Mo's Love Story
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Transcript of Mo's Love Story
Maureen Stuart
First published in August 2011 by Your Story In A Book Ltd,
22 Roxburgh Road, Paisley, PA2 0UG, Scotland.
Tel: 01505 816980
www.yourstoryinabook.co.uk
The author retains the sole copyright to his or her
contributions to the book and has been asserted in accordance
with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise without permission in writing from the Your
Story In A Book Ltd.
IN A BOOK
www.yourstoryinabook.co.uk
Maureen Stuart
THE FIRST STEPS TO ROMANCE
ENGAGED… BUT NOT QUITE YET!
STUART POPS THE QUESTION ON BRIDGE OF ROMANCE
DOUBLE HEN NIGHT FUN FOR MAUREEN
OUR DREAM WEDDING IN NEW YORK
GUEST LIST
OUR SECRET ON ROYAL WEDDING DAY
Our Love Story: Maureen Stuart 23
‘‘
She had found the perfect couple - they just didn’t know it yet. And she was going to be a matchmaker - whether they liked it or not.
Maureen Stuart
Maureen Stuart
THIS was it – or so dance teacher
Margaret McInnes believed. She
had found the perfect couple -
they just didn’t know it yet. And she was going
to be a matchmaker whether they liked it or not.
That couple were her unsuspecting former
pupil, the carefree Maureen McKillop and top-
class piper Stuart Perry.
It was tough getting them together – both
loved travelling all over the world – Maureen to
far-off favourite places like Australia and New
York and Stuart to Brazil and Malaysia where he
was in demand to play the pipes.
It was June 2002 and Margaret had organised
for them to meet at the Commodore Hotel, in
Helensburgh on a blind date where Stuart had
been piping for Highland dancers. They knew
they were supposed to get together, but it doesn’t
always happen the way it does in storybooks.
They chatted, had a good night, enjoyed each
other’s company and the music, but Maureen
decided that was it.
“My head wasn’t in the right place at the
time,” said Maureen, “Stuart was nice, but I
enjoyed the single life and taking off to foreign
countries when and if I wanted to. I didn’t
have to answer to anyone and could just do as I
pleased.
“My Nannie Fraser had just passed away in
the March and I knew I was going to Australia
too for a break. There was just too much going
on for me to get involved in a relationship at the
time. I wasn’t being selfish - the time just wasn’t
right.”
Stuart confessed he wasn’t devastated the blind
date hadn’t worked out.
Maureen Stuart
He revealed: “That was the first time I had met
Maureen. I thought she was nice, but didn’t
really know her then, so when things didn’t go
any further and we didn’t organise to meet each
other again I was OK with that.”
So life went on for the pair who were destined
to be together. Maureen, an administrative
assistant, who lived at home at East King Street,
Helensburgh with mum, Tricia; Dad, Abie and
young sister, Debbie and Stuart, a mechanic,
who stayed at home with his mum, Ann, in Old
Kilpatrick, went their separate ways.
Maureen headed off Down Under for a
holiday and Stuart flew out to Malaysia and
Brazil.
Then on June 7, 2003 - a year after their first
meeting - the pair were invited to a Barn Dance
at Colgrain Farm. It was Stuart’s 24th birthday.
Maureen says: “I saw Stuart sitting on a bale
of hay and went over to chat to him and catch
up on what had been going on in his life. Stuart
was really quite shy, but I’m different and kept
blethering all night asking about his work,
piping and anything else I could think of.”
Stuart remembers: “Maureen never stopped
talking. I knew I liked her, but after what
happened the first time I never made any plans
to see her again.”
So the pair went their separate ways for a
second time. But Maureen had decided she
wasn’t letting Stuart go. So two weeks later she
phoned him and asked him if he wanted to go
out. The sun shone on their first date on June
21, 2003. They were blessed with a beautiful
blue summer sky when Stuart picked Maureen
up in a spanking brand new Mini and they
drove to Rowardennan, on the Bonnie Banks of
Loch Lomond.
Maureen said: “It was such a beautiful
evening. We parked the car at the pier and went
for a long walk. It was so easy and relaxing with
Maureen Stuart
Stuart, finding out all about his life. It was just
the two of us sharing our stories and I knew
then we would be friends forever.
