Scarborough couple Damon and Tina delighted their wedding can go ahead

Tina Carne and Damon Hotchin booked their wedding for Saturday, July 4 in January – before the pandemic restrictions hit and ceremonies were banned.

Couples across the county have cancelled their nuptials but Tina and Damon hung onto their date in the hope they would be able to go ahead.

Their wish has been granted with ceremonies being allowed once more – from the very day of their booking.

“I’m absolutely elated,” said Tina, 55. “We’re both over the moon. The registrar kept ringing us and asking if we wanted to book a new date. The next date would have been after September.

“We kept hoping it was going to be okay but we didn’t know what to plan.

“We just want to be married.”

The couple will be married at Scarborough Register Office where they will be allowed nine guests.

“We had thought we’d only be allowed two witnesses so this means we can have a best man and my mum there as well,” said Tina.

They had planned to get married on the stage in the upstairs of Scarborough Library which is where the pair met at an acting class.

The couple were often cast as husband and wife, or girlfriend and boyfriend, and eventually art became real life.

They became engaged in Paris in November 2018 and started planning the wedding at the beginning of this

year.

They had also planned a wedding party at the Escape Rooms, which Damon, 42, owns.

Instead, the pair plan to return to their home where they will be inviting friends and family to call by their garden gate and enjoy a socially-distanced celebratory drink.

“One of my neighbours who lives opposite says she had bought a dress for our wedding and she still plans to wear it on the day,” said Tina, who is a conference programme web and media manager.

The couple were booked to honeymoon on the Greek island of Syros but instead will spend three nights in their camper van in the Lake District.

Tina’s daughter is in Australia and one of her sisters is in Wales – where travel restrictions are still in place – so they will not be able to be at the wedding but her son will be giving her away.

The couple plan to hold a bigger wedding celebration in July next year.

“It’s sad that they can’t come but hopefully they can celebrate with us next year,” said Tina.