Couple last to tie the knot at Southend Pier’s iconic Royal Pavilion

Christabelle Field, from Westcliff, was over the moon to have married husband Freddie Huddleston at their dream venue on Friday, having been taken to the ceremony on board the town’s old-fashioned pier trains.

Draped in ribbons, the carriage carried Christabelle and her bridesmaids to the end of the longest pleasure pier in the world, where they marked the special occasion.

The gobsmacked couple were also left surprised with a dance flash mob after they said “I do”.

The couple had already waited a year to get married - and were able to celebrate their big day exactly five years on from their very first date, July 23.

The moment will go down in the history books as the last wedding on the pier in the Royal Pavilion, with the site being converted into a bar/restaurant.

Whether or not the wedding will be the “last one ever” on the pleasure pier depends on future developments but, for now, the team will not be taking any more bookings.

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Christabelle, 34, said: “Its been such a build up and a long time coming, but every moment was worth the wait.

“We were so desperate to get married at the pier, but there was refurbishment work which they had no idea when the builders would be done.”

The couple then hopped aboard a red double decker bus and travelled to their reception at The Boundary, Garon Park.

Christabelle - who met Freddie while they were both teachers at Tiffany Theatre College in Leigh - was given the shock of her life when her students from WD Studios broke out in dance with a flash mob.

The bride said: “We had no idea, they must’ve been hiding behind benches.

“I couldn’t believe mum put it all together without telling me. It was honestly like being on a film set and made the day so special, thank you to everyone involved and the whole pier team.”