By Fiona Cooper

The bride walked down the aisle, accompanied by her father, while the organist played.

Not very different from the majority of weddings, you would think.

But that's where tradition ended. As the music died down, the organist stood up, put on his jacket and walked down to the front of the church and towards his wife-to-be.

For Ian Payne and Andrea Don, there was never going to be much discussion about how their wedding ceremony would unfold.

Ian, a postman, has been the organist at St Michael's Church, Sittingbourne, for 16 years, and a member of the choir since he was a boy. The couple met when Andrea, owner of Nickel Books, Sittingbourne High Street, joined the choir eight years ago.

Their green-themed wedding, held at the church and attended by about 200 guests, continued in unconventional style.

After exchanging their vows, the pair joined the choir for an anthem, which Ian, 49, also conducted.

Ian said: "We have been going to the church for a long time and we thought it would be different. It meant a lot to us both.

"It was a lovely day and so many people said they had never had so much fun in church before." The service was then followed by a buffet reception and cake-cutting ceremony in the church itself before the wedding party moved to UK Paper Leisure Club for an evening celebration.

Even then, convention went out of the window.

Guests were treated to a belly dancing performance by Aylesford-based Hasna Belly Dance - of which 34-year-old Andrea is a member.

The bride herself joined one dance.

Andrea said: "It was totally mad but really good fun. The day went so fast that I can't really remember very much about it!"

The couple, who live in Merlin Close, Sittingbourne, are planning a late honeymoon.