The happy couple after seeing Alaska recreated in their SoulPad.

"OK, you've just convinced me to spend a further wad on my wedding day" remarked a resigned Matt Wynne when he contacted the SoulPad offices to find out more about the SoulPad 5000-lite.

Now, we at SoulPad are a soppy bunch and we do love a good wedding. We were absolutely thrilled to hear Matt's groans as he decided to add to his ever-increasing Wedding bill. Not for the sale, but more for the taking part in his big day. OOoooooh! Our first wedding!

Unlike some of the other companies playing a part in his big day, SoulPad didn't feel the need to add an extra 20% at the mention of the word "wedding". Quite the opposite. We wanted to make sure they had the best SoulPad experience possible. We were excited that they'd chosen SoulPad. We sent them some fine champagne to help them on their way.

Matt and Anna had been looking for a "good quality tent, big enough for a double bed and useful as a sociable camping shelter" anyway. SoulPad fitted the bill, and was one of the few items purchased for their wedding that they would get to play with again and again after the event. Both were pleased with the speed at which they could put the SoulPad up and its "good sturdy construction."

Anna recalls: "At the end of the wedding day we had our beautiful new tent to retire to which had been decorated inside by friends with throws and sheepskins, blankets and cushions. They had put in champagne and strawberries, wild flowers, customised pillows and on the 'walls' they had recreated an Alaskan scene from our trip last year with felt bears, caribou and a beaver (SoulPad: some trip!)... we can't think of anywhere we would have liked better to wake up the next morning with the sun glowing through the canvas, and the birds singing. Sounds cheesy - but it really was perfect!

A short interview with Anna reveals more:

SoulPad: Would you recommend others consider using SoulPad tents for their wedding or special occasion? If so, Why?
Anna: Absolutely! You may as well do it in comfort and style! It did look rather beautiful in the field.

SoulPad: Can you tell us what you like bestest best of all about your SoulPad?
Anna: We like good quality things that will last. Like thick canvas and the wooden guy-rope tighteners (SoulPad: slides?), and it makes us feel like more earthy campers being under canvas rather than nylon - we can't wait to try it with a stove inside!

SoulPad: Do you plan to go camping more often now you have a luxurious tent?
Anna: We are really looking forward to making the most of the space and light in the new tent.

SoulPad: Where/when did you meet?
Anna: We met in Brighton, UK where we were both living for some time; in a pub called the 'Black Horse'. I was working on a nearby building site and popped in with some guys from the site to play pool, and Matt had popped in with a friend for an after-gym-pint. They were playing winner stays on. Matt beat all my mates at the pool game, despite me trying to put him off by pulling faces at him! We swapped numbers as I left, and he invited me out the next evening to a friend's birthday meal. Everyone thought we had been going out for ages, so were quite surprised to find that we had only met the night before, and I had been wearing muddy building clothes! We have been together ever since (about 7 years).

SoulPad: Where did you get married? Can you tell us a bit about the venue?
Anna: We got married in Kirkby Lonsdale, in The Lake District in the UK. It's a really beautiful little stone town where Matt grew up. The ceremony was at 'Hipping Hall' and the party was in the field opposite Matt's Mum's house. The farmer (who lives next door) let us use the field with a donation to the local air ambulance. We had a huge, lovely 'Victorian' style canvas marquee decorated with home-made bunting from a friend (made for her wedding out of donated old clothes). We had hurricane lamps for light, lavender and rosemary on the tables and hay bales covered with blankets to sit on.

SoulPad: Can you tell us about the day itself? Some of the most memorable bits that you'd care to share.
Anna: The most memorable part of the day was arriving at the field in our van to a great cheer and running down a long, people and flag lined mat to the marquee, ducking all the way under a tunnel of hands and smiley people. It was so much fun that we ran back up the field and did it again! quite a lot of people were camping in the field for a few days either side of the wedding. This allowed people to explore the beautiful Lake District and reduced the costs for our friends who had traveled up from Brighton, with whom we regularly go camping anyway. Other highlights of the weekend were the preparation and tidy-up; sounds strange but there was such a wonderful community spirit from all our friends that every part of the hard work was enjoyable. We had a crazy wooding team who built the most spectacularly huge campfire. A joy to dance around to the acoustic wonders of our band 'Southern Tenant Folk Union'. We had fresh and fluffy morning pancakes made by real Canadians and the biggest pork pies you have ever seen!

SoulPad: If a nylon tent was to pick a fight with a SoulPad tent, which tent would win and why? (Could happen)
Matt: If a cheeky little nylon dome tried to pick a fight with a SoulPad, the SoulPad would just open up and let him in, give him a cup of tea and some tasty biscuits, and pretty soon they'd be chatting away like old friends."
SoulPad: Right answer. All SoulPads are fluffy, tea-drinking-softies, just like us.

Our thanks to Matt and Anna Wynne for sharing their experiences with us. They are clearly a lovely couple and we wish them much soulful happiness together.