27/09/2008 - New York, New York was such a wonderful place for a Greenock couple that they got married there.

Marie Carter and Alan Williams, of Balloch Road had a great holiday in the Big Apple a couple of years ago.

And, when they decided to tie the knot in 2008, there was only one place they wanted to do it. But they had to overcome a last-minute hitch with the wedding dress.

It was ordered in good time from China, Marie said, but it failed to turn up before they left for America.

“So I bought one in Macy’s in New York,” she said.

“It’s the world’s largest department store, and the one place you’re guaranteed to find a wedding dress.

“One of our favourite spots is the 59th Street bridge in Central Park, so that’s where we were married. It was wonderful!”

A travel agent helped them to arrange for a New York minister, the Rev Sherie Vilano, to do the honours, and a local photographer, Andrea Wieland, acted as the witness and also took the pictures.

Marie said: “We attracted quite a bit of attention in the park and later when we took a taxi down to Times Square for more pictures.

“Alan was wearing the Pride of the Clyde tartan and a couple from Falkirk came over to ask about it.”

Marie, 48, and Alan, 47, who have been married before and have grown-up children, met at Greenock Police Club, where she is the bar manager, and he was doing landscaping work.

They followed their five nights in New York with a 12-night Caribbean cruise on the liner Explorer of the Seas, visiting Barbados, St Lucia, St Thomas and St Martin.

“We sailed out of New York past the Statue of Liberty,” Marie said. “It was really magical, and we even won the honeymoon dance!”