A pair of paramedics from Muswell Hill are thought to be one of the first couples in lockdown to tie the knot on Saturday.

Stephanie Little and Thomas Martin feared their July 4 wedding would be cancelled due to Covid-19 but the clergy at St Faith’s Church in Lee-on-Solent has widened the aisle so the bride’s father can still hand her away.

Guest numbers have been reduced to 30 from 90 so well-wishers can socially distance. A rehearsal was held over Zoom.

Stephanie, 24, said: “I will miss having all my friends and having a party but working through the pandemic has taught us to appreciate what we have.”

Thomas, 30, added: “It’s not the wedding we thought we would have, but after everything that has happened, we are just so happy we can still get married.

“Being in lockdown together has just made us appreciate each other more, we didn’t want to wait any longer to be married to each other.”

The couple, who work for the London Ambulance Service, met five years ago while studying to become paramedics at university.

Their reception and the honeymoon – two weeks in Antigua – have been cancelled and Stephanie had to find a new wedding dress as she wasn’t able to attend fittings for her first gown.