A bride tied the knot at 64 after her ex set her up with his best friend and says getting married in later life made it "more romantic". Belinda Oxley-Browning, now 65, got hitched to Ken ‘Tiger’ Stevenson, 72, in September 2022.
The couple first met when Belinda was 17 – when she was dating Ken’s late best friend Steve, 75. They went on to lead separate lives – with Belinda marrying another man - Kev, 62 - in 1997, and Ken wedding his late wife Sue, 58, in 1974.
Belinda and Ken, a retired painter and decorator, separated from their partners, but didn’t reconnect until their mutual friend - Belinda's ex-partner, Steve - invited them both to a northern soul gig in May 2014. The pair hit it off and Belinda decided to propose to Ken on Valentine's Day 2022 – with a tick box question in his card - which said ‘if you want to marry me tick yes or no’.
Ken ticked 'yes' and the retired couple chose to have an intimate wedding with just Belinda’s children - Fern, 23, and Ben, 40 - and said the day was "so special".
Belinda, a retired make-up adviser, said: “It was more romantic than anything. When I got to a certain age it’s just romance.
“You don’t worry about anything. When you’re younger you’re all nervous. This time round it felt so special. It’s nice, being married again.”
Ken said: “She looked absolutely stunning. Radiant.”
Belinda split from her first husband, Kev, in the early 2000s after having their daughter Fern, but they stayed friends and lived together for the next 15 years. Ken and Sue split in 2009 - after 35 years of marriage - but remained friends. Sue later died from cancer. It wasn’t until 2014 that Ken and Belinda reconnected – 39 years after they first met.
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Belinda said: “We first met when I was 17. I was told Ken was going to pick me up at a Northern soul gig. I had always known him as his nickname Tiger, so I recognised him when I got in the car.
“I thought ‘ooo, he’s cute’. He ended up helping me decorate my house and we hit it off.”
Ken admitted to Belinda that he had always fancied her.
Belinda said: “I remember seeing him at a nightclub and he put an ice bucket on his head. It was funny, but it turns out that was him trying to impress me.”
After dating for eight years, Belinda decided to propose to Ken.
She said: “I sent him a card for Valentine's Day and wrote ‘if you want to marry me tick yes or no’. He was shocked.”
Belinda decided she wanted to get married “her way” and planned to tie the knot just seven months later.
She said: “I have said I wanted a big wedding, but I thought 'I’m just old'. It’s such an expense. I thought 'I’m going to do everything my sort of way'.”
Belinda didn’t want any “fuss” and turned her nose up a traditional wedding dress – instead opting for an occasion dress.
The couple said their vows at Mount Pleasant Hotel, near where they're from in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, followed by an afternoon tea.
Belinda said: “It felt personal. Even though it’s just a piece of paper it makes you feel more secure. I felt way better on this wedding day. My old wedding photos make me cringe.”
The pair went on honeymoon and are enjoying having “fun”.
Belinda said: “Me and Tiger just hit it off so well. We have such a laugh and giggle. I wish I’d met him a long time ago. I just want to have fun.”
