The wedding of Rhodri Mason and Eleanor Neilson was celebrated in style last Saturday at St Mary the Virgin, Rye. The ceremony was conducted by the bride’s uncle, the Reverend Edward Mason, chaplain to the Queen. After the service and the signing of the register, the couple processed from the church through the upper part of Lion Street, which was lined by the guests each carrying a lighted candle.
The bride looking radiant stepped with the bridegroom into the waiting Rolls Royce, and after the photographs they joined guests at the wedding breakfast held at the Old Monastery on Conduit Hill. The order of dress followed continental rather than English fashion, with evening dress being worn, but then it was a 4:30pm start, which was nearly evening enough.
Some of the guests had travelled from afar to be at the wedding, but the family has strong local connections, with the bride and her parents living in Rye. So the help of local people was enlisted in organising the event. The magnificent floral display at the chancel crossing in the church was designed and executed by Tamsin Scott who lives in Playden. The band of local-ringers rang out the bells. The Ryesingers were led by Lesley Brownbill and Geoffrey Harris, organist and director of music at St Mary’s, provided the musical accompaniment, rounding up with the much loved Widor Toccata.
Image Credits: Kenneth Bird .