A COUPLE are hoping to inspire more people to opt for low key and affordable weddings after they held the reception for their big day at KFC.

More than 40 guests saw Cherish and Edward Simms tie the knot at City Hall 18 months ago, before tucking into Bargain Buckets and fries at the fast food restaurant on Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole.

Mrs Simms, 34, from Holt Heath, said: “It was amazing, the staff were great. They put balloons up and dressed the tables, we had the whole place to ourselves.

“I like KFC and my husband likes KFC, and we always go in. We just wanted to have a fun and relaxing wedding, where people could be themselves and not too formal. Everyone loves chicken, so we couldn’t really go wrong.”

Chicken, fries and all the sides were dished out to the guests, while “we were waited on hand and foot,” said the full-time mum to Jenghis, 10, and Ellie, 11.

However, she admitted KFC staff were “quite shocked” when she rang up six months beforehand to enquire about holding her wedding reception there.

“They were like: ‘Oh, you want to do what?’”

She said the restaurant had never held such an event before and she kept ringing up every month to make sure it was still able to go ahead.

“They just kept asking me: ‘Are you sure?’” she said.

Despite the whole restaurant being reserved for the wedding, the couple did not have to pay a booking fee, only the cost of the food.

Once everything was eaten, everyone headed to Shakeeys fast food restaurant on Angel Street for around 8pm, where the back room and bar had been reserved for the party, with Tramps DJ Christopher O'Neill providing the music.

Mrs Simms, originally from London, said family and friends “were surprised” when they told them the plan for the wedding, with some asking: “Are you really getting married there?”

She said: “They [guests] knew it would be a bit quirky and not your standard wedding in a village hall,” but, particularly with how much effort Shakeeys had put in, said “everything looked amazing”.

Mrs Simms said Mr Simms, 48, who works for Partexs Direct in Pershore, had proposed to her on Christmas Day, “in front of everyone, in my apron, in my Christmas hat”.

Following the wedding, the couple then headed to Amsterdam for their two-week honeymoon.

Mrs Simms said they had initially shopped around for other more traditional wedding reception venues, but their original choice was £3,000 for the basic package.

However, while the bride herself decided against having a wedding dress, and made her own bouquet, Mr Simms “was properly kitted out in a wedding suit” and his mum made a wedding cake.

Mrs Simms said she hopes more people will break from some of the trappings of traditional weddings and do what makes them feel happy.

“I hope people do weddings for themselves and not to show off to other people," she said. "I hope people can just come together collectively as a family; weddings are about being around everyone that you love.

“The most important thing is to have a bit of fun on your wedding day, and not be uncomfortable and be scurrying around for months and months to get everything done.”

The wedding took place on August 3, 2016, and the couple plan to celebrate their two-year anniversary this summer at the same KFC.