“We were completely wrapped up in each
other and it was a great feeling.”
Stuart joked: “She was just as excited about
seeing the car as she was about seeing me. I
think that’s what swung it.”
Maureen laughs out loud.
And so the romance began…
“We enjoyed watching DVDs, going for drives
and walks as we got to know one another and
fall in love,” said Maureen. “We had great
times.
“The first movie I remember watching at
Stuart’s house was Castaway, with Tom Hanks.
We’ve never looked back. I knew as early as
then Stuart was the one and we would be
together.”
Then in January 2004, Maureen had to leave
for Australia on a break she had booked before
she and Stuart had got together.
Maureen said: “It was the longest three and
a half weeks of my life. I was so far away
from Stuart I was miserable. I really missed
seeing him. Even although I was in Melbourne
and Sydney and visited Ayres Rock, it didn’t
compare to being with Stuart.
“I used to love this kind of trip, but I missed
him so much I wanted to get home. I knew
I was never happier than when I was with
Stuart.”
Stuart says: “I missed Maureen. She seemed
to be away for such a long time. I asked her to
bring me back a Didgeridoo and she did. I was
there when she stepped off the plane with it.
“I couldn’t believe it,” he laughed.
But that was not the end of the great
Australian adventure.
Maureen wanted to share the experience
with Stuart and as they both have a passion for
travelling, they headed to Australia as a couple
not once but twice – first in 2008 where they
managed to squeeze in a spell in New Zealand
and again in January 2009.
During the trips they fell in love with the
Aussie way of life, its beauty and culture.
They travelled to many places including
Maureen Stuart
Melbourne, Sydney, Alice Springs,
Adelaide, Uluru, Canberra, Brisbane
and others to soak up many more of the
sights.
In 2009 they also managed a trip to
New York and during another memorable
holiday took in all the sights and also saw
Maureen Stuart
the Yankees baseball team play.
And they discovered they loved this
American city just as much as they did
Australia…and it would play a huge role
in their future plans.
Maureen said: “We love travelling so
much. If we can head off somewhere
together to experience new places and
cultures we’re happy. We love Australia
and New York also stole our hearts, but
then again so did the Isle of Skye.
“I know that sounds crazy, but we just
love that part of Scotland. It is beautiful in
its own right.”
Our Love Story: Maureen Stuart Maureen Stuart
‘‘
Stuart asked if I wanted to go shopping in Glasgow. Stuart NEVER asks to go shopping - I just thought
it was strange.
Maureen Stuart
STUART had it all planned. He was going
to make sure Maureen’s 30th birthday on
September 7, 2009 was one to remember…
as long as she lived.
The celebrations had been wonderful. Family
and friends had joined Maureen and Stuart
at Drimsynie, in Lochgoilhead – a beautiful
spot where they all had a wonderful time –
good food, smashing company, death-defying
hangovers, great laughs, wonderful banter and
memories.
“It was just great to have all my family and
friends share it with me,” said Maureen. “ It was
exactly what I wanted and I was really happy.
“Then on the Monday, September 7 Stuart
asked if I wanted to go shopping in Glasgow.
Stuart NEVER asks to go shopping and I
wondered what was wrong with him. I had no
idea what he had in his head, but I agreed to go
anyway. I just thought it was strange.
“Then he took me into Princes Square and I
still didn’t have a clue what we were looking
for. He told me we were going into Louise
Shafer Jewellers. Well, they are exquisite and
expensive and I just thought Stuart was buying
me something for my birthday.
“I still didn’t know if I was to choose a
necklace, bracelet, earrings or what. I didn’t
Maureen Stuart
have a clue. Then Stuart said I was to choose an
engagement ring. I wanted to scream out loud,
but I was in the middle of a busy shopping
mall in Glasgow. I’m sure my smile covered my
whole face. I couldn’t stop smiling.”
Stuart says: “It wasn’t romantic. I told
Maureen she was to choose an engagement
ring and then immediately told her we weren’t
getting engaged that day. I just wanted Maureen
to get a ring she loved because she was going
to be the one wearing it for the rest of her life.
I didn’t want to pick something she might not
like.”
