Motorbike escorts for Bolsover bride and groom on a day filled with love and laughs

Kayleigh Yeates and Paul Rodgers were married in Chesterfield Town Hall on Saturday after being accompanied by fellow motorbike riders en route to the ceremony.

The couple are members of the Chrome Hill Chapter of Harley Davidson’s Chesterfield HOG Chapter. Paul, who has been riding for ten years, is the secretary and Kayleigh, a rider for nine years, is the editor and photographer. Kayleigh’s mum, Paula, is the chapter’s director and dad Richard is the head road captain.

On her wedding day Kayleigh travelled from home in Bolsover to Chesterfield in a 1956 Ford 100E car, loaned by friend Mike Tye, before jumping on the back of her dad’s Harley Davidson Street Glide Special for the last leg of the journey. She was escorted en route by bikers from the Chrome Hill Chapter and Twisted Iron MCC.

Paul, the son of Lisa Rodgers, arrived at the town hall on his KTM Superduke bike and was accompanied on his journey by biking friends Mike Tye, David Huckle and Kayleigh’s brother Lawrence Hardy.

Kayleigh said: “We are a pair of motorbike enthusiasts who live to ride. This passion could be seen throughout our big day.”

Hearts and bike sculptures made from motorcycle chain were created by Mike Tye and took pride of place on the top table at the evening reception at the Arkwright Centre.

A lunchtime reception was held at The County Music Bar on Saltergate where Kayleigh said the food was amazing and the staff were brilliant.

Kayleigh was accompanied by bridesmaids Kelly Bridgford, Jordanna Turley and Dani Flaherty, flower girls Keira Rodgers and Fallon Bridgford, page boys Clark Rodgers, Connor Yeates and Jake Yeates.

Best man was Eddie Rose and the groom’s woman Sam Tye.

“Our wedding day was organised by our close friends Sam Tye and Jodie Huckle,” said Kayleigh. “Neither of us knew what the flower girl dresses looked like or the bouquets. Sam also made handmade felt animals for the flower girls and page boy to walk down the aisle with. We also didn’t know what the buttonholes were but they were mini Lego figures representing each person. We didn’t know what the cake looked like or the evening venue.

"The day was filled with amazing surprises organised by our close friends and family. It was a day filled with love and laughs.”

Kayleigh, 32, is a nail technician of 14 years who runs her own business and is a qualified groomer at Poodilicous Pet Spa which she launched last March.

Paul, 33, is a builder/plaster who works with his new father-in-law at their company CoJa Construction.

The newly-weds, who first met at secondary school, have been a couple for nearly 12 years and got engaged in 2015. They have a four-year-old daughter Keira and two-year-old son Clark.

Kayleigh said: “We still hold hands while walking and across the table if we are out. We never leave each other without a kiss and saying ‘I Love You’ to each other.

"Long-term relationships aren’t about perfection and the bumps and corners are what makes the ride called life. To take an excerpt from my dad’s speech ‘Marriage isn’t about finding someone you can live with but finding someone you can’t live without’.”