. The pair, engaged since 2023, got married in front of her nearest and dearest, including many of the stars of the ITV show. 'I know I'm an actor but I don't like being the centre of attention,' Isabel admitted to the Mirror just days after her wedding. She also confesses that she did not enjoy the wedding planning process as much as she'd hoped, but the same can't be said for the day itself. 'A wedding's quite stressful, so even before it I was over it,' she laughs. 'Then the day came and I was like, we'll just go with the flow. It was perfect. I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed it, how full my heart was. It was just brilliant.' Isabel may have found stardom at 12-years-old through the Yorkshire soap, but she's Manchester through and through. The couple got married at the cool Castlefield Rooms in the city centre. 'Some of our first dates were in town,' explains Isabel. 'And we like to run there, so I think it was nice that we kept it there.' The day came with beautiful weather, so Isabel's strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline from Australian designer Sassi Holford was the perfect choice, despite her initial reservations and a stressful dress-picking process. Isabel explains, 'At first, I was like, 'Why am I looking at sleeveless dresses for an April wedding? What an idiot.' But we struck gold with the weather. 'I'm only 5ft 2in and a half and I feel like wedding dresses are made for tall ladies,' she continues. 'I thought it would be more fun than it was. The dresses were beautiful, but not on me, so I quickly realised it needed to be plain because otherwise it's the dress wearing me, not me wearing the dress. And whenever I tried a veil, I felt like I was playing dress-up.' So she kept her choice simple – and it paid off. 'I felt beautiful in it, which is all you want,' she tells us. Helped by her bridesmaids, Emmerdale co-star Eden Taylor Draper and school pal Shannon Moran, as well as her mum, Isabel says she just about managed to keep her emotions in check while getting ready. 'My dad came up, looked me up and down and just said, 'Wow.' If he'd started saying nice things, he would have sent me over the edge.' Isabel held it together for the entire day – but the same can't be said for Adam. 'It's funny, because I made a joke before the wedding,' she explains. 'The whole time we've been together, Adam's cried once. He's not an emotional person. And I was like, 'If you don't cry when I walk down that aisle, how is that going to make me feel?' But he did, he got teary.' Isabel says walking down the aisle to Perfect For Me by Bradley Marshall in front of 63 guests was a magical moment. 'It was so special,' she beams. There was so much light coming into the room, and he looked so handsome. I was too happy to be emotional. It was like, 'There he is, I can't to be his wife.'' And Adam was bowled over by his beautiful bride. 'She looked incredible,' he says. 'She knows I love it when she has her hair up, so the first thing I said to her when she got down the aisle was, 'I like your hair.' We go to the gym together every day, so I had an inkling she'd be revealing her back.' Adam was so taken aback by Isabel's beauty and the occasion that nerves got to him. 'I forgot my name during the vows,' he laughs. 'That was the worst part, the vows. I was so nervous. I'm not a big fan of public speaking. I'm a teacher and do it front of kids, but when it's in front of people your age, it's different. I was sweating.' 'I've never seen him like that before,' says Isabel. 'I said, 'You've messed up now so that's fine, you've got it out your system.'' With the vows out of the way, the pair could relax. They walked out as man and wife to Adam's favourite band Coldplay's hit A Sky Full Of Stars. Some photos around Manchester city followed and then it was back to the venue to enjoy a slap-up meal of mini beef pie and peas, chicken wrapped in parma ham and sticky toffee pudding. Next up was the speeches, with Adam, his best man and Isabel's dad Graham all grabbing the mic. But the most memorable of all was from the bride herself. 'It bothers me that it's just the men, so I was like, 'I'll absolutely be speaking,'' says Isabel. Supportive Adam was impressed. 'I was proud she wanted to do her own speech,' he says. 'Power to the women. ' Isabel admits writing it was stressful – she did it last minute, the night before the big day – but actually saying it was a breeze. She relived the moment she made the first move on Adam two and a half years earlier at the gym – and how she has her dad to thank for playing his part. 'I had a crush on Adam at the gym,' she explains. 'I thought he was younger than me, which was an issue. I train with my dad and I said I wanted to know how old he was. My dad went over and asked him!' 'Her dad was her wingman,' Adam laughs. 'I said that in my speech. He came up to me on that Monday morning and said, 'How old are you?' And when I answered he said 'Thanks' and walked off. There was no small talk. The day after, Isabel requested to follow me on Instagram and it started to make sense.' The pair met when Adam was 25 and Isabel was 28. They got engaged in November 2023, when they were 28 and 31 – the age gap no longer an issue. 'At the start I made such a fuss about it,' recalls Isabel. 'He thought I was going to break up with him over it! Now we're married and it's a non issue.' They later discovered they went to the same school. 'We were born in the same hospital, went to the same school, went to the same gym,' said Adam. 'We have so much in common.' Isabel and Adam have found they are kindred spirits, bonding over their obsession with the gym. 'Basically me and Adam are like a nana and a granddad trapped in younger bodies,' giggles Isabel. 'His best man was saying in his speech, 'How do I plan a stag do for somebody who doesn't drink and who goes to bed at 7.30? Which we do, because we get up at 4.30 to go to the gym every day.' 