Jazz star Jamie Cullum picked songs close to his heart when he sang at his own wedding on Saturday at a secret ceremony in the New Forest.

The singer songwriter, who grew up in Hullavington and went to Grittleton House and Sheldon School in Chippenham, wed model and author Sophie Dahl, 32, at the plush Lime Wood Hotel in Lyndhurst.

Despite offers to have pictures of the wedding splashed across the pages of glossy magazines, the couple kept their plans under wraps and invited around 190 guests.

Cullum’s dad John was pleased to have kept their wedding away from the press. He said: “They had been offered lucrative deals but that’s not their style.

“They wanted to keep it as quiet as possible, just for friends and family. There were lots of friends there from school and university. It was quite an exercise but I think everyone who was invited respected the situation.

“There were paparazzi outside but we had pretty heavy security and it was kept under control.”

Mr Cullum praised the recently refurbished hotel. He said: “It was a magical setting and a very nice ceremony.

“Jamie played a few special songs and there was a DJ and dancing into the early hours.”

The couple are now on honeymoon before returning to their home in Buckinghamshire.

Mr Cullum wouldn’t reveal their holiday destination. He said: “They’re in a warm country, quite a long way from here.”

The 30-year-old singer grew up in Wiltshire before studying at Reading University.