HERMITES took time out from their busy summer to celebrate the wedding of White House head chef Nigel Waylen and Lucie de Guerin.

Nigel first arrived on the island in 2004. Before that, he worked at the OGH and at The Auberge at Jerbourg. He still has ties to Guernsey – he has been with the Sea Cadets for almost 20 years (seven years in Guernsey) and last year was appointed 1st Lieutenant.

He met Lucie seven years ago and they became good friends until she left the island. Although they never dated, he was sad to see her go. Then, exactly two years ago, Nigel had just broken up with a girlfriend when days later he learned that Lucie was back in Guernsey for good. Within weeks, they were a couple.

After six seasons in Herm as the Mermaid’s head chef, Nigel had a difficult decision to make. Guernsey-based Lucie fell pregnant and the commute between his family-to-be and his job became too much. Nigel left the island at the end of last year to await the birth of baby Emilie in January. However, when the flat they were renting was put up for sale, the young family were facing an uncertain future.

Everything fell into place when Nigel was invited to join the team at the White House Hotel and the couple made their new home in Herm.

The wedding took place in St Tugual’s Chapel on a beautiful sunny morning, followed by a reception at the Mermaid.

Naturally, when planning a wedding on a little island, you have to be ready for what fate throws at you. The planned horse-drawn ride from the church to the hotel had to be cancelled at the last minute when the horse couldn’t make it over from Guernsey. Instead, the hotel porter came to the rescue and the couple were taken down the hill in true Herm style by tractor.

Mr and Mrs Waylen spent a night being spoiled at the White House – ‘It was very weird to be sitting down to breakfast in the restaurant instead of being in the kitchen cooking it for everyone else’ – before getting together with all their Herm friends for a top deck barbecue the following day.