'And then he said, 'I didn't feel that bad because Isabel's hen do was pottery painting.' We're two old souls! Every morning we do an hour session at the gym and then go to work.' Isabel hasn't drunk alcohol in five years, and Adam decided to ditch booze after meeting her. 'It's the best gift I could have given myself, as I remembered everything from the wedding,' says Isabel. But the absence of alcohol didn't mean the pair weren't up on the dance floor. Their first dance was the orchestral version of I Could Get Used To This by Becky Hill, after which they continued partying until midnight. 'I was quite an antisocial bride,' admits Isabel. 'Once the evening kicked off, you could not get me off the dance floor. I took my heels off. I was over being poised and looking like little lady bride.' 'I've never been one for dancing, especially since not drinking, but I've never danced so much,' Adam agrees. 'We wanted a chilled but fun wedding and we got exactly that. I had that walking on cloud nine feeling, like you don't want to stop.' They were joined on the dance floor by Emmerdale pals Danny Miller, Mark Jordon, Laura Norton, Jeff Hordley and Zoë Henry, and Isabel says her co-stars are like family to her after almost 19 years in the Dales. 'I've known them for so long, Laura's like a sister to me. Eden was my bridesmaid. They're just all such special, beautiful people. I said in my speech that me and Adam hadn't been going out for very long and I was telling Zoë about him and she was like, 'I've got a feeling you're going to marry this man.' She just knew.' Secondary school PE teacher Adam says he was oblivious to Isabel's day job when they first crossed paths in the gym. 'I recognised her face but didn't know where from,' he says. 'When she followed me, I realised she was from Emmerdale. I went to the Soap Awards with her and only then appreciated how big she is. I'm proud, but she hates watching herself so we don't watch it.' After a two-night minimoon to Saltmoore just outside Whitby – a touching surprise from her Emmerdale wedding guests – Isabel was back to work on set the following day. 'It was full-on,' she admits. She and Adam have plans for a big California trip in the summer, and they're already thinking further ahead than that, with dreams of starting a family. 'If that happens, amazing. If it doesn't, I'll say that's fine too, but I won't really mean it,' laughs Isabel. 'My sister had two toddlers during lockdown. I moved in with them. I just loved it. I think I'm ready to have that myself now.' Adam agrees, 'Having a family is our next step. I'm looking forward to what the future brings.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! 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Daily Mirror
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Inside Emmerdale's Isabel Hodgins' wedding - co-star guests and baby bombshell
Emmerdale star Isabel Hodgins shares all the details of her fairytale wedding to teacher Adam Whitehead - from her co-star guests to the bride's very special personal vows A soap star since she was just 12 years old, Emmerdale favourite Isabel Hodgins is used to all eyes being on her. Fast-forward almost 20 years and she's marrying her soulmate, teacher Adam Whitehead, in front of her nearest and dearest, including many of the stars of the ITV show. 'I know I'm an actor but I don't like being the centre of attention,' admits Isabel, as we catch up with her days after her wedding. But while she confesses to not enjoying the wedding planning process as much as she'd hoped, the same can't be said for the day itself. 'A wedding's quite stressful, so even before it I was over it,' she laughs. 'Then the day came and I was like, we'll just go with the flow. It was perfect. I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed it, how full my heart was. It was just brilliant.' Isabel may earn her bread and butter in a Yorkshire soap, but she's Manchester through and through so only a city-centre ceremony would do – and they got married at the cool Castlefield Rooms. 'Some of our first dates were in town,' explains Isabel. 'And we like to run there, so I think it was nice that we kept it there.' The pair were blessed with beautiful weather, so Isabel's strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline from Australian designer Sassi Holford was the perfect choice, despite her initial reservations and a stressful dress-picking process. Isabel explains, 'At first, I was like, 'Why am I looking at sleeveless dresses for an April wedding? What an idiot.' But we struck gold with the weather. 'I'm only 5ft 2in and a half and I feel like wedding dresses are made for tall ladies,' she continues. 'I thought it would be more fun than it was. The dresses were beautiful, but not on me, so I quickly realised it needed to be plain because otherwise it's the dress wearing me, not me wearing the dress. And whenever I tried a veil, I felt like I was playing dress-up.' So she kept her choice simple – and it paid off. 'I felt beautiful in it, which is all you want,' she tells us. Helped by her bridesmaids, Emmerdale co-star Eden Taylor Draper and school pal Shannon Moran, as well as her mum, Isabel says she just about managed to keep her emotions in check while getting ready. 'My dad came up, looked me up and down and just said, 'Wow.' If he'd started saying nice things, he would have sent me over the edge.' Isabel held it together for the entire day – but the same can't be said for Adam. 'It's funny, because I made a joke before the wedding,' she explains. 'The whole time we've been together, Adam's cried once. He's not an emotional person. And I was like, 'If you don't cry when I walk down that aisle, how is that going to make me feel?' But he did, he got teary.' Isabel says walking down the aisle to Perfect For Me by Bradley Marshall in front of 63 guests was a magical moment. 