ORGANISING a wedding often requires military precision; something a new bridal boutique owner from Prudhoe has plenty of experience with.

For 31-year-old Hannah Bedford spent a decade in the armed forces, and even did a tour in Afghanistan, before buying the well-known Rosina Brown bridal boutique in Stocksfield.

And her own experience of wedding planning is bang up to date after she and partner, Will Shaw, tied the knot on July 18.

But the newlywed was back at the helm of the business, at Birches Nook, within just a few days of her own nuptials to continue with the busy summer season.

“I have always been a wedding fanatic,” admitted Hannah, who originates from Berkshire and attended the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, where she met her new husband.

“I am the typical girly girl and have dreamed about getting married since I was a child.

“So it always shocks people to hear that I did 10 years in the army.

“But even then I wore make-up when I shouldn‘t have and chose a watch with sparkles on it. Even my cup was pink!”

Hannah served in the Royal Logistics Corps and climbed the officer ranks to captain, much like her new husband, before she left the army in 2013.

The opportunity to do a degree, while overseeing Sandhurst‘s young officer cadets, brought Hannah to the North-East where she also did a stint at Harlow Hill’s Albemarle Barracks.

But, following her studies in human nutrition at Newcastle University, Hannah took the opportunity to make a dramatic career change and began hunting for bridal businesses for sale.

”Will and I bought a house in Prudhoe while I was studying.

“So when I stumbled across this business up for sale, I couldn‘t believe it,“ she explained.

”I mean, what are the chances of something so close to home becoming available?”

The then owner, Rosina Brown, was ready to take a step back from the business after carving out a reputation in the industry which was second to none.

But she wasn’t about to hand her legacy, which included opening the business in Stocksfield in 2002, over to just anyone.

“Understandably, Rosina was very keen to find the right person to buy the business,” said Hannah.

“And we were thrilled that after meeting with her she chose us.”

In just a few weeks, Hannah will celebrate the anniversary of her first year in business, but still has no plans to change the name.

“We’ve redecorated, changed the logo and improved the website, but the name is so well-known that I would never change it,“ she added.

She has also teamed up with a local seamstress to offer her brides a full alteration service, as well as a list of other recommended Tynedale retailers in everything from hairdressing to floristry.

In the boutique, gowns from top bridal designers such as Ian Stuart and Ronald Joyce continue to be stocked, with the new addition of Charlotte Balbier.