CELEBRITY SNIPPET Chelsea Wedding 3547 views

A new footballer's wife has just joined the newly marrieds rank. Hello! shares some of the details with WP.

This weekend saw the celebrity wedding of the year as England and Chelsea football star, Joe Cole married 25-year-old fitness trainer, Carly Zucker. The ceremony took place at super-trendy Royal Hospital Chelsea and was attended by fellow footballers John Terry, Michael Carrick and Wayne Bridge.

“I play for Chelsea, we live in Chelsea – so it made sense to get married here,” explained 27-year-old Joe. “It’s the bride’s day. As long as Carly is happy, then I am happy too. Marriage is important, children and family they are the main things in life. All I am interested in is being a good husband, a good son, a good friend and a good father one day.”

Talking of his wife, who arrived 20 minutes late to the ceremony in a figure-hugging, floor-length dress by Oscar de la Renta, Joe said “I have always said Carly is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, but even I was surprised by how unbelievably stunning she looked. She was more beautiful than I have ever seen her.” Joe also told hello! he was concerned that his emotions would get the better of him on the big day. Speaking before the wedding he admitted “I am quite an emotional fella. But I hope I don’t cry because all my mates will think I am soppy.” In fact the couple were in fits of giggles during the ceremony “I am not a very serious person and it all felt a bit out of character” admitted Carly.

On his look for the day, Joe talks of keeping his hair long at the request of Carly “I like it really short myself, so after the wedding I will be having my head shaved.” Joe also describes the true meaning behind his wedding ring “I don’t generally wear jewellery so I wanted a ring that would mean something, so I have had my Nan’s plain gold wedding band altered to fit my finger. My Nan Pat died about four years ago of cancer. I was incredibly close to her and she lived with us after my granddad died. She loved football and was a great motivation to me – as was all my family. She saw me play for England but I wish she had been around for the last five years when I have been at the top of my game. It will mean a lot to have her wedding ring on my finger when I am getting married. Carly is having a similar ring and a band of diamonds which goes with her engagement ring, which I chose: a four-carat emerald-cut diamond.”

“Whenever I looked at Joe he was gazing adoringly at me,” Carly told hello! exclusively later. “I love being married. It feels more ‘forever’. There is a special connection and bond.” Both Joe and Carly revealed that their lasting memory of the wedding will be catching that first glimpse of each other at the chapel. “It was when I walked up the aisle and saw my husband-to-be,” said Carly. “It felt like Joe and I were the only two people in the chapel.”

The post-wedding celebrations took place at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and The Hempel hotel, both in West London. Joe made a heart-warming tribute to his wife, and continued to tell the guests about his first date with Carly, where he was unsure of whether to open the car door for her on arrival at a restaurant. Consequently, he got his limbs in a tangled mess with the seatbelt and fell on the floor. “I thought she would have laughed, but Carly, being the girl she is, came straight round and helped me up. And I knew from then that I would love her. I’m so proud to have her as my wife.”
 
Carly’s father, Nigel also made a speech and joked that Joe had proved his love for his daughter by teaching her how to drive. “Carly repaid the favour by crashing his Range Rover,” said Nigel, who then had his family cringing by revealing Carly hadn’t been the most beautiful of babies. “The staff at Whipps Cross Hospital still call it Ugly Friday,” he deadpanned.
 
At about 1.30am the wedding party moved onto The Hempel hotel for more cocktails and karaoke, where Joe performed a tribute to Oasis crooner, Liam Gallagher in his slippers. Joe’s memory of his performance is crystal clear “I told Carly we shouldn’t drink too much so that we take it all in and don’t miss a moment,” he explained. “I wanted to savour every last moment of our day.”
 
And the couple couldn’t recommend going on honeymoon before the wedding more. ““St Barts was amazing. We’re even thinking of buying a place over there.”
 
To read the full interview, get hold of Hello!