Maureen says: “That’s the way I would have
wanted it. I always wanted to choose my own
ring. We spent ages in the shop and I found one
I loved. It had a wedding ring, which matched
and fitted into it. I knew one day – when we got
married - I would come back for it.
“We had to wait eight weeks for it to come and
we never told anyone we had chosen a ring and
that at some point in the future Stuart was going
to propose. I never knew where or when it was
going to happen,” added Maureen.
“I just knew it would and I was happy with
that, but keeping it a secret was really hard. I
was so excited. I didn’t know how long we were
going to have to keep it to ourselves. I don’t
know how we managed it. ”
Maureen Stuart
THE trip to New York had been
planned as part of Maureen’s 30th
birthday celebrations, but it was to
become much more than that.
Stuart had decided that on September
17, 2009 he would ask Maureen to be
his wife and he knew exactly where he
wanted to propose to the woman he
loved.
The cast iron Bow Bridge, one of
Central Park’s most famous and romantic
landmarks used in scenes from movies
such as Autumn in New York, Uptown
Girls and Spiderman, was where Stuart
decided he wanted to ask Maureen to
marry him.
Maureen Stuart
“I didn’t have a clue,” said Maureen.
“We were supposed to be going to the
Guggenheim Museum, on Fifth Avenue,
but it was shut that day, so Stuart said
we would take a walk in Central Park.
We walked and walked and walked and
walked right round the Jackie Onassis
reservoir and on and on.
“I was knackered, completely done
in and wanted to jump on one of the
horses and carts that go round the park,
but Stuart was having none of it. I didn’t
know what he was looking for and why. I
just kept wishing he would stop.”
Stuart recalls: “I was getting a bit
worried. I thought I was never going to
find the bridge. It wasn’t where I thought
it was going to be and then, all of a
sudden it was in sight. We were on it and
that’s where I asked Maureen to be my
wife. I didn’t go down on one knee or
anything, but was happy when she said
‘yes’.”
Maureen says: ‘It was 2pm New York
time. I will never forget that. I remember
my legs were throbbing because we had
walked so far, but the pain disappeared.
I was ecstatic when he proposed. I knew
‘‘
I was ecstatic when he proposed. I knew this is what I wanted. I had
never been happier.
this is what I wanted. I had never been
happier.
“We wanted our parents to be the
first to hear the news, so we went to
TGI Fridays for a drink and phoned
them. Stuart got his mum fine and
she was delighted, but when I phoned
home to tell my mum first I never got
the chance.
“My dad answered the call, just said
she was in bed, asked how the holiday
was going and hung up before I could
tell him our fantastic news.
“I couldn’t believe it. I was raging.
“He thought I was just calling for a
chat about the holiday and didn’t want
me to waste money on a phone call.
“I had to wait another day to tell my
mum and then everyone else.
“It was agony and ecstasy all in one.”
Maureen Stuart
WHEN it came to celebrations
before the big event, Maureen
decided she would have two
Hen Nights while Stuart left his to the last
minute.
“I had one pretty wild one with some of
my family and friends and then a second
which was a chance for some rest and
relaxation for me, my mum Tricia; my
sister, Debbie; Laura, my best friend from
nursery right through to secondary and
my Aunt Theresa,” said Maureen.
“On the first night I was decked out in
all the gear – balloons, hat, streamers and
the usual Hen Night paraphernalia.
“We went to a curry karaoke place,
in Glasgow and then into Oran Mor, in
Byres Road, in the West End.
“My sister almost caused a riot by
skipping the queue. She managed to
talk the stewards into letting us get in
ahead of those who had been waiting for
ages and there were some angry people
growling at us.
Our Love Story: Maureen Stuart 25
‘‘
I was decked out in all the gear- balloons, hat, streamers and the
usual Hen Night paraphernalia.
Maureen Stuart
Maureen Stuart
“We had a smashing time.
“The second was a little more relaxing
and just what we needed. My mum,
Debbie, Laura, Theresa and I headed for
the Barcelo Spa, in Troon where we were
pampered rotten. Two treatments, lots of
champagne and an evening meal.
“On the way back after an overnight
stay we stopped off at Cameron House for
lunch. It was just the weekend we needed.
We were ready to tackle anything after
that.”
