A couple have made their love for their favourite restaurant official - by booking it as the venue for their wedding ceremony.

Vicky Fruin and Tim Webb may not have loved the Sevendials restaurant as much as they loved each other but it won a place in their hearts.

Now they have booked their wedding at the restaurant after it became the first restaurant in Brighton and Hove to be given a wedding licence, hot on the heels of other unusual places to tie the knot such as Brighton Racecourse and The Royal Pavilion.

Vicky, from Brunswick Place, Hove said: "We had a look at all the different venues in Brighton but kept coming back to this one.

"Every time I have been here the service has been really good. I started using the restaurant because my mum lives in the area. When I'm not staying in London with Tim I come down to my flat in Hove and like to treat myself.

"When we first saw Seven-dials we both thought the restaurant could be interesting. Then we tried it and had the most amazing meal.

"Tim and I invited our parents along and held our engagement dinner here so it's fitting we should have our wedding here.

"We wanted somewhere intimate enough for a private wedding with friends and family but at the same time we wanted a place with enough atmosphere to have a fun day.

"We had a look at lots of other places but they seemed really ordinary, it was like weddings rolled off the production line.

"We didn't want a traditional, stuffy church wedding and this way our special day will have its own personal significance."

Owner Sam Metcalfe decided to apply for a marriage licence after holding a reception for his brother's wedding last summer.

He said: "I looked around at some of the other places to get married in the city and felt we could do as well, if not better.

"Our reputation is built on the quality of our service and food. When people get married they will be offered that service throughout the day, which means they can just relax."

The relaxation even extends to providing nannies for the day, personal styling, flowers and music.

Mr Metcalfe said: "Modern- thinking couples are moving away from the tradition of holding ceremonies in churches and receptions in hotels.

"The restaurant manager and I will personally sit down with each couple to understand their tastes, ideas, dreams and plans for the day."

Although the wedding is not until December, Tim and Vicky are already bogged down with details.

Vicky said: "Sam and the team have been really open to ideas, which is one of the reasons we were keen on holding the wedding at Sevendials.

"We're planning to have a DJ downstairs and a sitdown meal upstairs. The fact that Sam is prepared to look into things like the DJ and that he has done his own family wedding gave us the confidence that he would take care with our wedding."