Nicolai Holm Nielsen and his future husband Torben Holm Nielsen travelled from Copenhagen to Tynemouth Market to buy Nicolai's dream wedding band, just days before their wedding in Denmark.
The couple, who get married on Friday, had spent months searching the internet before finding Darlington-based jewellers MikAndMandi on Etsy. Mik Witkamp, who runs the business with his wife Mani, is a regular trader at Tynemouth Market and handed the silver ring to the couple on Saturday.
Jeweller delighted
Mik said: "I was over the moon to get Nicolai and his partner over to collect their ring. It's been a long trip for them but I think it was worth it. We had a nice chat and it seems like the piece will be really loved and that is essentially what we're after. We want something to be worn."
Nicolai said: "I've been scouring the internet and now I've found [a ring] here in Tynemouth of all places. I'm really satisfied and happy with my purchase."
Second wedding
This will be Nicolai and Torben's second wedding to each other, having married over 20 years ago and later divorced before rekindling their love. Torben has kept and will reuse his wedding ring from the first marriage. However, Nicolai's band was stolen in a burglary, so he needed a replacement.
Torben said: "[Nicolai] loved the look of [the ring], the shape of it and [he] wanted one for [his] thumb and everything was perfect."
Nicolai added: "I found [MikAndMandi's] homepage which tells their story and that they come to this market every Saturday and Sunday and I thought 'why not just go here?' because I found out there was a direct flight from Copenhagen to Newcastle."
Pre-wedding trip
The couple enjoyed their "pre-wedding trip" to the North Tyneside coast, where they stayed in Cullercoats and met Linda Whitworth, who became friends with Nicolai's aunty while working for children's charity UNICEF.
Linda said: "I got a phone call on Monday (July 27) from a friend in Denmark who I haven't seen since 2000 when I left UNICEF. I got a message from her saying that her two nephews were coming to Cullercoats of all places to pick up a wedding from a jeweller.
"Apparently they couldn't find the ring anywhere else and they had it specially made here.
"I said I'd be very willing to come and meet them and say hello."
Torben said: "We'd heard a lot about Linda so it was nice to finally meet her."
