Television personality Denise Welch married Lincoln Townley in a private villa on the Algarve, in front of 260 friends and family, calling her wedding day a "fairytale".
"This is about being together forever," said Denise, speaking exclusively to HELLO! "There’s no one who can make me happier. This is my fairytale."
"My most brilliant achievement was persuading Denise to marry me," said Lincoln. "I turned 40 last year and I have never met anyone like Denise, never been close to anyone like her, never loved anyone like I do Denise. "We have a very unique connection and I wanted to grasp it with both hands. I've never felt it before. I am proud to call Denise my wife. "Stars including Denise’s Loose Women co-hosts Lisa Maxwell, Shobna Gulati, Carol McGiffin, and Andrea McLean attended alongside celebrities including Jill Halfpenny, Ingrid Tarrant, Christopher Biggins and Tricia Penrose.
Denise looked stunning in a lemon-coloured raw silk and Chantilly lace gown made for her by Sharon Bowen, and describes the touching ceremony that featured readings by family members and a poem written as a thank-you to guests. "It was like walking into one of those weddings in an American movie," she said. "Every time I've watched one of those I've thought I'd love to get married like that. I had no idea how beautiful it was going to be."
Denise and Lincoln, who have a 15-year age gap between them, toasted their vows with glasses of chilled orange juice because they had both given up drinking shortly after meeting each other. "Without a doubt I feel and look better without alcohol," said Denise.
To read more about Denise and Lincoln’s wedding, including details of the food served at the reception, the vows that were read out and the moving tributes made by their children, pick up the latest edition of HELLO! out now.
