A couple re-arranged their wedding in just 48 hours to tie the knot at the 11th hour to beat the second lockdown.
Tony and Kathaleen Daykin were due to get married on November 16 and thought they would “just go for it” following Boris Johnson’s announcement about the new restrictions at the weekend.
After bringing everything forward they exchanged vows at St Margaret’s Parish Church in Ormesby on Wednesday (November 4) at midday.
Under the new rules in force from November 5 to December 2 weddings and civil partnerships can only go ahead in exceptional circumstances and with six guests.
However, under the three-tier system such ceremonies were allowed with 15 people - meaning they had to get in quick.
Mr Daykin, 70, said: “We were getting emails from friends saying ‘just go and do it’ and we even got one from the minister saying ‘you have until Wednesday to get married.’
“We looked at each other and thought ‘we can do it’.
“We had to re-organise the whole thing in 48 hours.”
With the dresses ready to go for two weeks’ time the main issue was bringing everything forward including flowers, cake, cars, photographer, and reception.
Finding a hairdresser at such short notice was one of the main headaches with the stylist at the Caister Old Hall’s on-site salon stepping up, and Jaks in Gorleston looking after the bridesmaids.
At Coplands bakers in Gorleston High Street the cake had already been made, but had to be quickly iced to meet the deadline.
With the reception booked at the Old Hall in Caister Tyrone Harold bent over backwards to ensure they could have a sit down meal on the busy last day before everything shut up for them and their depleted party of guests.
The couple who live in California, near Great Yarmouth, were able to stay the night, but there was no breakfast on Thursday morning - day one of the new lockdown.
Mr Daykin said the experience had been “surreal” but the perfect finale to their “whirlwind romance.”
“Everybody came to the rescue,” he added.
“The timing could not have been better. It all came together and we had about ten minutes to spare.
“There was no last minute panic.”
Mrs Daykin, 66, who is registered deaf and blind, and hails from Niagara Falls, in Canada, said: “At the end of the day it was our day. It was about two people.”
Because her family could not attend from Canada, she was walked down the aisle and given away by one of her best friends, Mick Bennett, who is also blind - his guide dog Usher being perfectly named for his role on the day.
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