A couple who married yesterday are believed to have become Britain’s oldest newlyweds – with a combined age of 171.
Joan Grant, 81 wed Ted Wright, 90 in front of 20 guests in Swindon registry office after they met working at WHSmith.
Michael, Joan’s son, walked her down the aisle to Frank Sinatra’s ‘Second Time Around’ before they tied the knot in a civil ceremony.
The couple have planned a unique ‘funnymoon’ where they will holiday with 43 friends from their retirement group of ex-WHSmith workers.
Joan Grant (right) 81 wed Ted Wright (left) 90 in front of 20 guests after they met working at WHSmith
The couple who married yesterday are believed to have become Britain’s oldest newlyweds as they have a combined age of 171
Joan, who wore a vibrant magenta dress, said: ‘We will have our first dance to ‘Second Time Around’ by Frank Sinatra – the same song we walked down the aisle to, the Metro reported.
Ted wore a navy suit and a tie that complemented Joan’s vibrant magenta dress
‘We were engaged for more or less ten years but in September we were visiting Ted’s niece, and he said ‘Joan and I are going to get married.
‘It was a lovely surprise for me.’
Ted donned a navy blue suit and a tie to complement his wife’s wedding dress.
Joan and Ted are both from London and their relationship blossomed over the phone as they would talk for hours in the evening.
Ted, a great-grandfather-of-two said that neither of them believed they would marry again after his wife died 17 years ago, and Joan’s husband died aged 63.
The couple both moved to Swindon, Wilts, for their jobs with WHSmith and met through a retirement group for former workers of the company.
Ted said that his first impression of Joan was that she was ‘lovely’ and she claims he married her to make an honest woman of her – despite living together since 2004.
Ted, a great-grandfather-of-two said that neither of them believed they would marry again
They refused gifts at their wedding and instead asked for donations to be made towards a radiotherapy unit at the local hospital
Ted said he hoped the couple’s love story gave hope to other people. He added: ‘We are so happy the second time around, we are so happy in our old age.
‘We’ve both got mobility scooters and we like to go out when the weather is fine.’
The couple both moved to Swindon, Wilts, for their jobs with WHSmith and met through a retirement group for former workers of the company