Couple say a socially distanced 'I do' as Sunderland hosts its first church wedding since lockdown

Lauren Barber, 30, a nursery nurse with New World Nursery in Concord, and Martyn Bell, 32, who drives for Go North East, had hoped to exchange vows back in April.

Now they have become what is believed to be the first couple in the city to marry in a church since the lockdown was eased – with the ceremony looking very different to any before it.

With the help of Bede Tower, chairs were set out so people were grouped in households or bubbles, hand sanitizer was at the ready, masks could be worn and no singing was allowed.

Just 22 people gathered for the short service, which included the couple, registrar Joan Oliver and Jeff Forster, a family friend who led the ceremony.

There were concerns Lauren's dad Colin, 63, would not be able to walk her down the aisle, but he was able to fulfil his fatherly duty when they formed a bubble.

Lauren took the chance to buy a second wedding dress, with the one she had ready for their original date stuck in a closed alteration shop alongside her bridesmaids’ outfits.

But her white dress and their original efforts won’t go to waste, with the newlyweds hopeful the situation will have improved so they can hold a blessing ceremony filled with their friends and family pencilled in for October.

Lauren, who lives with Martyn in Philadelphia, said ahead of the service: “We decided to do the legal bit now, so we just had the legal ceremony inside the church.

“Then we're going to have six people back at ours as that’s what we’re allowed.

“Because of what has happened, we knew there was the potential that we would have to put it off again, so that’s why we went ahead.

“But to be married will be fantastic, we’ve wanted it for ages.

“Obviously, we had no idea this was how it was going to be.

“We only found out we would do this two weeks ago, when they made the announcement, so we’ve been running about getting it all sorted.”

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