Dawn and Ashley Ward are celebrating 25 years of marriage - and the reality TV couple were joined by their loved ones in the lavish grounds of their Cheshire home as they raised a toast in lockdown.
The stars of The Real Housewives of Cheshire enjoyed an anniversary meal outdoors in Warford Hall, and the garden was adorned with a photo memory board, a floral arch and silver balloons to mark their silver wedding anniversary.
The couple, who have been living in lockdown with their four daughters Darby, Taylor, Charlie and Aston and Darby's fiance Michael Corrado Jackson, were joined by Dawn's parents John and Lynne, known as 'nana Lynne.'
They dined on garlic prawns, fillet steak with truffle fries and caramel cheesecake.
And the couple took a dip in their new hot tub at Warford Hall with a glass of champagne.
Dawn, who has starred in the ITVBe reality show with her family since 2015, said: "You're allowed to see family in the garden so we celebrated outside.
"It took two days to get everything ready in the garden."
Dawn and Ashley first met in the car park of The Tavern Fayre pub on Hunger Hill, Bolton in 1991.
Four years after they first swapped numbers, former footballer Ashley took her back to the same location and popped the question.
They were married at St Michael's Church in Middleton on June 2 1995, followed by a reception for 500 guests at the Midland Hotel.
Dawn, who started dating Ashley when she was 17, recalls that she was an hour and a half late for the ceremony.
"We were in a vintage Rolls Royce," she explained.
"My dad was 20 stone and I had my big dress on so we couldn't get over 45mph on the M60 from Leigh."
The couple then spent a week on honeymoon in Miami and enjoyed two weeks cruising around the Caribbean.
On the day they returned home, Dawn revealed to Ashley that she was expecting their first child Darby, now 24, who is getting married to entrepreneur Michael in the south of France on June 20 next year.
"Ashley was my first proper boyfriend," interior designer Dawn told us.
"He's my best friend and my business partner. He's my rock.
"Here's to another 25 years."
Ashley said: "You get that feeling when you meet the right person for you."
The family are looking forward to being reunited after lockdown with Ashley's father Terry and his mum Maureen, who has Alzheimer's.
Asked about their secret to 25 years of happy marriage, Dawn said: "Only reveal the credit card bill when you really have to.
"Never go to bed on an argument, sort it out and move on.
"And make time for each other."
The 11th series of The Real Housewives of Cheshire ends on Monday night with a lockdown edition of the reunion show, which brings the ladies back together to air their differences.
This series there was drama in Athens during a girls' holiday as Dawn fell out with her best friend Rachel Lugo.
