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Martin Kemp in a black suit and Shirlie Holliman in a cream and black lace dress© Nigel Howard/ANL/Shutterstock

Roman Kemp's mother Shirlie rocked figure-skimming mini wedding dress and golden tan in clifftop photos

The Spandau Ballet star and and Wham! singer got married in St Lucia

Nichola Murphy
Deputy Lifestyle Editor
November 3, 2023
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Martin Kemp and his wife Shirlie have been through a lot in their 34-year marriage, from welcoming two children to the Spandau Ballet singer's brain tumours and even financial struggles. 

But they have maintained a close relationship, even choosing to tie the knot twice to reaffirm their commitment to one another. Rewind to 1988 when the EastEnders actor and the Wham! backing singer first got married in St Lucia, opting for unconventional boho wedding outfits.

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Shirlie was pictured standing at the altar in a fitted mini dress in a classic ivory colour that highlighted her golden tan, featuring an off-the-shoulder neckline, cropped sleeves, a lattice bodice and a bodycon skirt.

She finished off her bright blonde pixie cut with a bow and accessorised with a pearl bracelet, while Martin rocked a mismatched black jacket and white trousers in the seaside wedding photo.

Martin Kemp and Shirlie Kemp on the red carpet© Dave Hogan/Hogan Media/Shutterstock
The couple got married in 1988 and renewed their vows in 2013

They deliberately chose an intimate ceremony, after wanting an escape from their fame. "Our wedding was on a clifftop in St Lucia. It was just me and Shirlie," explained Martin to the Daily Record.

"At the time, I was in the Spandau chaos and Shirlie was part of Wham! and Pepsi & Shirlie. The last thing we wanted was a wedding where people were standing next to you taking pictures, so we got away and did it on our own.

He sweetly added: "For me, it didn’t matter because if you love someone and you want to get married, it really didn’t matter where I was. I’d have done it in a registry office and got on with it because I was in love with Shirlie."

Harleymoon Kemp alongside her parents Martin and Shirlie Kemp and brother Roman Kemp © Getty
Martin and Shirlie are parents to Harley and Roman Kemp

Shirlie later admitted she fell pregnant with her eldest child, daughter Harley, that night. "I fell pregnant on my wedding day. I'm not sure Martin felt ready to have kids but I did," she told Great British Life, sharing she was concerned about her fertility following her endometriosis diagnosis.

They welcomed Harley in 1989 followed by their son Roman Kemp four years later.

WATCH: More celebrities with the most stunning wedding dresses of all time

To mark their 25th anniversary, the couple returned to St Lucia to renew their vows in 2013, with Shirlie choosing a Sassi Holford gown with a lace sweetheart neckline, tea-length tulle skirt and a waist sash with pink flowers.

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She went barefoot for the low-key affair, which saw her husband in an all-white ensemble as they strolled along the sandy beach.

Unlike the first time they exchanged vows, the Kemps chose to share their second wedding day with close friends and family. Shirlie's former singing partner Pepsi was her bridesmaid, while a candid snap shows her daughter looking radiant in a long-sleeved lace white frock.

READ NOW: Martin Kemp reveals surprising A-lister involved in 34-year marriage with Shirlie

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