Comfort, character, connection — and doing it their own way
Kate and Kev married in 2015, and they will always hold a very special place in my heart. They were the first couple I ever married — before I was even formally qualified — and the trust they placed in me gave me the confidence to step fully into this work. In many ways, they planted the seed for the Celebrant life I now bloom in.
They are a couple full of character. They met at a friend’s party, where Kev was immediately bowled over by Kate’s sharp banter — her knockout swipes and witty retorts. He knew straight away he’d met his match. Kate, however, took a little longer to realise that Kev was her person.
They spent their early years together immersed in the rave and festival scene, living joyfully and freely. But it was during one of the hardest chapters of Kate’s life — when her dear Dad became ill and later passed away — that everything shifted. Kev’s steady, solid, unwavering support through that grief showed Kate, beyond doubt, that he was the one she wanted beside her for all of life’s seasons.
Kev is a 6’5” builder from North Devon. At first glance, you might clock him as a happy-go-lucky, go-with-the-flow giant — a cheeky chappy always thinking about his next meal. But once you know him, you discover a depth and gentleness he doesn’t offer up to just anyone. His heart is even bigger than his appetite.
Kate is small but mighty. A creative through and through, she’s a ceramicist by trade and a community builder by nature. She channelled her sharp mind and generous spirit into creating a collective of artists, offering studio spaces and community workshops — particularly for less-privileged groups — in and around Exeter. She’s widely recognised as one of the quiet leaders of the city’s arts scene.
Kate is a feeder, a nurturer, a gatherer of people. One of the clinchers for Kev, I suspect. Within moments of arriving at their home, you’ll have a drink in your hand and an invitation to get comfortable. Kate shows who she is through her welcome.
She has a deep appreciation for beauty — texture, colour, warmth. She’s the kind of person who can’t help but touch things as she moves through a space. Their home reflects that: full of colour, humour, comfort and soul.
Kev, meanwhile, appreciates atmosphere. He’s not one for forced fun or rigid plans — he thrives in the relaxed, the impromptu, the unpressured. Honestly? Kev is hygge in human form.
Together, Kate and Kev value comfort above all else. They have an effortless eye for style — the sort of people who can throw on whatever’s to hand and somehow look incredible. They don’t chase trends. They’re not interested in judgement or convention. They simply prioritise feeling good — and that ease becomes their style.
They love being with their nearest and dearest, though many of those dears live far away. Their family is scattered across South Africa, Australia and France, and they reunite whenever they can — often in ski resorts or at one another’s homes in Cape Town, Melbourne, Toulouse, or back with Kate and Kev in Devon.
Kate calls Kev “Buggalugs”. Kev calls Kate “Angel” or “Babber”. They absolutely adore one another.
For them, their wedding wasn’t about one day — it was about bringing people together. A whole weekend of eating, drinking, dancing, lounging, laughing, and doing it all again. Their mission was clear: fun, diversity and comfort.
They hired a farm in North Devon for the weekend. Their ceremony took place in the old stable block, with around 300 friends and family crammed joyfully into the space. The ceremony told their story — how they met, how they fell in love, and why marriage mattered to them.
Their vows were full of humour and heart. Kev promised to reach all the high-up things. Kate promised to tackle the fiddly jobs his gargantuan hands struggle with. They honoured loved ones who couldn’t be there by name, setting aside Kate’s Dad’s and Kev’s Mum’s favourite tipples.
We sang Happy Together by The Turtles. We laughed. We cried. And towards the end of the ceremony, Kate and Kev turned to their guests and asked them — each in their own way — to support their marriage and the promises they’d made.
With full-hearted gusto, 300 voices roared back: “We will.”
Moments later, as they kissed and walked back through their people, the space erupted — cheers, applause, and a glorious storm of colourful confetti.
Afterwards, guests spilled out into the gardens for drinks, canapés, music and lounging in the sunshine. The feast and speeches followed in a marquee, and once the early hours hit, the soundtrack shifted to Kate and Kev’s true love language: drum and bass.
Guests slept in the house or camped around the gardens. Kate and Kev spent their wedding night in a treehouse. The next day began with breakfast, stories, photos, and Bloody Marys for the weary — and for those who stayed, the glow lingered well into Monday.
And here’s one of my favourite parts of their story.
Kate and Kev chose not to complete the legal side of their marriage on their wedding day. Instead, they saved it for their first anniversary — paper anniversary — deciding there was no better time to go and collect their marriage certificate. A quiet, intentional act that reflected them perfectly.
They later set off on a mega-moon, travelling the world to visit loved ones and explore East Asia and South America along the way.
Full disclosure: I was not yet qualified when I married them. I’m a close friend of Kate’s brother and very much one of those “adopted family” members. What started as an idle suggestion grew into something none of us quite expected.
Kate and Kev saw something in me that I hadn’t yet recognised in myself. They wanted my natural curiosity, care and deep appreciation of relationships to be the voice of their marriage.
And here I am.
Cheers, my lovelies — and thank you for everything