Stuart left his Stag Night to just three
weeks before the wedding and got all
“dressed” up for the big night out. Well,
his friends dressed him in a lovely frock
before they headed to the Merchant City,
in Glasgow for loads of drink and then on
to Ashton Lane, in the West End.
For the first time in his life, quiet, shy,
Stuart, was kicked out of a pub – not
for causing a riot, being noisy, drunk or
upsetting anyone – simply because he was
wearing that dress.
But one good thing did come out of the
venture…he learned he had a great pair
of pins.
Stuart reveals: “One friendly barmaid
told me I couldn’t stay in the pub with the
dress on as I looked better than her in it.”
SO it was on September 19, 2010
in glorious weather in front of
excited family and friends in a sun-
drenched Central Park, in busy New York
that carefree Maureen McKillop married
the man she loved- her soul mate, Stuart
Perry.
This was their dream – and it was
even better than they had ever imagined
it could be. They couldn’t have been
happier…and if they could they didn’t
know about it yet.
Maureen and Stuart decided a long
engagement was not for them. They were
both 30, knew they wanted to spend
the rest of their lives together and see as
much of the world as possible in their
free time.
They knew they wanted a small
wedding and the only really tough
decision that had to be made was where
and when.
Australia was initially a favourite
country to get married in as the couple
had gone there on holiday and Maureen
had family Down Under.
“At first we both fancied Australia,”
revealed Maureen, “but
we knew that it would
be too far and too
Maureen Stuart
expensive for people to travel. Stuart and
I also love New York and Skye equally,
believe it or not, so in the end it came
down to making a choice between the
two.
“Would it be Scotland or America?
What swung it in the end was the
weather,” added Maureen. “I wanted
guaranteed sunshine for my big day,
which was going to be almost a year to
the day we got engaged. I couldn’t wait. It
was going to be great.”
So emails started flying from the
couple’s flat in East King Street,
Helensburgh as they prepared for one
of the biggest adventures of their life.
Dress to be found, wedding ceremony
to organise, flowers, invitations, guests,
hotels and flights.
They discovered Captain Arnold – the
only sea captain ordained Chaplain in the
City of New York.
Stuart said: “We sent him an email and
Maureen Stuart
he phoned back the same night. It was
great. We told him the ceremony was
to be about us and our families and the
people who would be there with us. He
promised it would be.”
Maureen added: “He took care of
everything for us in New York and
suggested the Ladies Pavilion, in Central
Park for the ceremony as it was more
secluded than the Bow Bridge where
Stuart proposed. He organised the
music, flowers, cake and photographer.
He made it really stress-free for us.
“All we had to do was organise the
dress, the meal and memorabilia we
wanted to take from Scotland to be
part of the day. The special napkins as
a gift for each guest who had come all
the way to New York to be with us on
the day, whisky, cocktail stirrers and
ceramic heather ornament for the top
of the cake. We wanted to take a little
bit of Scotland with us.”
And before they knew it, Maureen
and Stuart were in New York on the
morning of September 19, 2010
getting ready for their wedding joined
by 35 guests from Scotland and two
from Canada all desperate to join the
celebrations.
“It was a beautiful day, the sun
couldn’t have shone any brighter
Maureen Stuart
and the whole of America seemed to
be smiling,” said Maureen. “I know I
was. I just couldn’t stop smiling. I just
remember feeling happy - happier
than I had ever felt before. This was it.
Even a last-minute decision to change
my hairstyle worked out to perfection.
Everyone thought I was mad, but this
flamboyant hairdresser talked me into it
and I just went with his advice.
“When we arrived at the Ladies
Pavilion it was just the perfect setting
and the ceremony was everything we
ever wanted. It was all about our lives –
past, present and the future – and about
our family and friends who were there
with us. It was really emotional.
“One of my favourite moments was
when Captain Arnold gave us each a
glass of sand – one black and one white
Maureen Stuart
– and asked us to pour both of them into
another glass. It was to signify Stuart and
I becoming one.”
Everyone had a tear in their eyes.
Maureen was so wrapped up in her
own world she didn’t even notice the
hundreds of other people in Central
Park.
“I could only see my family and
friends,” said Maureen. “I think I was so
happy everything else was wiped from
my brain.”
