A surprise vow renewal ceremony brought an unexpected romantic moment to this year's Southampton International Boat Show, which runs until 28th September.
The ceremony centred on Hugo and Vicky Bostock, who stepped aboard an Absolute 53, courtesy of Approved Boats, just days after celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary. Hugo had secretly applied to a campaign run ahead of the show, which invited couples to enter for the chance to be "married" by Captain Jason Chambers from Below Deck Down Under.
Captain Jason flew in from the US to officiate. The vow renewal on the water nodded to the old maritime tradition of captains marrying couples at sea, though no legal papers were signed. Present for the moment were the couple's two daughters and Vicky's Maid of Honour.
Hugo's motivation went beyond the anniversary. "Our girls, aged 8 and 11, are adamant they'd make excellent bridesmaids," he explained. "They've been disappointed never to attend a wedding, so even if it wasn't official, it was the perfect opportunity. With Vik being a huge Below Deck fan, a ceremony on the water was the ultimate surprise – brownie points for me hopefully!"
