They thought the benches along Brighton’s promenade would make a perfect spot for a wedding picture after tying the knot in the city’s bandstand.

A polite couple already resting on the seat offered to move to make sure they did not spoil the picture – but newlyweds Kat Rose Cunningham and Mark Baldwin, now Mr and Mrs Baldwin, asked them to stay.

The result was this poignant photograph, the two couples at either ends of their married lives, under the shelter held up by pretty turquoise iron work.

But the moment captured on camera became even more poignant when the older couple confessed to be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

The photographer, Heather Shuker, who lives in Brighton, said: “I wanted the couple to stay initially as they looked like such a lovely couple – they had been watching the wedding from afar and were congratulating the newly weds.

"When I asked if they were married the husband responded proudly: ‘Yes we've been happily married for 50 years’.

“This made the moment perfect, as I love photographing life as it is.”

But the identity of the older couple is unknown and Heather is searching for them. The 42-year-old added: “I loved the serendipity of the moment, moving forward into the future it’s a lovely sign and denotation to what marriage means, when couples make those promises, they make them for life.”

The Baldwins, from Marden in Kent, who married on August 31 and are currently enjoying their honeymoon in New York, said: “Brighton is our favourite place in the world.

“For us, it's a more colourful Camden on the sea, with such a wonderful mix of welcoming, happy people from all walks of life.

“Most importantly, it's where we fell in love, and we were so happy to share our everlasting love affair with each other and Brighton, with all our closest friends and family.

“An utterly perfect day.”