Then it was off on a big yellow school
bus to head to the Marriott Marquis
Hotel, in Manhattan and the famous
rotating View restaurant on the 48th
floor to soak up champagne and fine
food.
The bus was Stuart’s idea and while
everyone thought the newlyweds would
Maureen Stuart
Maureen Stuart
‘‘
It was a beautiful day, the sun couldn’t have shone any
brighter and the whole of America seemed to be smiling.
travel back in style to the reception
they were having none of it.
“There was no way Stuart and I
were missing out on the bus trip,” said
Maureen. “We’d seen big yellow buses
in films for years and this was our
chance to travel on one, so we joined
the rest of them and headed to the
hotel.”
As the new Mr and Mrs Perry soaked
up the atmosphere, they knew this was
their Perfect Day.
But it wasn’t over yet.
After the reception they headed
out into the evening in search of
entertainment. In full wedding gear
they and their guests descended on
Times Square to give the Americans an
unexpected treat.
Maureen couldn’t believe it when the
groom took the pipes from his friend
Norman MacPhee and started to play,
entertaining the crowds of astonished
Maureen Stuart
Americans who were stopping to lap
up the traditional Scottish music.
As she stood there in her wedding
gown from the Sarah Louise designer
bridal shop, Maureen smiled a smile
as wide as the Hudson River, laughed
as loud as she could and just knew this
was the man she loved.
“Stuart was tremendous and
everyone was stopping to listen to
him,” she said.
“Crowds gathered and clapped and
cheered as he played. And when we
went into a nearby Irish Bar the owner,
who had heard it all, bought him a
drink.
“It was a fantastic day, everything we
ever imagined it could be and more.”
Stuart added: “It was tremendous.
We will never forget it. So many happy
people joining us on the happiest day
of our lives. It was so special and it is
something we will never forget.”
Maureen Stuart
Maureen Stuart
Abie & Tricia McKillop (Mother & Father of the Bride)
Ann Perry (Mother of the Groom)
Debbie McKillop (Sister/Maid Of Honour)
Laura Carrick (Best Friend/Bridesmaid)
Nichola & George Wright (Stuarts Sister & Husband) (Nichola signed the register as well as Debbie)
Naimh Wright ( Junior Bridesmaid)
Jamie Wright (Page Boy)
Mary Thomson & Marie Thomson Sutherland
Donald & Theresa Fraser
Mina & Duncan McKillop
Duncan & Vicky McKillop
Marion Craig
Norman MacPhee & Joanne Dade
Tommy & Agnes McPherson
Jamei, Christine, Claire & Jayne Dalrymple & Joseph Cullen
Willie & Marie Smith
Lisa McDonald & Alan Walker
Robert Carson
Stevie Ford & Emma McCormack
Heather & Allan Carrick
BACK home in Scotland and just two
months later, the couple put the flat
where they had spent four-and-a-
half happy years together up for sale.
They wanted a family home.
They were surprised when just three
days after it went on the market, the flat
was sold. They moved in with Maureen’s
parents until they found a new home.
And they did quicker than they thought.
Their bid was accepted on Christmas
Eve and they moved into 42 Marmion
Avenue, Helensburgh on January 21,
2011.
“This house was meant for us,” said
Stuart. “We had put in an offer for
another one just round the corner, but
the owner pulled it off the market and
we were disappointed. But there was
obviously a reason and this was it. We
love it here.”
Maureen said: “We are so happy here.
We have been so, so lucky. I think I’m one
of the happiest people in the world just
now.”
“And so am I,” said Stuart with a huge
smile that hid another secret.
It was the day of the Royal Wedding –
Prince William and Katherine Middleton
were getting married and the nation was
excited.
But not as excited as Maureen and
Stuart who had just come back from a
trip to Lanzarote
Maureen has just carried out a
pregnancy test – and it was positive.
Then she carried out another four and
they were positive too. The couple were
ecstatic.
Although she knew FIVE tests couldn’t
all be wrong Maureen had to go to the
doctor to get it confirmed…and she was,
indeed expecting.
The scan was organised for Tuesday,
June 21, at the Vale of Leven Hospital, in
Alexandria - eight years since that first
date to Rowardennan.
Baby Perry is due on January 4, 2012
and that’s when the next chapter in the
story begins.
Maureen Stuart