A dedicated rugby fan bride stood on the sidelines in her wedding dress, cheering her new husband during his team’s final match just hours after their ceremony.
The Unique Wedding Day Clash
Amy Vinson, 42, a paralegal and mother of two whose sons both play rugby, married Craig Vinson, 40, a fire suppression engineer, at Weston Registry Office on Saturday. Despite the timing, Amy urged Craig to suit up for Hornets RFC’s last fixture of the season against Blake Bears RFC.
Craig donned his kit, complete with new white boots engraved with their wedding date, and led his team to a 45-19 victory in the friendly match at the Weston-super-Mare club. This marked the first wedding day game ever held there, featuring players from teenagers to 78 years old.
Amy’s Sideline Support
“I absolutely loved standing there in my wedding dress watching him play,” Amy said. “Some brides might think it was mad, but for us it was perfect. I knew how important that final game was to Craig, and I didn’t want him missing out because of the wedding. If anything, it made the day even better because it was so personal to us.”
The couple, who live in Wick St Lawrence, north Somerset, met on a dating site in October 2023 and set their wedding date before the team’s schedule was released. When the fixture clashed, Amy arranged everything around it. Challenges arose when Hornets’ fourth team folded mid-season, prompting a quick rally to organize the mixed-age friendly.
The match stayed spirited, transitioning to a touch game for the final 15 minutes so female spectators and children could join in.
Craig’s Perspective and Celebrations
“It honestly could not have been a more perfect wedding day for us,” Craig stated. “Rugby is such a huge part of our lives, so it felt completely natural to make it part of our marriage celebrations. I had said I probably wouldn’t play because it was our wedding day, but Amy wouldn’t hear of it.”
Post-match, the wedding party, teammates, and players celebrated late into the night at the Pear Orchard pub in Clevedon. The reception even included a tattoo artist, with one Hornets player inking the club’s Hornet logo on his backside.
Amy laughed about the highlight: “That definitely stole the show. I don’t think many weddings can say that happened at their reception. It was fun, slightly chaotic, and completely unforgettable—exactly the kind of wedding we wanted.”
The match united friends, family, teammates, and club veterans in a celebration that felt like a club-wide event. Craig had proposed to Amy at Old Trafford, home of his favorite team Manchester United, adding another layer to their rugby passion.
