from OK! Magazine (UK)
SCOTT & KERRY's WEDDING DAY
Millions of hearts have been broken, not only because Britain's biggest boyband, FIVE, have just announced their split, but because one of it's most eligible members, Scott Robinson, has finally walked down the aisle with his love of nearly four years, Kerry Oaker. The 21 year old singer's eye filled with tears when he turned to look at his beautiful 18 year old bride as she walked down the aisle on the arm of her beaming father, Peter, to the sounds of Wagner's Bridal Chorus. Fellow band members Ritchie Neville, Sean Conlon, J Brown and Abs Breen were also there to see their friend pledge his life to Kerry - the first of the five boys to make such a huge commitment.
The event, at the Stock Brook Country Club near Billericay in Essex, came just a day after the group announced their decision to go their separate ways, ending months of speculation. The split, which has stunned millions of fans across the globe, comes at the end of a highly successful career for the band. They've achieved three number one records, ten Top 10 singles and album sales of seven million worldwide - including one million in the United States - and platinum albums in 27 countries, two of which went to the number one spot here.
But, as Scott and Kerry came together for one of the happiest days of their young lives, it seems that Five's disbandment was the furthest thought from their minds and those of the friends and family around them. In fact, Kerry was so keen to marry her man, she arrived at the venue five minutes early in a horse-drawn carriage, cradling the couple's two-month old son Brennan, and with her father beside her. The couple's seven bridesmaids, all dressed in champagne-colored gowns, arrived minutes earlier in a white stretched limousine.
Moments later, standing beneath a heart-shaped arch adored with white lilies, Kerry and Scott said their vows to one another, smiling broadly and wiping away tears of joy. Emotions ran high when both Scott and his sister Hayley, gave readings during the touching ceremony. The whole room was fighting back the tears as the couple recited their vows, during which Kerry stroked Scott's cheek tenderly and he fought back tears. After the beautiful ceremony, the wedding guests enjoyed pre-reception drinks before making their way into the impressive banqueting room where the festivities continued.
Wine and beer flowed and a delicious wedding feast was laid on. During the meal, Scott surprised wedding guests by getting up to sing the love song Now and Forever by Richard Marx in tribute to Kerry. His performance appeared to have inspired others, as fellow band member Sean took soon took to the microphone to sing one of his own ballads, much to the delight of those assembled. The evening was topped off by a fantastic ten-minutes fireworks display, which lit up the sky in Essex.
As they enjoyed the celebrations, each of the Five band members spoke exclusively to OK! about the joy of seeing their fellow band member get married, their true feelings about the band's end, and what they now hope to do in the future.
Abs told OK!: "I'm very happy today. Scott and Kerry are just made for each other. The decision we have made about the band is a natural thing. It feels right and it's got to be now. It's happened for personal reasons and, as a band, we have collectively come to this decision. It's not a negative thing. We are all the best of friends and really tight."
Sean added: "It was very important for us to be here. I wouldn't miss it for the world. For Kerry to stand by Scott for as long as she has in the mad world of Five and and for them to stay together shows that they're a really strong couple. We are all like brothers in the group. We're on top but we feel it's enough at the end of the day. I'm now hoping to concentrate on my song writing. I love music and that's what I want to do."
J added: "We're all closer friends than we've ever been. We've always said from the start that would like to end when we're on top but that isn't the reason for this now. It's just a natural thing that's happened for lots of different reasons. It's just life and time for us to finish. I won't be seen doing anything in the public eye anymore. I want to do some charity work. I have already experienced virtually everything most young guys dream of experiencing. I've met some of the nicest women, stayed in some of the best hotels, eaten in the best restaurants and lived in a really nice apartment. I'm in a position where I'm not a millionaire by any means but I have enough money to do a bit of unpaid work for a couple of years."
Band member Ritchie told OK!: "I'm going to chill now but doing music and a little bit of acting is where I want to be. I want to take a few months off now to accept the situation and and then come back and see where I want to be. I might not be with the boys in the making music sense but I'll always be with them in spirit and in heart and I genuinely wish them all well. I will be very interested in what they all do, be it a worldwide star or a landscape gardener." He added: "There are no people arguing in the band. we are all friends and we have decided to make a tactical withdrawal. We have done a lot and just had two weeks at number one but, with Scott getting married and having a baby, Sean not being well, my ankle going, we all just went, that's it."
Their manager Chris Herbert insisted: "The beauty of it is that there has not been a huge argument and it's not about one thing. Everyone has new priorities within their personal lives. New doors have opened to them and that's what this whole thing is about."
A day after their joyous wedding, Scott and new wife Kerry spoke to OK! about the happiest day of their lives and reveled what life after Five holds for them both...
Did you have a fantastic time at the wedding, Scott?
I couldn't have asked for a better day. People kept asking me whether I was nervous but I had nothing to be nervous about. There was never a doubt in my mind that Kerry would not turn up or I wouldn't be there. The nicest thing about this wedding for me was that Kerry is the only girl I've ever loved.
