A couple who are planning on renewing their wedding vows at Glastonbury Festival is hoping Michael Eavis will be their celebrant. Clare and Noel Ryan from Kemsing, Kent, are celebrating 25 years of marriage this year and were thrilled when they managed to score tickets in the Glastonbury 2023 resale on Sunday (April 23).
The pair first met in 1993 and have a shared love of live music, making Worthy Farm a fitting place for their renewal ceremony.
"The vow renewal idea came about when my husband had a burst appendix and was seriously ill a couple of years ago during Covid times and he asked me to marry him again whilst I was driving him to A&E as he thought he was dying," Clare told BristolLive. "It was then we decided to renew our vows when he got better and on our 25th wedding anniversary."
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This year coincidentally marks Noel's 25th Glastonbury Festival, taking place from June 21 to 25, but Clare only went for the first time last year. "We weren't able to go together before this as we have a son who is autistic and couldn't be left so my husband went to Glastonbury every year on his own," she explained.
"Another reason it will be special is we also had a quite stressful time as we were going to renew our vows at a home ceremony event but my family had said they couldn't make it and I had been very down at this news. We never expected to get lucky in the resale on Sunday and when we did we immediately decided instead of me being sad about my family not being there we would change it up and do our vows there."
Clare said they hope to stream the renewal ceremony through a live feed for those who are unable to make it. They are heading to Worthy Farm this June with their two friends, Damon and Geoff, who they hope will stand in as bridesmaids.
She added: "If Michael Eavis can't be celebrant then we would love Jarvis Cocker of Pulp to be present. Their song 'Something Changed' was our wedding song all those years ago. There is a rumour he may be at Glastonbury but nothing yet confirmed!"
BristolLive contacted the festival for comment but on its website, it says: "Unfortunately, as the law stands, it is not possible to have a legal marriage at the festival. The festival is not a licensed venue. So, until the law changes, that legally binding wedding under your favourite tree will have to wait."
While a full blown wedding is off the cards for festivalgoers, couples have been known to renew their vows over the years. In 2022, a Bristol couple had a renewal ceremony after first meeting at a gig.
Lara Dayeh-Bunce, 30, and her husband, Elliot, 32, renewed their vows at The Church at Glastonbury tent six weeks after their marriage, as told in OK.
Glastonbury is at Worthy Farm from June 21-25, 2023
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