Spend a lifetime: Couple serenaded at their vintage wedding

This groom’s sound surprise was music to the ears of Lucy Shillingford and Dean Rose on their wedding day.

The pair, aged 32 and 33 respectively, are big fans of the band The Rifles, and appropriately so became engaged while listening to one of their tracks (and dining on the Amalfi coast no less). But Dean was about to take that awesomeness next level, organising the lead singer for their vintage wedding on September 19, 2015.

“I wanted to get Joel Stoker (lead singer from The Rifles) to perform our first dance, a song called Spend a Lifetime,” says Dean. “This would be a surprise for Lucy and I would have to wait until the week before the wedding for confirmation, cue a long and nervous wait.”

In the meantime, Dean lost his father, and the couple were already mourning the earlier loss of Lucy’s dad, knowing he wouldn’t be there to walk her down the aisle. “Knowing that he would have wanted the wedding to go ahead we pressed on, tinged with sadness,” explains Dean.

But the surprise the groom had been hoping for was a silver lining for the pair on their special day; Joel Stoker performed. “Lucy was in shock, smiled all night and it was the most special day in the company of friends, family and the memories of those who could not share it with us,” smiles Dean.

Photos courtesy of Chris Deller Photography.

In a nod to the couple’s Britain-Italy theme, the journey to and from the castle was in a vintage routemaster bus, and a classic Fiat 500 for the bride.

 

The bride had a special treat hiding under her dress – Jimmy Choos!

 

“English castle… tick,” says Dean who discovered the spectacular ceremony venue, Scotney Castle, in the Kent countryside.

Lucy’s bridesmaids wore stunning soft pink midi dresses from BHS.

Joel Stoker performed an acoustic set for the ecstatic couple, then it was up to The Somebodys to keep energy levels high for the rest of the night.