On Saturday, November 5, Keith Frederick Nixon, a top tenor with Tenby Male Choir (TMC), married Anne Ruthie Alton at St Florence Church. The Eucharistic ceremony was conducted by Rev. Alexandra Grace.

The groom, widower of the late Anthea Eira Nixon, is a retired buildings manager. Marrying for the first time, the bride, Ruthie Alton, had latterly been employed as a creative writing tutor and examiner for The Open College of The Arts.

Although they lived only a few miles apart for almost 20 years, Keith, of St Florence, and Ruthie, of Tenby, met for the first time on a coach holiday to Austria, organised by Sue Shaw of Sageston, on Ruthie’s birthday in the summer of 2015.

Given away by Rector Canon Andrew Grace, the bride wore a champagne, charmeuse, ballgown length dress with a black lace applique overlay and carried a bouquet of yellow, champagne and avalanche-white roses.

Bridesmaid, Hannah Keohane, friend of the bride and also a friend of Bernard Alton, the bride’s late father, wore a floor-length, silver grey satin dress. Mari Nixon, the groom’s granddaughter, also a bridesmaid, wore a grey Monsoon dress with sash detail matching the older bridesmaid’s sash. Both bridesmaids carried yellow-themed bouquets.

The grey and yellow colour theme was continued in the attire of the groom and principal male wedding party, who all wore gold coloured ties and yellow rose buttonholes. Best man, Barrie Nixon, is the older brother of Keith and the ushers were Gareth Nixon (groom’s son), Matthew Kerr (groom’s son-in-law) and Thomas and James Keer and Rhys Nixon (the groom’s grandsons).

The groom’s daughter, Mrs. Enyd Keer, sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Grosvenor, daughter-in-law, Eve Nixon and the in-laws Keith and Sue Keer and Malcolm and Janet Patterson, completed the immediate family members of the wedding party.

The bride, who is the daughter of the late Ruth Rebecca Alton and Bernard Alton, has no remaining family.

There were readings by Adrian Davis, Kathy Farmer and Rev. Robb Wainwright during the service.

The groom joined his fellow choristers of TMC in singing for 20 minutes before the ceremony. TMC also sang whilst the bride and groom signed the register.

St. Florence Church was beautifully decorated with yellow, champagne and orange flowers by Anne Buet and Rita Salisbury and the delicious wedding cake, partaken of during the buffet reception at The Greenhills Hotel, St Florenace, was made by Elsie Arthur. The disco was provided by Rob Mayhew, friend of the groom. The photographer was Nicky Rhodes.

The newly-married couple are spending their honeymoon in Sorrento, Italy.