Brighton and Hove Albion kick off their first competitive fixture at the new American Express Community Stadium at 3pm today (Saturday 6 August).
But friends of one couple watching the game today can already lay claim to having seen the first match there.
Dozens of relatives and friends helped Kev Attwood and Sue King celebrate their wedding behind one of the goals.
The couple, from Shoreham Beach, got married at the Falmer stadium four weeks ago.
Kev, 50, a heating engineer who grew up in nearby Woodingdean, said: “We had 50 family and close friends at the wedding in the stadium.
“It was in the West Stand overlooking the away end.
“The reception was in the Lower Gold North Suite up in the North Stand end.”
Sue, 47, a barmaid in Shoreham, said: “Gully was there!
“And Gully’s girls did a couple of routines.”
Kev added: “And because Sue’s from Sunderland she got two of them wearing Sunderland shirts.”
Everything else about their big day was blue and white though, right down to the bouquets, buttonholes, table decorations and even the icing on the individual cakes given to their guests, complete with a Seagulls logo.
And whatever initial misgivings Kev may have had about the idea of Gully’s girls putting on a show, they were obviously dispelled on the day.
He said: “They were absolutely superb.
“So were the bar staff, the receptionists, the waitresses, the security staff – I couldn’t fault anything at all.
“Everyone at the club was fantastic. They went above and beyond. It was amazing.
“When we walked in to the reception, they had the League One trophy there.
“I didn’t even notice it at first. It was out on display all through the meal although later on it they came and put it away.”
He laughed as he added: “They wouldn’t have wanted anything to happen to it!”
Kev even got to pose for photos in his season ticket holder’s padded seat.
He said: “Apart from on the pitch, we could go anywhere we wanted.
“They gave us two lovely cards – one signed by the players and one signed by Martin Perry, Tony Bloom and Ken Brown.”
Sue was full of praise for the club’s events manager, Polly Harrison. She said: “Polly was great and all of the staff were absolutely fantastic. They gave people tours.”
The couple followed the excitement of their big day – with a 3pm kick off for the ceremony, of course – by staying at a local hotel for a couple of nights.
They hope to take a more traditional honeymoon later in the season.
But first they hope to see the Seagulls make a flying start in the Championship.
