A nudist couple got engaged on stage in a naked proposal in front of 400 strangers who were also in the buff.
Nigel Seymour, 57, of Fordingbridge, Hampshire, popped the question to his now-fiancee, care assistant Rachel Allen, 28, with neither of them wearing a stitch.
Reacalling how he proposed in his birthday suit during a British Naturism weekend in Staffordshire in November 2017, Nigel said: ‘It was an amazing moment.’
The bold gesture came just six months after the couple first met, going on to enjoy a whirlwind romance.
Nigel Seymour proposed to partner Rachel Allen completely naked at a nudist event before 400 other naked strangers
But they saw more of each other at first sight in June 2017 than most couples do in the bedroom – as they were on a naturist holiday on the Greek island of Rhodes and bonded playing table tennis starkers.
Nigel said: ‘Proposing naked was just continuing the theme.
‘I hadn’t told a soul I was going to do it until the day itself. Then I asked the organiser if I could jump up on stage and take the microphone.
‘I got Rachel up to join me and, because she nodded instead of saying yes out loud, people didn’t realise she’d agreed at first. When they did, though, a huge cheer went up.
‘It all happened in a room full of about 400 totally naked people. It was incredible.’
The couple met six months ago at a nudist weekend on the Greek island of Rhodes and embarked on a whirlwind romance
Rachel grew up in a nudist family while Nigel began shedding his clothes at 40 in the hope to combat his body issues
While Rachel grew up around naturism – the practise of social nudity – making it second nature to her, Nigel was 40 when he started shedding his clothes, in a radical move to combat his body image issues.
He explained: ‘I’d been bullied throughout school, because of my weight, and eventually got to the point where I thought, ‘If I don’t do something now, I never will.’
‘So, I took myself to Silverleigh, a naturist spa. Walking in, I was nervous as hell. I’d never been in that environment and had no idea what to expect.
‘But everyone put me at ease. 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, a police officer. Being naked just levels everyone out.’
After meeting Rachel asked Nigel if he fancied a game of table tennis and they quickly fell for one another
Nigel described the proposal as ‘incredible’ and said that the crowd cheered once she said yes
Rachel and Nigel say they’re considering having two wedding ceremonies – one clothed and one nude
Feeling liberated by his first foray into nudity, Nigel began going to more and more events, including resort and hotel stays, naked swims and trips to Cap d’Agde in France – the world’s largest naturist town.
There, visitors pay a so-called ‘naked tax,’ before shedding their clothes and storing them in lockers for the duration of their stay.
‘People who don’t understand it think Cap d’Agde is a swingers’ destination, but I’ve never found it to be like that,’ said Nigel.
‘A holiday is what you make it and I prefer to just keep myself to myself and relax. Everyone is always very welcoming, and there’s excellent security to escort anybody acting dodgy off the premises.
The couple regularly go nude at home too, with Rachel saying she feels far less judged when she’s naked
‘It’s just like any other holiday – you make friends, you all share a few drinks on the beach together. Only difference is we’ve all got our kits off.’
And he was soon baring not just his body, but his heart, to his future wife, Rachel. After the pair were introduced at a group welcome meeting, she asked him if he fancied playing naked table tennis – and clearly impressed him with her technique.
‘We met up quite a few times back home, and soon became a proper couple,’ said Rachel.
Now the couple hope to tie the knot in 2019 or 2020 and are considering having both clothed and naked ceremonies. For now, they are happily engaged, and have booked several nudist events throughout 2018, including holidays to Cap d’Agde and Croatia.
Rachel continued: ‘For me, naturism is a way of life. I love the freedom that comes with it.
‘I feel way more confident when I’m naked and far less judged than when I wear clothes.’
But Rachel admits that not everyone approves of public nudity. She continued: ‘I help out with the annual World Naked Bike Ride, and have had people shouting at me, calling me names like ‘tart.’
‘I just say, ‘If you don’t like it, stop ogling.’ That soon shuts them up. ‘For us, being naked is completely natural. We’re always nude at home. I do all the cooking and cleaning naked. If it was up to me, I’d never wear clothes.
‘I actually think it’s better for your skin to let your body breathe. And it saves on the washing.’
Meanwhile, stripping off has helped Nigel to shed his insecurities. He added: ‘It’s done wonders for my confidence.
Now, being naked just feels normal. ‘Whenever we go to nudist resorts, we’ll chat, make friends, sit and have a drink or a go in the jacuzzi. It’s just like any other trip away, except we just happen to not be wearing clothes. ‘Plus, there’s no chance of getting pick-pocketed!’ ENDS Images