MARRIAGE, music and flowers formed the basis of this year's flower festival at Minehead Methodist Church.

Local residents were joined by tourists to take a closer look at the 15 displays, each of which represented a different part of marriage celebrations.

The displays even featured four wedding dresses and a bridesmaid dress belonging to members of the congregation and their families.

These were used in different displays to depict the bride and groom, while other displays featured a top hat and a lady's hat, a wedding cake made by Jenny Halstead, wedding music and one called 'Water Into Wine', which included the minister's vestments.

There were also three displays dedicated to anniversaries - silver, ruby and golden.

The church was decorated as if a wedding was about to take place and music was provided by a rota of organists, arranged by Keith Halstead.

Mr Halstead also played at a Saturday evening concert during the festival called 'Music for Midsummer', while the Rev Douglas Jones focused his Sunday service on the theme of 'the beauty that surrounds us'.

This was followed with an evening festival songs of praise led by Julia Boswell.

Pictured at the festival are Minehead couple Brian and Ann Bodley whose wedding at the Methodist church on September 22 1955 was one of the first to be officially recorded in the marriage register after the church received a licence to conduct weddings.

Photo: Steve Guscott.