A BASINGSTOKE couple, who picked the most romantic day of the year to marry, never imagined they would spend some of it in a shopping centre.

But newly-weds Kerry and Richard Hannington had to change some of their wedding photography plans at the last minute because of last Friday’s bad weather.

The couple, who have four sons, tied the knot at Buckskin Evangelical Church on Valentine’s Day, before celebrating their marriage at the Camrose Club at Basingstoke Town football ground.

Their photographer, Chris Kemp, was hoping to take some shots of the bride and groom outside, but heavy rain and high winds made it an impossible task.

Mr Kemp said: “The plan was to get nice pictures walking through a park, with clouds in the sky, but Kerry couldn’t put her dress on the ground because it was so wet.”

Instead Mr Kemp, from Newbury, came up with a creative way to save the day and arranged for Kerry and Richard to have their wedding day photo-shoot in the town centre Festival Place shopping complex.

He said: “We went to War Memorial Park but it was so wet and windy that it wasn’t a pleasant experience.”

Mr Kemp sent a message to his wife to try and arrange to take some pictures inside Festival Place.

The centre agreed and the couple arrived at 6pm.

Mr Kemp took the couple to Ed’s Easy Diner for some 1950s-inspired pictures, before snapping them on the spiral staircase and by the |lit-up trees.

He said: “It was to try and make their day as nice as possible and get some nice pictures.

“It wasn’t practical to go outside. They were really up for it and all the people walking past were congratulating them, which was lovely.”