Choosing love again
A Joy-Filled Vintage Railway Wedding
There’s something quietly romantic about a wedding that knows exactly what it is. Lucy and Colin’s vintage railway wedding was rich in colour, full of family. It was completely comfortable in its own skin.
We’re sharing it just before Valentine’s Day, as a reminder that romance doesn’t have to shout to be felt. Sometimes, it arrives in red lipstick, old trains, and a long walk down the aisle.
Set at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, their day was playful, relaxed, and intentionally shaped around the people they love most.
Photos throughout from Purple Kite Photography
A Platform Ceremony Among Vintage Trains
Unique Wedding Venue
Lucy and Colin were married on an undercover platform at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. Stationary vintage trains from part of the permanent collection framed the space. It’s a heritage setting rather than a working station, and that sense of stillness shaped the day.
The platform offered a long aisle, something Lucy was drawn to early on. It gave the ceremony space and pace, and meant nothing felt rushed. The couple kept the styling simple and sympathetic to the surroundings. A metal moon gate was softened with red and white flowers and green foliage. Vintage suitcases sat at its base while bunting hung overhead in red, green and white. The trains themselves formed the backdrop
“We wanted everybody to have fun and feel comfortable, and all guests were welcome for the whole day,” Lucy says.
With a relaxed start time and room to move, the venue supported a wedding that felt open and unforced.
Personalised wedding
The long aisle allowed space for music to be played properly, including a string arrangement of Gigantic by the Pixies, a song with particular meaning for the couple.
“It is a song that means a lot to us and at 6 foot 6, Colin really is my ‘big, big love’,” Lucy told us.
Small, thoughtful details were woven through the ceremony; from film references to the choice of where the register was signed. With both of their dads no longer here, but united by a shared love of trains and wartime history, the setting carried a quiet sense of connection.
The ceremony ended simply and joyfully, with laughter, a kiss, and Lucy and Colin announcing they would be merging their surnames. From there, the day moved straight on, as they intended it to, with Polly’s Parlour’s ice cream waiting outside.
Red Dresses, Tweed Suits & Throwing Tradition Out
Personal style shaped this wedding, rather than tradition. For Lucy and Colin, it wasn’t about following a rulebook, but about choosing what felt right this time around.
“The second time around for both of us, we didn’t feel bound by wedding traditions, and I decided early on that a red dress was for me,” Lucy told us.
Lucy’s ceremony dress was a sculpted, off-the-shoulder gown in a bold, unapologetic red. A vintage brooch finished the look at one shoulder. Her hair was worn in soft, Hollywood-inspired waves, loose and relaxed, with a swipe of striking red lipstick to match.
“If you can’t dress as Jessica Rabbit on your wedding day, when can you?!”
She carried a simple bouquet of white flowers with fresh green foliage by CK Wedding Flowers
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Wedding Party Style
“Choose a coloured wedding dress and coordinate around that. All of our pictures look amazing as a result of this one choice.” Lucy told us
That early decision set the tone for much of the day. Bridesmaids wore ivory dresses with red rose detailing. Lucy chose them so they worked just as well for younger and older bridesmaids. Fluffy petticoats added movement and a playful, vintage wedding feel, while still reading as cohesive in photographs.
The main man
With seven bridesmaids, a page boy and three adult sons to dress, Lucy kept the palette deliberately tight: ivory, red and green. Matching waistcoats and bow ties for the boys struck an easy balance between comfort and consistency, leaving room for the groom to shine.
Colin’s classic tweed suit and waistcoat, from Walker Slater, felt completely at home in the vintage setting. Deep green tweed, a red windowpane check and carefully chosen red details tied his look neatly back to Lucy’s dress, without feeling overworked.
Film Quotes, Geeky Details & a Wedding with Its Own Script
Film Features
Lucy and Colin’s love of film and television ran quietly but consistently through the day, shaping the details rather than dominating them. They styled the tables with model characters from favourite films. Each was paired with a quote instead of a traditional table name. The seating plan followed suit, using those quotes as its organising principle.
A dedicated cinema carriage reinforced the theme with a movie-night board listing screening times. It felt less like a novelty and more like an invitation, another way for guests to settle in and enjoy the day at their own pace.
Playful entertainment
That sense of play continued with Taskmaster-inspired challenges laid out on the tables, a nod to the venue’s appearance on the show and the couple’s shared love of it.
“Our venue was featured in Taskmaster, and we are fans of the show, so there were tasks on all the tables.”
One challenge involved tiny plastic ducks, quietly appearing throughout the day and captured in candid photographs uploaded to a shared gallery. The result was a growing collection of moments that felt spontaneous, funny and entirely in keeping with the tone of the wedding.
As evening arrived, the focus shifted naturally to the dance floor. A live rock ’n’ roll set from Jukebox Joint Band brought the energy up a notch, especially once Lucy had changed into her swing dress and dancing became the main event.
Good Food, Shared Drinks & Doing It Themselves
Food and drink were kept relaxed and generous. Instead of a formal sit-down meal, Lucy and Colin chose a barbecue from Spitting Pig, with drinks served by Jumping Jockey Bar. It suited the rhythm of the vintage style wedding day and left more room for the parts that mattered most to them.
Behind the scenes, Lucy’s sister Emma played a huge role. She helped with table decorations, flowers, pick and mix, the cake and on-the-day organisation. Much of the styling was handmade, including the bunting, with Lucy doing all the dress alterations herself. Most of the dresses, including Lucy’s own, were bought second-hand on Vinted. It was a practical decision that freed up budget for experiences guests would actually remember.
Purple Kite Photography captured the warmth and vibrancy of the day. Her natural, colourful approach suited the pace and personality of the wedding perfectly.
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supplier dream team
Photographer: Purple Kite Photography
Venue: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
Ice Cream Van: Polly’s Parlour
Mobile Bar: Jumping Jockey Bar
Hog Roast: Spitting Pig
Band: Jukebox Joint band
Florist (bouquets and buttonholes only): CK Wedding Flowers
Suit and waistcoats: Walker Slater
