Many couples share a love of the same snack, and for one set of newlyweds, it's always been Peperami.
Francesca Brooke-Fenton, 37, and Luke Hindmarch, 33, are so "obsessed" with the spicy lunchbox favourite they decided to incorporate it into every aspect of their wedding day. From their vows to their cake, Francesca and Luke, from Otely, Leeds, wanted to make their love for Peperami felt throughout their special day, in a wedding unlike any other I've ever been to before. The loved up couple were kind enough to invite me to see their celebrations first hand, so I headed up to The Tipis at Riley Green in Preston to see exactly how far the meat-loving lovebirds would take their quirky theme. And it's fair to say there were a few surprises along the way.
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Of course, it goes without saying you don't know what to expect when you rock up at a wedding centred around snack-sized sausages.
After arriving at the pretty location, nestled in the Lancashire countryside, I followed a green carpet to the venue itself, all decked out - of course - in all things Peperami.
A green sign complete with the official logo greeted me to 'The Peperami Wedding', and it was immediately clear I was in the right place. Inside, absolutely everything was green and red, with little Peperami packets adorning the floral arrangements.
Entertainment was provided by a truly fabulous fire breather, adding to the spicy feel of the day, while content creator and YouTuber Yung Filly made an appearance as a special celebrity guest.
After a quick glass of lemonade, it was time for me and the other guests to take our seats at the outdoor ceremony where, naturally, a Peperami was waiting for me.
Luke, who works in home renovations, was already waiting for his bride at the floral arch which was, you've guessed it, incorporated yet more Peperami wrappers amid the flowers.
The groom looked dapper in the grey suit, which was finished off with a green tie with the Peperami mascot emblazoned on it. He also wore a corsage that paired a red rose with a bag of Peperami's new Roasted Chicken Bites. It's a combination I've personally never seen before.
Francesca, who is currently training to be a hypnobirthing instructor, arrived in a plume of emerald smoke, with the fire-breather heralding her suitably spicy entrance.
In a sentence I never thought I'd write, the bride looked beautiful and beaming as she approached her husband-to-be, her long green train patterned with a very large image of the Peperami mascot.
It was then time to exchange vows, which, unsurprisingly by this point, were Peperami-tinged, but not before - like many a great soap wedding - an intruder tried to call things off altogether.
I for one nearly jumped out of my seat when an eight-foot Peperami mascot rushed down the aisle, declaring her undying love for Luke, who then had to turn her down for his true beloved, replying, "I do love you but today I'm marrying Frankie!"
Jokingly proclaiming, "I'll have you!", Frankie blew a kiss at the meaty mascot, who reciprocated in turn. Drama over, Luke pledged "never to eat the last Peperami", while Frankie promised to "keep the snack basket stocked with Peperami."
And so, with much affectionate laughter from their family and friends, the clearly very well-suited couple walked back down the aisle together as newlyweds, sausage train gleaming in the sunshine.
Post-ceremony drinks and canapés are usually fun, and this wedding certainly didn't disappoint. I sampled Peperami croquettes and vol-au-vents, with the theme of the day lending itself nicely to nibbles.
I also tried a cocktail made with the colour scheme in mind, garnished with chicken bites. Despite the sausage floating around in the liquid, these went down a treat with guests on what was a sweltering day.
It was then time to be seated for the speeches, from both bride and groom, at which point the couple's shared sense of humour once again came through.
Referencing the famous Peperami slogan, Francesca quipped: "Those who know us individually and as a couple know we don't do things by halves. In fact, I'm a bit of an animal."
With the loved-up couple seated contentedly at their red and green table, it was time to tuck in. I for one never knew Peperami was such a versatile ingredient and was in for a bit of an education.
We feasted on Peperami paella, Peperami noodles, and - my personal favourite - Peperami and camembert, with yet more Peperami canapes laid out should we wish for yet more of the couple's beloved snack.
When the cake was unveiled, I wasn't exactly stunned to see that it was baked in the shape of a giant, reclining Peperami, surrounded by a mountain of mini cakes shaped as chicken bites.
The chicken bites looked so convincing, however, that I was surprised to taste sponge not meat when I bit into them. All props to the baker.
I also need to mention the bouquet at this point, which was slung from a catapult and, naturally, included Peperamis tucked in with the flowers. I didn't manage to catch it.
With everyone well-fed, afternoon turned to evening in a sausage-filled haze, with all the dancing and laughter you'd expect from a regular wedding.
In the midst of the celebrations, I managed to catch up with an elated Francesca and Luke, who have absolutely no regrets about choosing Peperami as their theme of the day.
The couple, who recently welcomed their 14-week-old baby son called Cielo, both felt "amazing" at having tied the knot, with Francesca admitting she'd "never felt so calm" despite the "crazy" nature of the day.
Francesca told the Mirror: "I was doing what I always wanted today, marrying the man of my dreams. in Peperami style!"
Luke admitted: "It was a little bit different from what I would have imagined but brilliant"
It was hard for the couple to pick just one favourite bit from their special day, but they both spoke particularly fondly of the moment they saw each other at the end of the aisle in all their Peperami-decorated glory, any nerves melted away.
If they could, they'd do it all over again, and are by no means sick of Peperami, despite having undoubtedly spoken about the snack for months on end.
Francesca joked: "If there's any left, we're taking some home with us!"
Are you opting for a quirky theme for your upcoming wedding? Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
