Andy Murray ends singles career, wrapping up nine-year love match

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/apr/11/andy-murray-wedding-dunblane-kim-sears

Version 0 of 1.

Crowds of well-wishers, fans and the world’s media braved the hail and rain of the Scottish spring on Saturday hoping for a glimpse of the country’s answer to a royal wedding.

Despite storm clouds that threatened to dampen the atmosphere, crowds lined the streets of Dunblane to see two-time grand-slam champion Andy Murray marry his long-term girlfriend Kim Sears in the town’s cathedral.

The sun finally broke through in time for Murray’s arrival with his brother Jamie, one of his three best men alongside friends Ross Hutchins, a former tennis player, and Carlos Mier. The brothers, who often play doubles together, wore blue and yellow kilts and were greeted by huge cheers from town residents, who have followed the ups and downs of his career from teenage prodigy to one of the big four of the modern game.

Despite the brief respite in the weather, when the bride arrived in a silver Rolls-Royce, her four bridesmaids had to move quickly to protect her flowing embroidered white dress from the wind and rain that was whipping guests’ umbrellas from their hands. The four, dressed in floor-length pink gowns, flanked Sears, a Sussex-born artist, as she made her way into the 12th-century cathedral.

Related: Andy Murray weds Kim Sears - in pictures

The couple, both aged 27, exchanged vows in front of a small party of close friends and family, including Murray’s divorced parents William and Judy Murray, the latter wearing a white and gold outfit with a striking gold hat designed by milliner William Chambers. Murray’s maternal grandparents Shirley and Roy Erskine were also among guests, as were Tim Henman and his wife Lucy.

The couple emerged as husband and wife just before 6pm and were showered again – this time with confetti rather than the earlier hail. They were whisked off to nearby Cromlix House, a luxury 15-bedroom hotel bought by Murray two years ago.

Earlier in the day, Murray had tweeted a series of emoticons mapping out how he saw the day ahead, complete with tear-stained faces, bridal preparations and glasses of beer and wine followed by a stream of Zzzs.

Although he left his home town as a teenager to pursue his career in Spain, residents always followed with interest the career of their most famous son.

In the lead-up to the big day, the town’s butchers’ was offering Andy’s Wimbledon bangers, sweetheart burgers and Kim’s big-day sausages. The event allowed town residents to enjoy celebrating the fortunes of the local boy without having to nervously sit through the usual on-court drama. Dunblane boasts a golden postbox not far from the cathedral, marking Murray’s win at the 2012 Olympics. Murray announced his engagement to Sears, his girlfriend of nine years, in November. The pair met as teenagers in 2005 through her father Nigel, who is a tennis coach.

The only sour note came on Saturday night when news broke that a press photographer, Gordon Jack, had died in hospital after falling at the cathedral on Friday while covering Murray’s arrival.

Murray had said earlier that he was not nervous about the occasion. “We’ve been together like nine-and-a-half years and we’ve lived together for six or seven years as well. So, I don’t think a whole lot’s going to change. I kind of feel like we have been married already in terms of the way we spend our lives together and live together. I think I will be more nervous about starting a family because that would be more life-changing, in a good way.”