Sharron and Stephen
For the love of dance …
Anyone who knows how to salsa dance will know the joy it brings. From those first tentative footsteps, looking down at your feet and counting in your head, regardless of the tempo of the music playing. Concentrating on getting it just right. As you relax and your confidence grows, you hear the beat of the music, the counting subsides, you begin to feel the rhythm and then you look up into your dance partner’s eyes and smile.
Sharron and Stephen first met at a salsa class in late 2009 and through the pleasure of dance romance blossomed. Salsa classes are not known for their intimacy, they are fun, vibrant, crowded and loud. So, one night after a salsa class Stephen asked Sharron out for a quiet drink in the near by Castle Bar. Soon having a drink after class became a regular thing, a perfect opportunity to get to know each other a little better away from the dance floor. Stephen even found himself arranging his working week to ensure he was in Cockermouth to attend the classes and enjoy a drink with Sharron afterwards.
As Valentine night 2010 approached, Stephen decided to ask Sharron on a proper date. A Valentine Salsa party was being held in the nearby village of Braithwaite. When Stephen picked Sharron up for the evening on the 14th, he had placed a long stemmed single red rose in the car between them. Is it any surprise romance blossomed?
Over the coming months they found more connections; both enjoyed going out and socialising, both liked travel and holidays to warmer climes. Places where the rhythm of the salsa beat was in the air. Unfortunately, their work commitments at that time only afforded them to spend precious weekends together. Stephen was living in Edinburgh and so would travel to Cockermouth to be with Sharron. On her weekends off, Sharron would travel to Edinburgh to be with Stephen. Edinburgh had its own attractions, especially during summer festival season and New Year. They even managed to find some salsa classes to attend. The beat goes on.
In 2011, Stephen and Sharron had their first holiday together; Costa Teguise in Lanzarote. During the day they would enjoy the long sweeps of sandy beaches. At night they gravitated towards the restaurants and shops that line the lively Pueblo Marinero Square. Latin music filled the air from salsa clubs. Plenty of opportunity to salsa dance under the stars. Soon Lanzarote became their ‘second home’. During their frequent visits they made lifelong friendships with other couples who were drawn to Costa Teguise just as they were.
During a return to Lanzarote for Valentine’s Day 2014, Stephen proposed to Sharron on the balcony of their hotel room. Romance is still alive and kicking you would think … Unfortunately in all their excitement they locked themselves out of their room! Stephen being the gentleman he is, insisted it was Sharron who climbed over the balcony to get another key from Reception. Thankfully their room was on the ground floor. Amazingly, Sharron still said yes! Keep those rose tinted spectacles near, Stephen does redeem himself later.
Sharron and Stephen set their Wedding Date, 7th September 2019. Plans were made, venues chosen, honeymoon booked, and invitations sent. As they had both been married before they wanted their wedding to be a relaxed family and close friends affair, including their Lanzarote friends. All seemed to be working out wonderfully. That was until a few weeks before the wedding, Cockermouth like much of Cumbria experienced significant rainfall. Both venues for the wedding reception and evening party lay within the flood plain. The river was rising rapidly and it became of real concern that their chosen venues would end up under water like they had in recent memory. Come the day, they could not have wished for better weather. The sun shone all day.
They were married in Cockermouth Town Hall, dancing down the aisle together to ABBAs ‘I do I do I do’ as guests swayed in their seats, joining in the singing. A beautiful relaxed ceremony, with their family and friends wishing them well. It was loving, it was happy and everyone enjoyed every single moment. After an intimate wedding reception, with heartfelt speeches, the entire wedding party sat out in the sunshine by the river until it was time to move onto the evening party.
The evening party got off to a great start. Sharron and Stephen had practiced for their first dance as Mr and Mrs, obviously it was a salsa dance. Stand By Me by Prince Royce began to play. They danced like no one else was in the room with only eyes for each other; it was flawless, it was wonderful. When the dance came to the end, they were greeted with an enormous cheer and applause from their guests. Perfect. 
They had planned to honeymoon in the Dominican Republic the following month. However, in that time Thomas Cook collapsed and their honeymoon was cancelled. Sharron was devastated. Stoically Stephen trawled through holiday destinations still available until he found a substitute; they were able to enjoy a honeymoon in the romantic setting of Sorrento, Italy instead. Better still, they were able to rebooked their trip to the Dominican Republic for Valentine’s Day 2020. Just before lockdown!
This month Sharron and Stephen will celebrate their 1st Anniversary in Lanzarote.
Happy Anniversary to a wonderful couple. xx