5th December Greg Nets Perfect Match (c) Story and Picture Copyright of BBC
Tennis star Greg Rusedski has wed sweetheart Lucy Connor - the former ball-girl he fell in love with as a teenager. Celebrity friends from sport and showbusiness saw the couple take their vows in the Douai Abbey church near Newbury, Berkshire. Among the 130 guests - dressed in black tie suits and gowns - were Formula One driver David Coulthard, British Davis Cup captain David Lloyd and fellow player Mark Petchey.
Rusedski, 26, arrived half an hour before the scheduled 1600 GMT start in an open-top vintage Jaguar driven by his tennis coach Sven Groeneveld. His bride, 23, arrived 10 minutes late, in a second vintage Jaguar. Red lilies She wore a long-sleeved dress with an eight-foot train, made by top designer Antony Price, and told waiting photographers that she was "very excited". Miss Connor carried a bouquet of red lilies into the church and was given away by her father Terry. Mr and Mrs Rusedski posed for pictures as they emerged after the service which had lasted just over an hour.
Greg, who had changed into a morning suit after arriving at the church, kissed his new bride and said: "I feel great. This is the best day of my life." Lucy laughed and joked that she was covering her husband in lipstick as she kissed him once more for the cameras. "I'm absolutely ecstatic," she said. The newlyweds then left together in the vintage Jaguar for a reception at Highclere Castle. Fans thrilled Rusedski, 26, posed for engagement snaps for Hello! with his fiancee back in February but the couple denied reports they had sold rights to the wedding day to the magazine.
Rusedski's British tennis rival Tim Henman will wed his own Lucy, Lucy Heald, in a service next Saturday. Henman, the British number one, has said there is no ill-feeling between himself and Rusedski despite reports he turned down an invitation to his rival's wedding and failed to invite Rusedski to his own.
WWW.RUSEDSKI.CO.UK extend their warmest congratulations to Mr and Mrs Rusedski. All the best....