'It was so special,' she beams. There was so much light coming into the room, and he looked so handsome. I was too happy to be emotional. It was like, 'There he is, I can't to be his wife.'' And Adam was bowled over by his beautiful bride. 'She looked incredible,' he says. 'She knows I love it when she has her hair up, so the first thing I said to her when she got down the aisle was, 'I like your hair.' We go to the gym together every day, so I had an inkling she'd be revealing her back.' Adam was so taken aback by Isabel's beauty and the occasion that nerves got to him. 'I forgot my name during the vows,' he laughs. 'That was the worst part, the vows. I was so nervous. I'm not a big fan of public speaking. I'm a teacher and do it front of kids, but when it's in front of people your age, it's different. I was sweating.' 'I've never seen him like that before,' says Isabel. 'I said, 'You've messed up now so that's fine, you've got it out your system.'' With the vows out of the way, the pair could relax. They walked out as man and wife to Adam's favourite band Coldplay's hit A Sky Full Of Stars. Some photos around Manchester city followed and then it was back to the venue to enjoy a slap-up meal of mini beef pie and peas, chicken wrapped in parma ham and sticky toffee pudding. Next up was the speeches, with Adam, his best man and Isabel's dad Graham all grabbing the mic. But the most memorable of all was from the bride herself. 'It bothers me that it's just the men, so I was like, 'I'll absolutely be speaking,'' says Isabel. Supportive Adam was impressed. 'I was proud she wanted to do her own speech,' he says. 'Power to the women.' Isabel admits writing it was stressful – she did it last minute, the night before the big day – but actually saying it was a breeze. She relived the moment she made the first move on Adam two and a half years earlier at the gym – and how she has her dad to thank for playing his part. 'I had a crush on Adam at the gym,' she explains. 'I thought he was younger than me, which was an issue. I train with my dad and I said I wanted to know how old he was. My dad went over and asked him!' 'Her dad was her wingman,' Adam laughs. 'I said that in my speech. He came up to me on that Monday morning and said, 'How old are you?' And when I answered he said 'Thanks' and walked off. There was no small talk. The day after, Isabel requested to follow me on Instagram and it started to make sense.' The pair met when Adam was 25 and Isabel was 28. They got engaged in November 2023, when they were 28 and 31 – the age gap no longer an issue. 'At the start I made such a fuss about it,' recalls Isabel. 'He thought I was going to break up with him over it! Now we're married and it's a non issue.' They later discovered they went to the same school. 'We were born in the same hospital, went to the same school, went to the same gym,' said Adam. 'We have so much in common.' Isabel and Adam have found they are kindred spirits, bonding over their obsession with the gym. 'Basically me and Adam are like a nana and a granddad trapped in younger bodies,' giggles Isabel. 'His best man was saying in his speech, 'How do I plan a stag do for somebody who doesn't drink and who goes to bed at 7.30? Which we do, because we get up at 4.30 to go to the gym every day.' 'And then he said, 'I didn't feel that bad because Isabel's hen do was pottery painting.' We're two old souls! Every morning we do an hour session at the gym and then go to work.' Isabel hasn't drunk alcohol in five years, and Adam decided to ditch booze after meeting her. 'It's the best gift I could have given myself, as I remembered everything from the wedding,' says Isabel. But the absence of alcohol didn't mean the pair weren't up on the dance floor. Their first dance was the orchestral version of I Could Get Used To This by Becky Hill, after which they continued partying until midnight. 'I was quite an antisocial bride,' admits Isabel. 'Once the evening kicked off, you could not get me off the dance floor. I took my heels off. I was over being poised and looking like little lady bride.' 'I've never been one for dancing, especially since not drinking, but I've never danced so much,' Adam agrees. 'We wanted a chilled but fun wedding and we got exactly that. I had that walking on cloud nine feeling, like you don't want to stop.' They were joined on the dance floor by Emmerdale pals Danny Miller, Mark Jordon, Laura Norton, Jeff Hordley and Zoë Henry, and Isabel says her co-stars are like family to her after almost 19 years in the Dales. 'I've known them for so long, Laura's like a sister to me. Eden was my bridesmaid. They're just all such special, beautiful people. I said in my speech that me and Adam hadn't been going out for very long and I was telling Zoë about him and she was like, 'I've got a feeling you're going to marry this man.' She just knew.' Secondary school PE teacher Adam says he was oblivious to Isabel's day job when they first crossed paths in the gym. 'I recognised her face but didn't know where from,' he says. 'When she followed me, I realised she was from Emmerdale. I went to the Soap Awards with her and only then appreciated how big she is. I'm proud, but she hates watching herself so we don't watch it.' After a two-night minimoon to Saltmoore just outside Whitby – a touching surprise from her Emmerdale wedding guests – Isabel was back to work on set the following day. 'It was full-on,' she admits. She and Adam have plans for a big California trip in the summer, and they're already thinking further ahead than that, with dreams of starting a family. 'If that happens, amazing. If it doesn't, I'll say that's fine too, but I won't really mean it,' laughs Isabel. 'My sister had two toddlers during lockdown. I moved in with them. I just loved it. I think I'm ready to have that myself now.' Adam agrees, 'Having a family is our next step. I'm looking forward to what the future brings.'
