Lewin Hynes and Hayley Mills tie the knot on stage at the Marlowe Theatre's first-ever wedding. Picture: Paul Amos.

EXCLUSIVE by Joe Walker

joewalker@thekmgroup.co.uk

Most girls dream of a big, white wedding, but theatre fan Hayley Mills had other ideas when planning her perfect day.

The 33-year-old and new husband Lewin Hynes this week became the first couple to tie the knot on the stage of the new Marlowe.

The show-stopping £15,000 wedding had it all, from an opening dance number by a West End star to the bride’s spectacular entrance on rotating doors.

It was the dream day for Hayley, a sports science lecturer at Canterbury Christ Church University, and 35-year-old geneticist Lewin.

She said: “It was exactly what we had hoped it would be.

“We had so many friends involved and everybody had fun. It was perfect. We couldn’t have asked for more.”

The ceremony began with a lyrical dance by Zara Warren, who regularly
performs in the West End.

Hayley, in a stunning white dress, was then unveiled to family and friends on rotating doors currently being used in the Marlowe production of Top Hat.

She said: “We’d joked about trap doors and zip wires but we watched Top Hat on Thursday night and spotted the rotating doors. My friend pulled a few strings with stage production and they were fine with us using them. It was so cool.”

The couple exited stage right to sign the register after saying their vows, while singer Andrea Vargoza and pianist Simon Heeley entertained guests with two songs.

The curtain then lifted to reveal the new husband and wife, before Hayley’s best friend Sergio Priftis performed a tap dance with fellow West End star Ashley Nottingham.

Read more reaction and see a selection of pictures from the wedding in this week's Kentish Gazette, out Thursday.