Tell us about some of the people you invited.
Kerry: We had all our family and friends there, some from back when we were children. We've just got so many friends that we've known for years and we get on really well with. There's not a friend I've got that Scott doesn't like and vice versa. So we live a totally normal life and that's what was in the wedding.
Scott: The thing is, neither of us has changed so we've had the same friends since our childhood.
Did you always plan on getting married after the baby was born?
Kerry: Brennan wasn't planned at all. We already started planning our wedding when I found out I was pregnant. Brennan was supposed to be born four and a half weeks before the wedding but then he came six weeks early so I had a bit more time at least.
How did you feel when you first saw Kerry walking up the aisle towards you, Scott?
When Kerry got halfway up the aisle I turned around and started filling up because she looked so beautiful. Our security guard, Big Dave, had already been to the house and he came back to me and said, 'She looks gorgeous.' And she did. And then when I was reading my poem, I got a bit emotional during that. The clincher for everyone was when I got a bit upset saying my vows and Kerry started touching my face and ran the back of her hand down my cheek. I looked at everyone and they were crying.
How about you, Kerry?
I couldn't wait to get down there and get married. Scott looked absolutely lovely and everyone was really tearful. I even got a bit tearful.
Did you enjoy the speeches and the wedding breakfast?
Kerry: Yes, although everyone was a bit nervous before. The Scott sang during the meal. I held myself together until the end when Scott said, 'Kerry, I love you.' The tears came.
Scott: When I got up and said I was going to sing, everyone was like, please let it be in the right key, please sing in tune because it's your wedding. I don't know how bad or how good it was, but all I know is that I didn't hit many dodgy notes!
You had a frame next to the wedding cake with three photos in it. Tell us about that...
Kerry: In the frame we had a picture of Scott's manager, Bob Herbert who died in a car crash a few years ago, my nan Vera Musgrove who passed away when I was about 13, and Scott's nan, Jean Robinson who died when he was really young.
Scott: I know Bob was watching. We had our differences, like any manager and artist, but I thought he was great. He always did me lots of favors. I was always the one in the band who was concerned about remembering people's birthdays and Bob would always ensure that I was at all the family events since I am such a family-oriented person. I need family and Kerry around me and I never missed a day or a family event thanks to Bob. He was a real geezer and I wanted to thank him for everything, both from Kerry and I as a couple and for me.
You also held a sweepstakes during the wedding breakfast for charity...
We did that for my nan, Betty Naylor, who is in hospital because she has Alzheimer's. For a long time I didn't want to see my nan because I wanted to remember her for how she was - a lady doing high kicks at 70 years old. So for her, everyone put two pounds in a sweepstake to guess how long the speeches would take and we decided to give half the money to her home and half to a winner. J won and decided to give his winnings back to charity anyway. We got L200 in total which will go straight to my nan's home, Bridge House. She's lovely, my nan, and I love her loads.
Where are you going on your honeymoon?
Kerry: We were going to go away abroad, but I am never ever going on a plane again. The incident in New York frightened the life out of me. We were planning on booking a last minute thing last week, but now we are just going to drive to a country cottage with the baby.
How did you propose to Kerry, Scott?
I had the idea before to put the ring in my mouth and kiss Kerry, but then I thought that was a really bad idea, so I just got down on one knee and asked her. I was an emotional wreck but she said yes straight away and that was it. I was crying. It happened at the house where we used to live, on June 15 two years ago, Kerry's birthday. The best thing in the world for me was that I ended a life with Five yesterday and with the marriage, it's the start of a new beginning too.
A lot of fans are going to be really sad. Is there anything you want to say to them?
They need to be happy because we are. They need to realize that we've made a decision for ourselves and we've always said we'd end on the top and we did.
Kerry, are you pleased about the split?
I'm not so much pleased about it. The thing that I'm pleased with is that they're all happy with the decision that they've made. The best thing about it is that they've ended it amicably and ended it best of friends.
Who are you closest to in the band, Scott?
I couldn't put a name on it now. I used to be close to Abs and Rich, while J and Sean spent a lot of time together because they lived together. But now I just think they're all great and lovely gentlemen.
You must have always had pressure from the record company telling you to keep having hits. Is it a relief to have that pressure removed from your life?
We never had any pressure like that because - I'm not being big-headed - they always knew we were good writers and artists.
Do you think all the band members have paid a heavy price for success?
No, none of the lads has every gone over the top or anything. They haven't become big-headed.
How will it change your lives not being part of the group anymore?
It won't. We have done a lot of the hard work already and we have been chilling for the last months anyway.
So what are you going to be doing career-wise next, Scott?
I haven't got a clue. I'm going to work but I'm not going to worry about it yet because I don't need to worry about it. The one thing I know I'm going to be doing is being with Kerry and Brennan and spending our lives together.
