THE Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, issued a special licence for a marriage in the historic St Augustine's Priory at Bilsington, near Ashford. It was a glorious autumnal afternoon when artist Eleanor Nicola Pratt Boorman arrived for her wedding to solicitor Simon Copleston at her late grandfather's home in a 1949 Bentley Mark 6 with her father, Edwin, who is chairman of KM Group newspapers.

Chief bridesmaid was the bridegroom's sister, Philippa, who was accompanied by Hannah and Eloise Buchanan, and pageboy Freddie Allinson, for only the second wedding ever held in the building.

More than 120 guests packed into the ancient building for the ceremony conducted by the Rev Andrew Keep from Wells Cathedral Choir School. A team of Handbell Ringers from Headcorn played selections as the guests entered and left the Priory building. After the ceremony the bride and groom were followed by guests to an adjacent meadow for lift-off in a helicopter en route to a reception at home in Charing of the bride's sister, Geraldine.