A couple with a 30-year age gap, who tied the knot in the nude surrounded by their naked wedding guests, are preparing to celebrate their one-year anniversary.
Vehicle restorer Nigel Seymour, 59, and care assistant Rachel, 30, from Poole, Dorset, met playing table tennis ‘au naturel’ on a Greek island holiday in June 2017.
The pair, who are both members of British Naturism – a society for people who enjoy nudity – got engaged six months later when Nigel proposed in front of 400 naked strangers on a weekend away in Staffordshire.
And it came as no surprise to their 40 wedding guests when they were asked to celebrate with the couple in a naked ceremony last June, and the pair will mark their first wedding anniversary in lockdown next month.
Vehicle restorer Nigel, 59, and care assistant Rachel, 30, from Poole, Dorset, got married in front of 40 naked wedding guests last year
Speaking about their special day, Rachel said: ‘Our naked wedding made perfect sense, as it meant I didn’t have to spend £1,000 on a wedding dress.
‘Getting married in the buff with your friends and family is still just as magical an experience.
‘It felt really freeing. We met in the buff, Nigel proposed in the buff and we had a ceremony naked. It closed the chapter.’
The couple refer to their legal, clothed wedding as their ‘textile’ ceremony, which took place with minimal fuss on June 21 2019 at St Leonard’s Hotel near Ringwood, Hampshire.
The couple have a 20-year age gap and had a blessing in the buff at the naturist haunt, Oakwood Sun Club, in Romford, Essex, on August 4 2019
But they waited until their blessing in the buff at the naturist haunt, Oakwood Sun Club, in Romford, Essex, on August 4 to celebrate in style with friends and family.
The bride’s father, fellow naturist Harvey Allen, 74, was the official photographer – snapping the couple and their guests sunbathing, playing tennis, swimming and eating a buffet lunch – in the buff.
Rachel, who has a one-year-old son, Michael, with Nigel, explained: ‘It was a little less serious than the textile wedding. There was more of a jokey, fun vibe.
‘All guests had to bring with them was a towel and some sun cream.
‘The officiator who conducted the civil blessing was not a naturist, but we had asked around and found someone who said they would be willing to be naked.’
The pair, who are both members of British Naturism – a society for people who enjoy nudity, got engaged when Nigel proposed in front of 400 naked strangers on a weekend away in Staffordshire
Nigel vacuuming around the house with son Michael (left). Rachel gardening in the nude (right)
Growing up in a naturist family has made nudity second nature to Rachel, while Nigel only discovered the true pleasure of going naked, aged 40, when it helped him to overcome his poor body image.
He explained: ‘What I liked was that you had no idea what people did in their day-to-day lives – whether they were a judge, a doctor, or a police officer. Being naked just levels everyone out.’
And while he admits that naturism is not everyone’s cup of tea, he and Rachel enjoyed it so much, they went on to honeymoon at the end of June 2019 at the world’s largest naturist village, Cape d’Agde, in the South of France.
‘The reaction we’ve had from friends and family who did not attend the blessing was very much, “That’s not for us but you carry on and let us know how you get on”,’ he said. ‘But we loved every minute of it.’
Nigel, pictured with Rachel and son Michael, said: ‘Everybody is on the same level when they are naked and nobody judges you’
Nigel teaching his son how to vacuum in the nude (left). Rachel taking care of her plants in the buff (right)
Rachel and Nigel first met when she invited him to play naked table tennis on holiday in Greece
But the couple, who are regular attendees at naked events around the country, organised by British Naturism, admit they have missed their friends during the coronavirus lockdown.
But, around the house, their behaviour has seen little change, as they have continued to eat their dinner, watch television and do the housework naked.
Rachel, who is a key worker, performs her job fully clothed but revealed that she has to wear a bra while doing her home workout.
She laughed: ‘Like everybody else, we’re having to be creative at home.
The couple were photographed in the nude for their wedding ceremony with their son Micheal
The couple, who are regular attendees at naked events around the country, organised by British Naturism, said they have missed their friends and family in lockdown
Nigel proposed to Rachel on stage in front of around 400 stark naked strangers
‘I’ve been doing my exercises – some squats, leg extensions and using weights, sometimes using the baby as one, because he is quite heavy! He giggles his way through it.
‘But I’ve had to put a bra on to stop my breasts bouncing about!’
Meanwhile, Nigel – who has been gardening naked on a patch of land where they are not overlooked by neighbours, cannot wait to skinny dip again when larger gatherings are permitted.
He said: ‘It’s been such nice weather that we’ve planting sunflowers and tomatoes.
Nigel teaching their son everyday chores (left). Rachel eating at the dinner table in the nude (right)
Nigel said: ‘We both love nudity. It doesn’t matter what you look like, what size, colour, creed, occupation you are’
The couple said they have missed their nudist friends and revealed that they cannot wait to have a naked swim together
‘There is only a small area of our garden where we are not overlooked by the neighbours, though, so we do have to be a bit careful and make sure to stick to that area when we’re nude.
‘The main change for us has been missing out on events with our nudist friends and family.
Nigel continued: ‘We can’t wait until we can go back out again. We’re desperate to go out for a naked swim – and would love to at least celebrate the first anniversary of our nude blessing with one.
‘We both love nudity. It doesn’t matter what you look like, what size, colour, creed, occupation you are.
‘Everybody is on the same level when they are naked and nobody judges you.’