A SOUTH Lakeland wedding became a real family affair - with a parish church's vicar performing her own daughter’s ceremony.

Angela Whittaker, priest-in-charge of St Mark’s Church in Natland, officiated at the wedding of her eldest daughter Aimee, 23, as she married Matthew Lynch, 27, in front of 200 guests.

“It was a lovely day, very exciting and very busy," said Mrs Whittaker. “My eldest daughter was getting married and I was also performing the ceremony. It rained but it didn’t dampen our spirits.”

The ceremony was the first time Mrs Whittaker had officiated the marriage of a relative as well as it being the first wedding of one of her children.

“Aimee asked me to perform the ceremony," said Mrs Whittaker. "I never expected her to ask me to do it but I felt very honoured. I thought I was going to cry through the entire ceremony. She was my baby and suddenly she’s all grown up.”

Aimee’s siblings also took part in the ceremony as her brothers Matthew, 19, and Micah, 8, were pageboys and her sisters Katie, 17, and Sarah, 14, were bridesmaids.

The groom’s family also participated in the nuptials with Matt’s parents, Mike and Jeannie, reading out the prayers and his brother Steve acting as the best man.

Aimee said: “It was amazing, it was so wonderful. It was really special because mum was able to come to the hairdressers' in the morning and see me get into my wedding dress. She didn’t miss out because she did the ceremony and she also got to be the mother of the bride.”

After the ceremony there was a reception at Kendal Golf Club for 130 members of the families and their friends.

Aimee is currently training to be a vicar and said: "I could be performing my own baby’s christening. That would make another story!”