November 2000. Steve is a contractor at Unilever; Nikki works for them and is effectively the client. Unilever send us to the PeopleSoft conference in Granada, Spain. It would be fair to say we had been in meetings etc but no inkling of what was to come.

Steve thinks he first came to Nikki’s attention when as we were getting in the transfer bus at Malaga airport, he asked if she had ever had a Slippery Nipple.

Nikki came to Steve’s attention when she and some of our other colleagues attempted a none too subtle attempt to set him up with a girl by asking her over and then disappearing like England hopes at a World Cup. While making awkward conversation, Steve looked across at the giggling conspirators and upon seeing Nikki thought “she’s regretting that, she fancies me”. Of course, it was never meant to be Nikki realised later, as she was welsh 😜

So began our whirlwind romance. It was heady stuff, and by Christmas it was love, by Easter (in Vilamoura casino) we were engaged (without telling anyone), and on July 25th 2001 we married in Henley on Thames.

Henley, a bit odd for a couple who lived in Horley and Bishops Stortford? After the PeopleSoft conference we had a series of training weeks in Reading and although they started on Mondays, we started meeting up on Sundays – so it was the area where our relationship blossomed.

This is not a story of our 25 years marriage and the amazing times we have created. It is about our Silver Weeding (sic) celebration. Having held a mini moon in Granada and the iconic Alhambra Palace Hotel, to celebrate where we met, it seemed fitting that Granada would be the location to return to and celebrate our wedding anniversary.

“I have had an idea” said Steve, and we agreed on a small dinner and celebration. Of course this could not be a repeat of our 130 people retirement party, not least because we are retired and our budget now has to be managed!

The people we are closest to and, in truth spend most time with, comprised our guest list of 16 plus us. An email was sent with expectation that maybe a third or a half would accept, after all we weren’t paying for flights and rooms and it was a lot to ask, but remarkably all but 2 accepted. We were both delighted and humbled.

The venue would be the Alhambra Palace Hotel, in which a PDR (private dining room for the less corporate among you) was arranged. We thought we selected a brilliant itinerary and menu, and it turned out just how brilliant it actually was.