Paulsgrove childhood sweethearts finally tie the knot at Skylark Golf & Country Club

But they then waited another five years before they finally had their happy ending, saying it was worth the wait because it was ‘so special’ to have their families together again.

‘After Covid, it was so lovely having everyone together,’ says Monnie, née Barber, from Paulsgrove.

‘We were meant to get married last year but I fell pregnant with our little boy, Archer.’

Monnie, 24, explains that she and Joshua met through school friends when they were 14 and 16.

After dating for a while, the pair split and it was only after meeting again at a friend’s party in Portsmouth that they rekindled their relationship.

When the couple jetted away to Corfu on a family holiday in 2017, Joshua got down on one knee in a secret proposal which the whole family were in on.

‘I was the only one who didn’t know,’ says Monnie.

‘We’d gone out for a family meal together and he came back and proposed at the villa. The song we had as our first dance, [I Will Always Love You], was playing. He proposed in front of all my family.’

Five years on, Monnie and Joshua tied the knot at the Skylark Golf & Country Club in Whiteley on July 22 with their 60 guests and a further 30 in the evening.

‘It was a long time coming,’ says Monnie, a carer.

‘I’d planned everything. I just crack on and get it all done because that’s the way I want to do it.’

Decisive as ever, Monnie was sold on the first venue she laid eyes on which she says she ‘fell in love with’ as she could plan her theme and decorations around the venue’s barn.

Wicker decorations, wooden logs and lanterns were the perfect addition on their big day.

But one of the most memorable parts of the day was the arrival of a singing waiter.

Monnie says: ‘No one expected it. As soon as he started kicking off, everyone was doing the conga around the venue.

‘They were up singing and clapping.’

Monnie stayed at the Solent Hotel & Spa the night before the wedding joined by her three best friends where they had their hair and makeup done.

The couple were ‘delighted’ to share their big day with their seven bridesmaids, three flower girls and four page boys.

‘It was a really lovely day,’ Monnie explains.

‘We were worried in the morning because the weather wasn't great and then it turned out really beautiful.’

For their honeymoon, the happy couple travelled to Malta joined by their little boy for 10 days in the sun.