Denise Nolan got married to her life partner this week, bringing tears to the eyes of her terminally ill sister Linda Nolan.
The heartfelt ceremony between Denise, 72, and her now-husband Tom Anderson, 77, took place at the Wedding Chapel Blackpool in Festival House, located on the iconic promenade.
Originally, the couple’s big day was going to be a lot smaller with reportedly just Denise, Tom and a couple of witnesses until sister Linda suggested making it a proper family affair.
Linda, who moved in with the couple after the spread of her incurable cancer to the brain, wanted to express her gratitude by contributing towards the wedding.
“With everything that’s happened in my own life, moments like these become even more precious”, she told OK!.
“Watching Denise walk down the aisle, knowing all the years of love, trials, and triumphs she and Tom have shared, brought tears to my eyes. It was a day filled with laughter, tears, and memories that I will cherish forever.”
The wedding also paid respect to Denise’s sister Bernie who died in 2013, aged 52, with the rest of her sisters, Linda, 65, Coleen, 59, Anne, 73, and Maureen, 70, in attendance, as well as their brothers Tom Jr and Brian.
Loose Women star Coleen went to the big day with her partner Michael Jones and her son and former Rixton singer, Jake Roche.
What made the day even more emotional was the fact that Denise’s husband Tom was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease six years prior, which prompted them to get married after all these years.
It was brother Brian’s job to walk Denise down the aisle to her rendition of You, My Love by Frank Sinatra from her 2022 album For You, My Love.
Denise and Tom exchanged rings engraved with “I love you” with the ceremony ending with the family singing along to a recorded song from late sister Bernie’s 1996 wedding.
The families then ventured to the nearby Park House Hotel where the newlyweds were welcomed with Tom’s version of Love Will Keep Us Together.
Their first dance was to Stevie Wonder’s Sunshine Of My Life and guests were also treated to an unexpected performance by The Nolans.
Denise and Tom’s wedding has been a long time in the making, given that they have been together for almost five decades.
They first met in 1977 when Denise was performing with The Nolans and Tom was the drummer at the London Rooms in the West End.
Tom popped the question in the 1990s but the couple never rushed into getting hitched, with him later touring as part of Denise’s band when she pursued a solo career.
Denise joked: “He’s asked me to marry him a few times. But usually when he’s had a drink and is feeling sentimental!
“Then I mention it to him the next day and he runs a mile!”
Their special day ended with the Nolans and their extended family dancing and singing together to celebrate.