ONE Monmouth bride was certainly able to put her cold feet down to nothing more than the conditions on Saturday, as she tied the knot in one of worst storms in a decade.

Emily Beeks married Sam Turner at the Kymin Roundhouse, despite the arrival of the ‘Beast from the East,’ bringing with it a red weather warning and several feet of snow for the county.

Instead of worrying over last-minute final touches like a normal bride, Emily – who grew up in Monmouth and now lives in Newport with Sam and one-year-old son Oscar – found herself walking the route to the ceremony location at the peak of the Kymin in blizzard conditions on Friday, as reality set in that the road would be impassable to friends and family.

Midwife Emily said: “Postponing the wedding was not a feasible option as Sam’s parents were due to return to New Zealand early this week. Sam also went back to work as a head teacher in Bristol on Monday, so we couldn’t delay at all.

“My dad, my brother-in-law and I were walking along in three-feet snow on Friday, when we met a man called James who happened to have his own snow plough, and was clearing some of the lane for residents.

“When we explained that we were due to get married the next day, he kindly offered to stay out and help to clear the road all the way to the roadhouse.”

Following this spark of optimism, Emily’s sister Hannah took to social media to urgently ask Monmouth residents for their help with the next day’s wedding, and the family where overwhelmed by the response.

Emily continued: “We had neighbours, Kymin residents, friends and complete strangers out for up to five hours that morning shovelling snow and making the road and car park usable.

“We would also like to give a massive thank you to so many friends and strangers who picked up guests in 4x4s to drive them up to the Kymin and then on to Glewstone Court for the wedding reception.

“My husband and I just want to give our deepest thanks to everyone in the Monmouth and Ross area that worked so hard from the early hours of the morning which allowed us to get married at the roundhouse. Thanks to James, Dave Morgan and lots of other people who helped, I don’t know all of their names.

“None of this would have been achievable without the love and support of the local community.”

Emily and Sam bravely shed their wellington boots for the ceremony, and have since found out they were the only couple to get married in the county on Saturday, as other ceremonies were forced to cancel.

“Whilst we plan to have a blessing in New Zealand for the New Zealand family that couldn’t come to the UK,” Emily added, “we are hoping the weather won’t be an issue!”