Elizabeth Smart showed off her new husband - and her new ring - on a stroll around Hawaii yesterday.
The 24-year-old kidnap victim looked relaxed as she walked hand-in-hand with Scotsman Matthew Gilmour on the island where she experienced an emotional reunion with her family in 2003 after being rescued from her harrowing ordeal.
The pair wore casual outfits on one of the state's typically sunny days, and their matching hues showed that in addition to being joined by the hand, they are also joined by common fashion taste
The couple, who met while on their missionary year in France, married at an 11.30am ceremony on Saturday in the LDS Laie Hawaii Temple which was only attended by very close family and friends.
Mrs Gilmour, who made headlines when she was found nine months after being kidnapped at knife-point when she was a young teen, looked stunning in a lace boat-necked dress with a full, drop-waist skirt.
Mr Gilmour, meanwhile, showed off his Scottish heritage with pride as he wore his dead father’s kilt and a boutonnière with blue thistle that had been flown in for the occasion.
Speaking to People magazine about the significance of Hawaii as a location, Mrs Gilmour said: ‘I guess you could say it was kind of a refuge,’ Ms Smart told People magazine.
‘Oahu is a very special place for me, very different than what I was used to.’
In accordance with the religion’s teachings, the actual ceremony itself can only be attended by fellow Mormons who have been given a ‘temple recommend’ sign-off, which essentially says that they are viewed in good standing with the church.
The bride finally found her perfect dress- after trying ‘just about every dress in Utah’- off the rack at Kleinfelds bridal salon in New York. She certainly isn’t the first would-be bride to have luck there: the store is the hub of activity on the TLC reality show Say Yes To The Dress. In order to look appropriate on her wedding day, Ms Smart had the dress tulle dress retrofitted with lace sleeves and a demure neckline of scalloped lace.
Mr Gilmour represented his Scottish ancestry- and his father, who died in 2008 after a battle with cancer- by wearing his dad’s kilt. ‘I wasn’t surprised Elizabeth was ready before Matthew because there is a lot to putting on a kilt,’ his uncle Neville Henderson said.
The groom’s mother Kay made sure to let the other men get in on the action, as she brought ties for Mr Henderson and Elizabeth’s father that matched the same tartan as his kilt.
Though their wedding was clearly a start of their new life together, the couple have visited each other’s hometowns and plan to settle in Salt Lake City where Mr Gilmour will attend university.
After their missionary year, the then-friends realized that they were bound for more and began dating.
The sparks really flew when she visited him in Scotland and they visited historic castles, getting a true sense of his heritage.
He followed suit by flying to Salt Lake City to spend time with her. While there, he asked for her father’s permission to propose, picked out the unique sapphire ring, and asked her the big question while they were out walking near her house.
‘The thing that attracted me the most-at the beginning and now- is how confident she is, especially considering everything she has been through,’ Mr Gilmour told People.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2105361/Elizabeth-Smart-wedding-Kidnap-victim-shows-new-husband-Matthew-Gilmour.html
