A winning smile from Jess on day running with joy

Nine months on from gold medal glory in the Olympics – dubbed Super Saturday when Britain took six golds in a single day – the Sheffield heptathlete was in the spotlight again, with cameras flashing and applause, although not quite on the same scale witnessed at the Olympic Stadium last August.

The 27-year-old Olympic champion, who was the poster girl for London 2012, wore her trademark winning smile on her big day at a church in Derbyshire’s Peak District.

Bystanders in the picturesque village of Hathersage broke into spontaneous applause outside the Church of St Michael and All Angels as Ennis arrived to marry fiance Andy Hill.

Around 100 guests are thought to have attended the hour-long wedding service before heading off to a reception at an undisclosed location.

Wearing a V-necked, sleeveless ivory silk gown with a ruffled tulle skirt and a full-length veil, the bride carried a small posy of cream and pale pink roses.

Mr Hill, a construction site manager, wore a dark grey morning suit, with a pink tie and handkerchief.

Following the service, the newlyweds both smiled broadly as they posed for photographers outside the church, parts of which date back to the 14th century.

Ennis and her fiance, both from nearby Sheffield, first met while at school in Dore, Sheffield and are reported to have been together for around eight years.

Last December the athlete revealed that she was enjoying planning her “medium-sized” wedding and was “loving all the girlie stuff”.

In a magazine interview published shortly after the couple announced their engagement in 2011, Mr Hill told how he had proposed to the athlete at their Sheffield home on Christmas Eve.

Ennis, whose dress was initially shielded from view by a cloak, arrived with her parents for the ceremony, which was conducted by the Reverend Katie Tupling, the priest-in-charge of St Michael’s.

She arrived in a white Jaguar with ribbons, along with four bridesmaids who wore floor-length peace dresses.

She walked down the aisle to Pachelbel’s Canon, accompanied by her proud father.

Guests sang hymns including Love Divine and To God be the Glory while the choir performed Oh Perfect Love.

As guests inside broke into applause, there was a rendition of the Beatles song All You Need is Love.

The newly-weds couple emerged hand-in-hand from the church, giving waiting photographers and members of the public a chance to picture the obligatory kiss.

Around 50 villagers, from children to the elderly, stood patiently outside the church, waiting for a glimpse of the Olympic hero, clapping and cheering when the couple walked outside.

Many commented on how beautiful the bride looked in her sleeveless cream dress which billowed out in ruffles from her waist down, showing off her toned arms.

Asked how she felt, Ennis replied, “amazing,” as she made her way down the path, lined with guests who threw flower-petal confetti over the newlyweds.

Guests held cones of confetti and lace packages containing tissues and bearing the words ‘Hankies for tears’.

The priest in charge, who has been at Hathersage church for six years, said it had been a traditional service, adding: “Every wedding we host is a privilege.”

Guests commented on the beautiful church, a small stone-brick building with a backdrop of the hills of the Peak District.

Luckily, although it had rained earlier and drops still clung to the grass, the wet weather held off throughout the ceremony, and the white umbrellas held
 by security guards were not needed.

Now that her big day is behind her, Ennis will only have a short time to relax before the start of her outdoor athletics season and her focus on the World Championships in Moscow this summer.

She is due to compete June 8 at Edinburgh’s Meadowbank Stadium.

She will then join fellow British gold medallists Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah – two of her fellow athletes who took gold on Super Saturday last August – at the London 2012 Anniversary Games, held at the Olympic Stadium, from July 26-28.

Ennis will compete in the 100m hurdles and long jump.

Rise to stardom of city athlete

BORN in Sheffield in January 1986, Jessica Ennis is the current Olympic heptathlon champion and a former European and world heptathlon champion.

She is one of two daughters of Vinnie Ennis and Alison Powell. Her father, who is originally from Jamaica, is a self-employed painter and decorator. Her mother, a social worker, hails from Derbyshire.

Her early sporting talent first emerged at King Ecgbert School, Sheffield. She developed her ability at the City of Sheffield Athletic Club and studied psychology at Sheffield University.

In honour of her 2012 Olympic achievements she features on a stamp and there is a gold postbox in Sheffield city centre.