WHEN Bekki Cocks’ friends told her that if she loved her rug so much she should marry it – not many of them expected her to follow through with it.
But today, the 26-year-old casino worker declared “I Rug You” in front of specially invited guests as she married the rug of her life in a special service.
Bekki and ‘Mat’ – the name given to her favourite rug by the mum-of-two – were tied the knot and enjoying a relaxing honeymoon at home in Greater Manchester.
During the intimate hour-long service Bekki, who was dressed in a traditional all-white wedding dress for the occasion, promised to love, honour and care for Mat ‘till death us do part’.
Bekki said: “I bought Mat about a year ago and I’ve been banging on about how much I love him to anyone who will listen ever since.
“It became a bit of a thing with my friends who used to joke ‘if you love Mat so much why don’t you marry him?’.
“I spend so much time looking after him – cleaning him and vacuuming him a couple of times every day and making sure he always looks his very best – I couldn’t imagine being without him now.”
Bekki uses stain remover to clear up any mess her two young children may have left on ‘Mat’ during the day.
When the kids are in bed, I’ll often just lie down with him and tell him my most private thoughts.
Bekki Cocks
And in the evening, Bekki will give Mat one final clean to ensure he enjoys a crumb-free night.
Bekki added: “I am a little obsessed with Mat. When the kids are in bed, I’ll often just lie down with him and tell him my most private thoughts.
“I’m a single mum, so he’s become a confidant and I always seem to be able to think things through properly when we’ve been together.
“So, a few months ago when one of my friends said I should marry him, I said ‘I will then’.
“It started as a bit of fun but I soon started looking into a service and eventually it became something I was determined to go through with.
“I couldn’t be happier - I’m really looking forward to spending Christmas with Mat.
“I’ve also promised that while I might step on Mat from time to time, I won’t ever walk all over him.”
The happy couple tied the knot during a special service, hosted by a celebrant at the Independent Fitters carpet store, close to Bekki’s home in Stockport.
Dr Beckmann’s Susan Fermor said: “When we heard about Bekki’s story we felt we had to get involved.
“So we’ve offered to pay for her wedding and give her as much carpet care product as she can possibly use in a lifetime.”
She’s not the only person to ‘find love’ with an inanimate object.
Amanda Liberty, 35, from Leeds, says she is in an open relationship with several light fittings, but plans to wed a chandelier called Lumiere.
She changed her surname from Whittaker during a previous long-distance relationship with the Statue of Liberty.
Amanda identifies as an objectum sexual — meaning she is attracted to objects.
She bought 91-year-old Lumiere from Germany for £400 and said: “She caught my eye on eBay. I had no idea she was my soon-to-be wife.”
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