Couple who met through local ice rink tied the knot there too

School teacher James, 32, and Lauren, 33, who works in sales, now known as newlyweds Mr and Mrs Marston, first met in 2022.

Lauren had taken up figure skating two years earlier, coached by James’ brother David. When she invited his mum, Angela, to one of her gigs she didn’t realise she was about to meet her future husband.

“I started skating in Uttoxeter to pick up a new hobby and to get out there a bit and meet some new people,” Lauren said. “I absolutely love figure skating and I’ve made some incredible friends, like Angela, who also skates at the rink. I invited her to come and watch me sing and I didn’t know she was going to bring her other son along, James. As crazy as it sounds, we fell in love at first sight!”

The wedding day utilised the entertainment centre’s ice rink, cinema and 8-lane tenpin bowling alley, with the ceremony taking place in the cinema and guests later ice skating and bowling as part of the occasion.

As well as meeting through ice skating the cinema also means a lot to the couple “We started going to the CineBowl every Wednesday as an excuse to see each other in the week rather than waiting for the weekends,” Lauren explained.

“The tradition has stuck and whether we like the films that are on or not we go to the same cinema every Wednesday!”

The couple got engaged in 2023 and it was during one of their cinema Wednesday dates when a friend, who had joined them, suggested they use the complex as their wedding venue.

“We immediately loved the idea, and it all grew from there,” said James. “We like to do things differently.

“On the day we served popcorn and created homemade “cinema adverts” to play before the ceremony. We created them with our bridal party and groomsmen and they were a complete surprise to our guests - the reactions were brilliant. We all went for dinner and dancing at a local pub later on too. The whole day was a lot of fun and it couldn’t have been any more perfect for us. Standing on the stage in front of the cinema screen and looking up at everyone we know and love on the raised seating was so special.”

“When we first told everyone where we were having our wedding day some people thought it was a bit different,” said Lauren. “We had a lot of questions about what to wear with ice skating and bowling involved - which was understandable! It might have been a little unusual, but we went for it and it was the perfect place for us and our story. It felt amazing to skate around in my wedding dress, it was very surreal. Everyone just had the best day.

“The team at CineBowl were incredible in helping us to make it all happen especially as they’d never hosted a wedding before. If it wasn’t for the amazing team when I started skating five years ago, I wouldn’t have met James because I wouldn’t have wanted to go back. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming, it’s almost like a second home to us at this point. It’s fair to say ice skating has changed my life.

"I even run a business now with my sister, called The Crystal Cult making skate outfits, jackets and accessories. When I began my skating journey with Planet Ice, I didn’t know how much things would change, and I certainly didn’t know that my figure skating coach was going to become my brother-in-law!”