Ice hockey-mad couple celebrate Sheffield Steelers themed wedding

Kieron Batham-Tomkins, 26 and his wife Jessica, 27 from Woodhouse are both huge ice hockey fans so, when it came to their wedding there was 'no other option' but to theme the day around their beloved Sheffield Steelers.

Sheffielders born and bred, the pair originally met over 15 years ago at Handsworth Grange School, later bonding over their love of the game.

The couple, who have been together for 10 years, initially got engaged on Christmas day nine years ago, but put wedding ideas on a back burner to focus on work and saving to buy a house together.

However, in February last year they booked the wedding venue at Tankersley Manor and have been working hard to plan every last detail ever since.

Kieron said: "We never discussed anything else but to have a Steelers theme. There was no other option. A lot of people don't know much about ice hockey, but it's nice because there's no rivalries like football. It's like an extended family"

Jessica, who used to play ice hockey herself, added: "We spent so long trying to get everything perfect so everybody could enjoy it. They were all intrigued as to how it would look. It's something both me and Kieron both enjoy together, it's part of us. It made everything extra personalised."

Kieron said: "We had a vision, but it went above and beyond what we thought. Everything was perfect."

The couple's big day on Saturday saw an orange colour scheme based on the Sheffield Steelers kit, complete with table names such as Fitzgerald, Dowd and O'Connor is homage to Steelers players both past and present.

Each table also featured a bottle of the Henderson's Relish, tying in with the orange theme, and to also pay tribute to both the Steel city and the couple's dog, a Jack Russell cross Pug aptly named Relish.

They couple also received help from Dean Woolley, official Steelers photographer, who was on hand to provide images for the table centrepieces, and had talked to Shaun Smith, Operations director of the Sheffield Steelers, who had been very helpful throughout their planning.

Since the wedding, the ice-hockey mad pair have been inundated with messages from friends and fellow Steelers supporters and have even received congratulations from their favourite player Zack Fitzgerald, who has left Sheffield for Glasgow, and match night announcer David Simms.

"It's been amazing to see, and such a great feeling. It's nice to know they'd seen it," Jessica said.

The couple are now planning to take a trip to Cornwall, a place they enjoy visiting together, and will be jetting off to Jamaica for a two-week honeymoon in September, with the Steelers still on their minds.

Kieron added: "It means we will miss some of the season, but we've got the make a sacrifice. We will be watching all the way from Jamaica!"