John and Traci Gray, who met on the night shift at Asda Blantyre in 2015, have married after a decade of friendship and romance. The couple tied the knot earlier this month in front of friends, family and colleagues.
It wasn't love at first sight, but after two years of friendship, romance blossomed between the pair. A decade after meeting, they are now husband and wife.
A Friendship That Grew Into Love
Traci, 50, said: “After a couple of years working together, we both found ourselves single. We carried on as mates for ages – I was even keen for updates when John took a couple of women out for coffee! But gradually I started to notice his sparkly eyes and looked forward to seeing him at work because he was always smiling and happy.”
It was the intervention of a night shift colleague that finally set the wheels in motion. Traci revealed: “A mutual friend from the security team stepped in and said, ‘Enough is enough, you two need to give it a go.’”
From Registry Office to Parish Church
Within a year, the pair were living together and they got engaged last October. Traci says: “We hadn’t planned to get married, but we were at John’s son’s wedding last summer and we had such a brilliant time we thought we’d love to do it ourselves.”
The couple initially planned a low-key ceremony with just one Asda colleague and her partner acting as witnesses. But their wedding on August 7 quickly grew into a much bigger celebration, with around 120 guests – including around two dozen current and former Asda colleagues.
Traci says: “It went from just four of us in a registry office to me having a flower girl and the whole lot in a parish church recommended by my friend from work – who wore her Asda uniform to the ceremony.”
Memories and Mishaps on the Big Day
The couple's connection to the church has also continued beyond their wedding day. Traci says: “I loved the church so much when I first went to visit, my mum and I are now regulars, and John, who left Asda a couple of years ago, comes along when he can.”
She added: “We had a DJ, a table full of favours and my son even dashed out during the reception to pick up my favourite chocolates from Asda.”
John, 52, accidentally called his bride “Sarah Traci” instead of “Traci Sarah” at the altar – but Traci insists the mishaps only added to the memories.
“It wasn’t the smoothest of days with one or two hiccups along the way,” she says. “But we had the most fun and amazing time with all our friends, family and loved ones. It was extra special to have so many of our pals there from Asda, where it all started, to help us celebrate.”
