Well, after lots of planning and more than a little angst on my behalf, my husband, Joe, and I celebrated our Twenty Fifth Wedding Anniversary in style on 8 January. We did something we had wanted to do ever since we saw the beauty of Anguilla’s beaches and clear blue sea. We retook our wedding vows on Shoal Bay Beach in front of invited guests including our son, Thomas, my brother, Duncan and our good friend, Susan, who had jetted in from Pakistan for the occasion.

Pastor Jeremiah administering vows to Mr & Mrs. Legg

In an age when getting married is going out of fashion, I suppose we are a bit of an oddity. To reach our silver wedding anniversary is quite something. We were pen friends when Joe was in the Royal Navy and I was finishing school. I loved writing letters and had had pen friends all over the world for many years. I decided to put an advertisement into Navy News newspaper in England, asking for pen friends aged between eighteen and twenty five years. I received over seventy replies. Joe was seventeen and a half and I remember complaining to my mother that ‘this one was too young.’ Never the less I am a polite girl and so I replied to Joe’s letter and that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

The Falklands Conflict started just as we were to hold our Engagement Party and so it was hastily cancelled. Joe was recalled to duty and served on HMS Intrepid during the ensuing hostilities. Readers of this column will perhaps remember my article last year about the Twenty Fifth Anniversary Celebrations of the Conflict held in London. Joe, along with thousands of other veterans, marched through the streets of the capital to Buckingham Palace, where Prince Charles took the salute.

Family, friends and invited guests at ceremony

We were married a year after meeting and moved to Plymouth, South West England, where Joe was stationed on HMS Andromeda, a Leander class frigate. During our first year of marriage we were together for only two weeks, which was made up of odd days snatched when I travelled to meet the ship in its various ports of call. I really do not know what kept us together! It was hard having a long distance marriage. The Royal Navy has a very high divorce rate because the service personnel are away from home so often. At the end of the year I travelled to Gibraltar to spend a weekend with Joe when his ship visited there. I was really looking forward to seeing him as we had been apart for over six months. Alas, at the last moment, the ship was diverted to Beirut, where there was trouble brewing. The ship arrived on the day that I had to fly home and my husband only had time to escort me to the airport and wave me off.

We were posted to the air station at Yeovilton, Somerset, and it was here that Thomas was born.

Joe left the Navy to join the Foreign Office when our son was small and since then we have lived in Belgium, Bangladesh and now, lovely Anguilla.

I recently asked Joe what I could give him for a gift for our Twenty Fifth Anniversary. He replied ‘another twenty five years.’ I am going to try to give it to him!

In the meantime, we wish to thank Elodia’s Beach Bar and Grill for their hospitality and professionalism in catering for our needs. If anyone fancies excellent crab cakes, I would suggest that you have a word with Fay, the manager there.

Pastor Ricardo Jeremiah was wonderful and enthralled my parents, listening in England by means of my mobile. Pastor Jeremiah took me aback a little by deviating from the agreed script in suggesting we kiss on the beach after the ceremony, but Joe was enthusiastic and, of course, I did not want to be thought a kill joy!

Our merry band of Best Men and Best Ladies, Thomas Legg, Duncan Hale, Rob Willsher, Susan Farrent and Julie Willsher, were a real boon. I can honestly say that we could not have done it without them. Rob gave a speech which was surprisingly clean and did not embarrass us too much! Thomas and Duncan had contributed information, as had Julie and Susan. Susan was unendingly unflappable and I wish to thank her for all the finishing touches she put in place.

Our cake was made by our friend and neighbour, Jo-Anne Mason. It looked too good to cut and tasted wonderful. Thanks Jo-Anne.

Most of the guests turned up, which was good of them. We hope they enjoyed the event as much as we did.

So here we are, about to embark on our second twenty five years. I wonder where we will be to celebrate our Golden Wedding?

The wedding party

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