Couple ready to tied the knot with Leap Day marriage
A couple will only have to celebrate their wedding anniversary once every four years after they get hitched on Leap Day.
Melanie Shaw, age 48, and Adrian Harper, age 47, from Hasbury, Halesowen, will tie the knot this Saturday on February 29 at The Old Vicarage in Worfield, near Bridgnorth.
But by choosing the unique day it means they won’t celebrate their first anniversary until 2024 and their 10 year anniversary until 2060.
“When we were deciding on the details for the wedding, we were really interested in the leap day,” said Melanie.
“It was just so unique and would mean not many other people would have that as their anniversary. The fact that it fell on a Saturday confirmed it for us.”
Melanie and Adrian have already agreed to still celebrate an unofficial anniversary once a year.
“We’ve said we’ll celebrate at midnight on February 28 until the next leap year comes around and then do something extra special to celebrate our first anniversary.”
David Blakstad, who owns and operates The Old Vicarage with his wife Sarah, said: “Leap days of course only come around every four years, but for it to land on a Saturday is even more rare.
“We’re so pleased that Melanie and Adrian are getting married here Saturday and we’re looking forward to helping them make their big day one to remember.
“We wish them all the best for the day and for their future together.”
Melanie, who works as an educational delivery manager for NHS Blood and Transplant, met Adrian at an ice hockey game in 2015.
“I played skater hockey for Leasowes Sharks which started my love for ice hockey,” said Adrian who works as an electrical engineer at Western Power.
“I was at a game one night when one of my friends brought along someone from work - Melanie.
“She didn’t know ice hockey at all so I talked her through what was going on and we just hit it off right from the start and were together the whole evening.”
Three years later, Adrian proposed when the couple were on holiday in Cornwall.
“I was not expecting it at all,” added Melanie. “The ring was beautiful, he designed it himself. It’s got a bit of an art deco theme to it, which is the theme of our wedding, too.”
“The colour scheme is navy and gold, and everything is designed to tie in with that."
The couple will wed at 1 pm this Saturday in front of 60 guests.
