GWENT newlyweds Rhiannon and Daniel Strange are starting a new partnership after Covid-19 scuppered a planned year-long Europe camper van honeymoon trip.

The Pontypool pair triumphed over pandemic restrictions when they wed in their back garden.

But the brakes were put on their Euro tour when just eight weeks into their planned year long trip the wild rovers were forced home due to pandemic restrictions.

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Rhiannon and Daniel Strange on their wedding day

Now engineer Daniel, aged 38 and IT expert Rhiannon, 42, from Talywain, have put their travelling plans on hold and have joined forces to launch an engineering business.

Mrs Strange said: "We wanted to go travelling around Europe for a year with the children because we thought this is the only time we'd be able to do it. Daniel had been building a camper van and the timing was right. You only live once."

Her sister-in-law Lisa Jenkins, of Pontypool, bet Mrs Strange she would be able to get married in her back garden - so that's what they did - before setting off on their trip of a lifetime, which sadly only lasted eight weeks because of the on-going and ever-changing restrictions across the continent due to the pandemic.

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Mrs Strange said: "I'd never really planned anything for my wedding. I just kept putting it off.

South Wales Argus:

The family on their big day

"I bet Lisa I wouldn't be able to have my wedding in my garden as it had to be a registered place. I was right but she wouldn’t take no for an answer and phoned Pastor John, of Noddfa Church and organised it. We had the ‘official’ bit, signing the documents at the church on July 23 - 60 years to the date of Dan’s nan Ann's wedding. Paster John then did the wedding ceremony on July 25 in the garden.

"If I'd lost the bet I would have had to give my sister £50 and if I won she’d have clean and feed me and Dan for a week. I was right technically but neither of us have paid out as we both think we’re right."

She continued: "It was brilliant. The best day ever. It was lovely being with the family. We had about 15 people there on the day. And it cost us practically nothing. Every one chipped in to make it happen which made it even more special."

The couple, who have been together for eight years, and two of their children set off in the camper van on their big adventure after the big day to explore Europe.

"We wanted to see France, Spain, Portugal, Italy - as much of Europe as we could. We only had a rough plan of what we were going to do for the year," said Mrs Strange.

The four of them managed to visit France and Spain before having to return home after eight weeks but they have chronicled their trip on www.facebook.com/strangevanadventures/.

She said they would love to do it again but as Mr Strange had just decided to go it alone as a self-employed engineer with herself working as his secretary, they would not be able to manage a whole year of travelling so would do smaller trips when they were able to.

If you managed to get married this year and want to share your story with us go to www.southwalesargus.co.uk/yourwedding and fill in our online form.