Voting has opened for locals to pick their couple to receive the perfect Portsmouth getaway. The prize includes a stay in the Keppel’s Head Hotel, a couple’s ticket to the museum, and a special experience onboard the ship.
Portsmouth locals are being given the chance to vote on their favourite love story from three couples who got married on HMS Warrior, a staple of Portsmouth’s skyline, to give them the perfect Portsmouth getaway.
The couples, who put forward the stories of how they met and their memories of the big day, had the chance to recreate their precious wedding photos onboard Warrior again, in the hopes of winning this fantastic prize. Onboard the couples had their photos taken by Scott Howard Photography, and got the chance to meet each other and reminisce while listening to their wedding songs performed by harpist Fran Barsby.
The stories of the three finalist couples are being shared on the social media channels of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, and the winners will be those with the most likes, comments and shares on their post. The grand prize is the perfect Portsmouth getaway, featuring a luxurious night stay with dinner and breakfast at the Keppel’s Head Hotel, a couple’s Ultimate Explorer ticket to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, and a tea and cake experience in the Captain’s Cabin of HMS Warrior.
The three finalists are Olly & Nicki, Chloe & Ben, and John & Alice. Their stories can be seen below:
A whirlwind romance between Olly & Nicki, two teachers, led to an unforgettable April Fool’s Day proposal. Their August 2007 wedding on HMS Warrior honoured their deep military family ties, made extra special by photos taken in the ship’s rigging with all five of their children.
John & Alice’s love story, rooted in a shared passion for amateur dramatics, culminated in a creative proposal during a birthday weekend card game. Their April 2022 wedding aboard HMS Warrior included a surprise flash mob of “One Day More” from Les Misérables. Now expecting their second child, their recreated wedding photos turned into a heartwarming maternity shoot.
Ben & Chloe, both junior doctors, met at Southsea Castle and shared a deep connection with HMS Warrior, visible from their first flat together. Ben’s sunset proposal almost didn’t happen as Chloe was too busy chatting with friends! Their June 2024 wedding was a celebration of their shared history, made even more special by the warm reception from loved ones and tourists alike as they arrived at the dockyard.
More information about the couples and the competition itself is available on the website of the National Museum of the Royal Navy: https://www.nmrn.org.uk/news/hms-warrior-wedding-competition-final-3
Each of the finalists demonstrates how iconic HMS Warrior is to the people of Portsmouth, to Olly & Nicki as a symbol of their history of the armed forces, to John & Alice as an impressive and quirky venue, to Ben & Chloe, as a literal background to their lives together. Locals can vote for their favourite couple on the social media of the National Museum of the Royal Navy: https://www.facebook.com/NatMuseumRN
The National Museum of the Royal Navy operates a rich selection of venues available for weddings and events, from the unique and impressive decks of HMS Warrior in Portsmouth to the striking vaulted ceiling of the Grand Magazine in Gosport. To find out more about the locations on offer please visit: https://www.nmrn.org.uk/venue-hire