Couple tie the knot on Weymouth beach for the first time ever
Weymouth Beach has never been used as a wedding venue before.
A happy couple has tied the knot on Weymouth beach for the first time ever.
Kirstein and Matt Parmenter from Kent were joined by guests and onlookers on Saturday.
The pair hold the town dearly in their hearts and visit around three or four times a year but decided that wasn't enough, they wanted to say their vows on the seafront itself.
It was all made possible by Laura Bell, a celebrant from Weymouth who contacted the council to find out if marrying on the beach would be possible.
Laura told Greatest Hits Radio:
"They were absolutely elated when I turned round and said to them 'yes, you can do this.' At that moment when I was delivering the ceremony on the beach, as a Weymouth girl born and raised to be able to carry that out for them was just a dream come true.
"It was an absolutely beautiful day, the sun was shining, the sea was calm, it was a little bit windy but it was nice to have that little bit of movement just to cool everyone down."
The wedding was full of beach traditions such as deckchairs for guests, and there was even a donkey present from West Hill Donkeys.
"Everybody was absolutely ecstatic for the Bride and Groom and they went on a couple of fair ground rides afterwards and had a quintessential Great British seaside day out with ice creams and fish and chips. It was perfect, exactly what they had planned."
Ordinarily, it wouldn't be possible to get legally married on Weymouth beach because it's an unlicensed location. But, couples willing to have the legal part of their wedding elsewhere are able to hold their ceremony wherever they'd like.
Laura added:
"You've got that flexibility to have your wedding ceremony wherever you like because you're not tied by the legal part so you do have to do that separately. So subject to the landowners permission you are able to get married wherever you like.
"Something like this can happen again going forward into 2023, I know the council are keen to explore options for people.
"To hold a wedding ceremony on Weymouth beach is a momentous and historic occasion, it's iconic, it's obviously very well known. I'm very much an outdoors person so for me it was the perfect setting and I really hope it's the start of more going forward."