Bride and ‘vroom’ at Great British Car Journey

Published: 10/12/2024

The rain and ice were no match for a car enthusiast couple when they decided to treat all 65 of their guests to classic car drives on their wedding day.

The award winning Great British Car Journey classic car visitor attraction in Ambergate, Derbyshire, was the setting for one of the first dates for Owen and Sarah Turrell back in May 2021, and became the focal point of their wedding on Saturday 23 November 2024.

Despite an overnight freeze and torrential rain, the team at the museum made the happy couple’s dream come true when all the members of their wedding party, got to drive a classic car on the morning of their wedding before heading off to the ceremony and reception at The White Hart at Moorwood Moor.

“We wanted a really different, good, fun day for our wedding, and that’s exactly what we got,” said Sarah.

The couple, who live in West Rasen in Lincolnshire and met over the internet in 2021, discovered just how much they had in common with each other when they visited the car museum just a couple of weeks after their first meeting.

“It was the location of one of our first dates and where we discovered that we were soul mates with a love of classic cars,” said Sarah, an occupational therapist, who can be spotted out and about in her 2005 VW Beetle which has a huge daisy on the front. “Everybody knows me around Lincoln,” she added.

“I heard that Great British Car Journey had just opened so I suggested to Sarah that we visit, and she was up for it. It was when we got there, looking at the cars, reminiscing about ones we’d owned, the ones our parents had driven and the cars we’d always wanted, that I knew she was the one for me. It was such a big thing to have in common,” said Owen, a fuel tanker driver.

Exactly two years later after their very first meeting, on the 12 April 2023 on holiday in Turkey, Owen proposed.

“We knew even before we decided to get married that Great British Car Journey was going to feature in the wedding somehow. It was what bonded us initially and we both love it so much, visiting whenever we can,” Sarah explained.

“We wanted to get married somewhere that meant something to both of us. We love coming to Great British Car Journey, so we knew that it had to be here and it had to involve the Drive Dad’s Car experience,” added Owen.

The couple approached Great British Car Journey to see whether it was possible. “We were keen to help,” said Ian Gardecki, Managing Director. “We’re used to hosting groups but never a wedding. It was a first for us and we were determined to make it happen for Owen and Sarah.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t secure a wedding licence, but we were able to put the museum at their disposal, let all their guests drive our cars and we made sure there were plenty of bacon butties and fizz too.”

Sarah said: “It was absolutely brilliant. Owen and I were really nervous about how our guests would react to our plans as they don’t share our passion for classic cars, but they all loved it, particularly the teens who were fascinated with the wind down windows and tape decks in the cars.

“The whole driving experience brought everyone together. There was some initial trepidation from our guests, but once they got behind the wheel of the cars there were huge smiles all round.

“When we got to the wedding venue the ice had been broken and people had something to talk about and were just so happy. It was quite an emotional day. It was the best day ever.”

Immediately prior to the big day, it was a nervous 24 hours for Ian and the team as there was a snowfall the day before which turned to ice the next day. “We got through a lot of grit preparing a safe driving route,” said Ian. “It was sheet ice, which was made worse when the heavens opened the next day. The weather didn’t dampen anyone’s sprits. It was a fantastic event that I think the team at Great British Car Journey enjoyed every bit as much as Sarah and Owen and their guests.”

On the day, Sarah, who is an occupational therapist in Lincoln, braved the lashing rain by making a swift change from her gorgeous wedding dress into a boiler suit. With her veil in place, she got behind the wheel of the museum’s 1989 Austin Metro and took it for a spin.

“I’d planned to drive in my dress, but the weather was so awful on the day I didn’t want to risk ruining it and getting soaked ahead of our ceremony,” she said.

Sarah was also keen to get her 19-year-old son behind the wheel of the Metro, having had one as her first car. “My son has no idea what a choke is so on my wedding day I was adamant he would drive the Metro. Annoyingly he was able to drive it perfectly while I kept stalling it,” she said.

Great British Car Journey put 30 cars from its Drive Dad’s Car fleet at the Sarah and Owen’s disposal. As well as the Metro, guests also got to drive a 1938 Wolseley 14/60, a 1966 Mini, a 1978 Reliant Scimitar GTE, a 1986 Jaguar XJS Cabriolet and 1989 MG Montego 2.0 Efi as well as many more.

The Drive Dad’s Car fleet currently numbers more than 50 cars that people can take for an instructor-accompanied drive around a private route. Recently, it has been shortlisted for the Experience of the Year category in the 2025 Visit Peak District and Derbyshire Tourism Awards.

Currently the couple just have one classic car, Owen’s 1985 BMW 320i convertible as well as an ambulance which they have converted into a camper van. A recent move to a new house with a big drive means there are plans to build their collection. “We bought the house for the drive space!” said Sarah.

Owen explained: “I grew up on a farm and learnt to drive in a series three Land Rover when I was eight. My dad was a farm manager so always had a company car so he used to take me to the show rooms when he was choosing a new one. My love of cars just spiralled from there. I’ve owned more than 120 cars over the years. Both our sons now drive modern classics, a 1992 Mercedes190E and a 1995 Peugeot 205.”

Despite their love of classics, the couple are poles apart of their dream car, for Owen it’s the Ford Capri 2.8 on display in the museum’s collection and for Sarah, it’s the Ford Fiesta XR2.

Sarah added: “Great British Car Journey is so much more than a car museum. It’s so emotive. There’s something for all the senses from the old car smell, to the look and feel of the cars. All our guests loved it as much as us and said they’d be back,” they added.

To take a car for a drive yourself at Great British Car Journey, visit www.drivedadscar.com