BRIDE’S PLEA
Get me to the boat on time
There’s usually a buoyant feel to any wedding, but especially so for one quirky couple who led a flotilla of narrowboats to their big day in Maidstone.
The unique procession made its way down the River Medway as folk band members Rachel Tate and Gary Rodwell tied the knot.
The flotilla of some 10 boats carried 100 guests to the nuptials at Archbishop’s Palace last week.
The pair said their vows on Thursday last week and the bride and groom’s families travelled to the venue on narrowboats – in the style of a traditional boater’s wedding.
The newly-weds met about three years ago in music quartet Larkspur, who are renowned on the local folk circuit for playing a diverse mixture of original material and more traditional British folk.
Gary and Rachel live together on a narrowboat in Allington, which was moored outside the venue ready to take the bride and groom off on their honeymoon.
The new Mrs Rodwell said: “It went amazingly well – it was a really different wedding, but that’s exactly how we wanted it.
“I never wanted to get married in a white lacey dress at a big church, it’s just not the way we live.”
She added that the good feel- ings of all of the guests at the ceremony could be felt by the bride and groom and, despite a little bit of bad weather, spirits weren’t dampened. “We could feel everyone’s love and good wishes, loads of people kept saying that they loved it and had never been to a wedding like it – it was a really lovely day.”
The pair travelled back up the Medway on their houseboat to honeymoon near East Peckham for a few days, returning to the folk scene this week as they took to the stage with their band a day after returning.
Larkspur played at The Good Intent, Rochester, on Tuesday evening.