Waving goodbye to the single life (From Penarth Times)

Waving goodbye to the single life

A MEMBER of a well Penarth family was taken to his wedding by the lifeboat on which he serves.

Simeon Rabaiotti, 38, of Dock Street, Cogan, whose family have been linked with the town for many years, was married at Trinity Methodist Church on Saturday, May 3.

Bride Nicky Morgan, 31, of Dock Street, Cogan, went to the church via the usual mode of transport but Simeon was chauffeur-driven on Penarth Lifeboat.

He said: "We had special permission to take the boat along Stanwell Road so I could be conveyed to the church in style.

A friend of mine also rode his Harley Davidson in front of the procession."

He added: "I am a keen biker and have a 900 cc Triumph Trident which I love riding when I have the time."

His bank clerk wife Nicky said: "We have booked a holiday to Thailand for the honey moon and will be spending a month there.

We are a bit concerned about the Sars virus but have obtained regular updates on the situation there and are satisfied we are safe to go."

The happy couple got married after a nine-month engagement, but even the proposal from Simeon was different.

In August 2002, The Times ran a story about Simeon surprising Nicky by asking her to marry him while they were scuba diving.

While at the bottom of Cogan Leisure Centre swimming pool he pulled out a laminated sign which read 'Nicky will you marry me?'.

Nicky gestured with the OK sign and the rest is history.

At the time she said: "He made our engagement something that we will never forget, and I can't wait to be his wife."

The couple will live in Nicky's house in Cogan, which is a major reason they met; she was celebrating her first house in Chandlers at the time.