An Indian-origin couple, keen not to delay their wedding plans despite a strict restriction on the number of guests allowed to assemble under England's coronavirus lockdown rules, are celebrating this week after pulling off a first-of-its-kind drive-in wedding near London. Londoners Roma Popat and Vinal Patel were originally due to get married on April 20 but when lockdown disrupted their plans, they discussed the concept of a drive-in wedding with their wedding coordinator, Saheli Events, almost as a tongue-in-cheek thought rather than a serious plan.

However, what began as a joke became a reality last Friday, when the couple were married in front of a small gathering of their immediate family with the ceremony being projected onto a big screen in a field next door to friends and family seated in more than 100 cars at Braxted Park in Chelmsford. "We're delighted with how both the wedding ceremony and drive-in has gone," said Saheli Mirpuri, Founder & Director of Saheli Events. "This year has been so difficult for luxury Asian weddings and celebrations in particular, but this was a creative way to still ensure that guests felt they were with the couple on the day, and we're delighted to have worked with so many amazing suppliers to bring everything together," she said.