MOST blushing brides prepare to walk up the aisle in front of their family and friends to be greeted by their love waiting for them at the alter.

But Natasha Whitbread is not most brides.

Just minutes before her wedding she was crouched at the side of an ice rink, lacing up her skates and making sure her knee pads were secure.

She was preparing to get married on ice wearing a full ice hockey kit.

And when she signalled she was ready, her groom Martyn Lambert stormed into the ring, ice hockey stick in hand.

The pair of love-struck ice hockey devotees said there was nowhere else they would have rather wed than on the ice.

It meant the Link Centre had to act fast to make sure they were given a licence in time for the big day.

Natasha 34, an operation administrator and Martyn, 33, a customer services administrator, first laid eyes on each other at the West Swindon ice rink.

They were both there cheering on their beloved Wildcats.

As soon as they began talking it was love and the pair, of Covingham, became inseparable.

"We absolutely love ice hockey," said Natasha.

"We are really passionate about it. So much so that for the wedding they were both wearing ice hockey kits, Natasha in white and Martyn in blue. And not to be out done the guests took on the theme of the day by turning up in the shirts too. I'm so happy," said Natasha. "I never wanted a traditional wedding, I always wanted something a bit different."

"It's been a brilliant day." Martyn added: "There was no real big proposal I just said do you fancy getting married and that was it. So we wanted the wedding to be special.

"This (the ice rink) is our second home, we are here at least once a week so it was the natural place for us to get married.

"It was really the only place we wanted to do it, nowhere else would have been the same.

"If the Link Centre had told us they couldn't do it we would have tried another rink until we found one that could."

But the pair had some trouble convincing their family it was the perfect wedding venue.

"When we first told everyone we were getting married on ice there were a lot of raised eyebrows," said Natasha.

"I think people thought they would be slipping over on the ice."

But they didn't have to worry because it was only the bride, groom, best man and bridesmaid who had to concentrate on not falling over during the vows.

Wooden boards laid over the ice made sure there were no unfortunate mishaps during the ceremony.

"Today could not have gone better," said Martyn.

After the ceremony the bride and groom had a brief ice hockey match with a few of their guests before a reception also at the Link Centre where Natasha swapped her sports gear for a long pale blue dress. "I suppose this can be the traditional part of the wedding," said Natasha.

Other unusual wedding locations

GETTING married on ice is unusual but it's not the only weird place to tie the knot.

Other venues include:

  • The County Ground
  • Avebury Stone Circle
  • Stonehenge
  • In a hot air balloon
  • London Eye
  • London Dungeon
  • London Zoo
  • Tower Bridge
  • A party boat on the Thames
  • Disney World Florida