A young couple tied the knot "virtually" at their Bromley home, after coronavirus cancelled their wedding plans.

Lauren Baker, 27, and Ollie Jaye, 29, were supposed to marry at Kent's Cooling Castle on May 1 in the company of 80 family and friends, until the pandemic forced them to reschedule a month ago.

Determined to mark the original date in some way, they were 'wed' in a video-link ceremony by their future groomsmen as family watched on, before exchanging rings and celebrating with champagne.

Bride-to-be Lauren, who works for Southeastern, said: "The strange thing was even though me and Ollie wasn’t actually getting married we was so nervous.

"I ordered a dress that Ollie wasn’t allowed to see until the ‘wedding’.

"The moment came for me to walk in with a bouquet my mum had made for me and a veil saying bride to be from my mum also.

"Nathan made an introduction we said a little speech to one another and then the vows.

"We exchanged rings which are wedding rings as they are engraved with 01.05.2020 and took them off after for the big day in December.

"Everyone cheered and congratulated us as we opened a bottle of champagne."

Lauren and Ollie, a tech manager, have been engaged since 2017, having first met at a party two years before.

The couple celebrated their virtual union with drinks outside their home, as Ollie's mum, the maid of honor, dropped by for a socially distant photoshoot complete with confetti.

"Our neighbours gave us bottles of champagne, wine, chocolate and an orchid," Lauren added.

"One couple passed us with their baby the Dad ran back with a bottle of prosseco for us.

"We really felt the love and for a second forgot about the crazy covid world we are currently living in."

The proper wedding date has been moved to December, a week before Christmas, a date Lauren is "absolutely in love with."

Reflecting on what lessons they have learned as a couple in lockdown, she said: "It's made us realise it isn’t the size of the wedding or things it is just marrying the person you love and having your friends and family with you.

"Don’t worry about the small stuff.

"Plans change and sometimes that can’t be helped but as long as we’re both healthy and happy that’s all that really matters.

"Also we will never forget the value of a hug.

"Giving time to someone is so much more valuable than giving things, and as much as I would like to get back to normal I have enjoyed the time we have spend together in lockdown."