Ben Cunningham was a photographer hired to record the wedding day of Reg and Maureen Holdsworth in January 1994. During the reception at the Belstaff Hotel, Ben got chatting to one of the guests, barmaid Raquel Wolstenhulme. Upon hearing she was also a model, Ben gave her his business card and invited her to visit his studio for a photo shoot, and she willingly agreed in exchange for free shots for her portfolio. Des Barnes, Raquel's current suitor, was sceptical of Ben's motives but Raquel indignantly pointed out that Des's were hardly honourable.