A former Wrexham Yale College student from Flintshire who proposed to the girl of his dreams in a very icy New York has married her in a ceremony that had more than a taste of the Big Apple.

Tony Harley, whose parents still live in Mold, and his fiancee, Helen Dean, wanted all the wedding guests to know just what an important role New York played in their relationship.

So on their wedding day last month all the invites, place settings, table decorations, the menu and even balloons carried the same New York skyline design.

The colour theme at the hotel in Hertfordshire was blue and white to mirror the magical ice and snow setting in Central Park on the day Tony had asked Helen to be his bride.

For anyone who didn't already know the story the couple providing an explanation at each place setting.

Under the heading 'Why New York?' It said: 'This dates back to January 2004'.

Helen's Christmas present – a long weekend in New York, was where Tony had planned to ask her to marry him. With the in-laws primed and ring in pocket, sightseeing commenced.

In the bitter cold and five inches of snow, the couple ended up wandering through Central Park and at Bethesda Fountain found a picture postcard setting for what happened next.

From Tony's website it says: "I took her hands in mine, albeit through layers of thick gloves, and told her I had something I needed to ask her. Explaining to her that I loved her very much and that she was the best thing that had ever happened to me meant that she kind of guessed what was coming."

Helen says on her website: "I took off my gloves and wanted to make sure I was believing what I was seeing – that he really was asking me to marry him! I put on the ring and wrapped my arms around him and said yes, tearfully. It was so cold, we were face to face, snuggled inside his hood and my scarf. It felt as if no-one else was around, we were the only two in the park."

"So this brings us to our wedding in November, which we hope you can share with us."

Tony's mother, Sheila, of Avon Court in Mold takes up the story.

"It was a wonderful, wonderful day," she said: "Everything was blue and white down to every little detail. My grand-daughter Jessica, who is only four, took part in the ceremony carrying a blue teddy bear which in turn carried a bag containing the wedding rings. How sweet is that?"

Sheila was herself an integral part of the day, and not only as the mother of the groom, for she was asked to deliver a special surprise to the bride's room on the morning of the marriage ceremony.

"Make sure Helen gets these" Tony had said as he asked his mum to deliver flight tickets to New York for next Valentine's Day along with two red roses.

"I've never seen her so moved, she just burst into tears with the emotion of it all," said Sheila and then went on to explain how the New York theme spilled over into the evening.

There was a fun casino, with of course New York money – spoof tenners bearing that, by now familiar, Manhattan skyline.

Despite the obvious ties with the Big Apple it was not the choice for the honeymoon. The newly-weds flew off to the paradise islands of The Maldives to start their married life far from the bustle of urban life.

Still in a couple of months time when Valentine's Day comes round again, it's back to the city that never sleeps and to the spot where Tony asked a question to which the answer was 'Yes' and the course of two lives were linked forever.