Celebrity wedding belles

Sunday Mirror, May 4, 2003 by Words: Simon Button

Lisa Scott-Lee

Ex-Steps star Lisa, 26, was bridesmaid for bandmate Faye Tozer at her wedding to Jasper Irn in Bedfordshire last August. She lives in Windsor and is engaged to ex-Hear'Say singer Johnny Shentall.

'I have three brothers and Faye is like the sister I never had, so I was chuffed when she asked me to be her bridesmaid alongside her sister Clare, her friend Louise Horner and Jasper's daughter Luna. Lee Latchford- Evans from Steps was also at Faye's wedding, but H and Claire weren't. They chose to leave the band and I haven't spoken to them since. That's not me being immature. I'll always have fond memories of the time we spent together, but they're not part of my life anymore. I still class Faye and Lee as good friends. We're doing different things now, but we still hold each others' hands for support.

For the hen night, we let ourselves loose on Brighton. There were 13 of us and we stayed in the Grand Hotel, where we met in the morning for spa treatments and champagne. We went for a lovely meal in the evening, then went round practically every bar and club in town. We bumped into Chris Eubank and he gatecrashed for a while, but it was mostly just us girls and he was gone by the time we went paddling in the sea at 3am.

Faye designed my bridesmaid's dress and it was beautiful. It was a corset with fishtail skirt in a soft peach colour - nothing like the bright yellows we used to wear in Steps. You can tell from my new image that I've had enough of bright colours. Steps had a lot of young fans so I had to tone down my sexiness, but now I've gone solo I can show a bit more flesh.

When the wedding day itself came along, I think I was more emotional than Faye. I was crying before we even got to the church. I carried her train down the stairs and she looked like a princess as I helped her into the car. She turned to me and said, "I love you", and that's when the waterworks started. It felt like she was leaving the nest, like we were finally growing up.

The service went beautifully and there were no mishaps. The reception was at a place called Brocket Hall, where we filmed the video for the Steps single The Way You Make Me Feel. Jasper's family is Danish and some of the people who made speeches on his side of the family didn't speak very good English, so that was quite funny. We had a lovely meal and then partied the night away. Me and Faye have always been drinking partners so we got a bit tipsy.

Faye didn't want a big celebrity bash and I think the only famous person there was Russell Watson. My dream marriage would be a big fairy-tale white wedding, but I'm not in any hurry. People keep asking me when I'm going to marry Johnny, but I'm not making any plans at the moment. My career is very important to me and I need to give it 100%. Perhaps people thought after Steps split up I just sat around the house for a year, but I've been busy managing my brothers in the band 3SL and developing my own sound. I loved being in Steps, but it wasn't the sort of music I'd listen to. My solo stuff is edgier. Fortunately Johnny is very supportive and doesn't put any pressure on me. He knows if I don't put my heart and soul into launching a solo career, then I won't be a happy person. I wouldn't make a very good bride if I was miserable.'

Lisa's single Lately is out on 12 May on Mercury Records.

Anna Walker

TV presenter Anna Walker, 40, was maid of honour at Catherine Zeta Jones' wedding to Michael Douglas in November 2000. She is married and lives in south-west London.

'I've known Catherine for 12 years. We met through ex-boyfriends and even though those relationships didn't last, our friendship did. I was thrilled when she asked me to be maid of honour, especially since the other bridesmaids were all family. The wedding was in New York on a Saturday and I went over on the Wednesday. The only things I had to do beforehand were dress fittings, which meant going to Paris for the weekend with Catherine's niece and her mum. I think they were relieved I was there because they couldn't speak French and I know enough to get by.

My dress was fabulous - sugar pink and very feminine, a beautiful design by Christian Lacroix with diamante shoulder straps. It's the most flattering gown I've ever worn and I still have it, although I can't imagine ever having the occasion to wear it again.

'When I got to New York Catherine was excited but relatively calm, considering it was a big event and she knew the world would be watching. It was lovely to have a bit of time with her before the big day. We had lots of girlie chats, but I didn't think it was my role to give her advice. She knew she was entering into the right partnership.

We had a hen day rather than a hen night. On the Friday I arranged for some beauty therapists to come to a hotel suite to give everyone manicures and pedicures and stuff. It was going to be for just a few girlfriends, but it ended up being half of the Welsh female population who had descended on New York - all these long-lost aunties and grannies. I also had to have a hair test and the hairdresser gave me a few extra highlights and tried out some styles. I felt like I was getting as much attention as the bride.