Couple forced to cancel wedding thrown surprise ceremony by their children in family garden

‘We were absolutely amazed,’ says bride

A couple whose wedding was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak have been thrown a surprise marriage ceremony by their two children.

Kim-Marie Gerrard and Mark Tooth had planned to tie the knot on 9 April but were forced to postpone their nuptials due to the pandemic.

But on what should have been their wedding day, the couple’s children, Louis, 10, and Ruby, eight, organised a wedding in the garden of their home in Cheddleton, Staffordshire.

“They’d set the garden up with chairs when we woke up with teddies on them as guests,” said Ms Gerrard.

“My little boy was dressed in his suit from top to bottom with his shiny shoes on.

“They’d set everything up ready to officially marry mum and dad.”

Ms Gerrard, who works as a nursery manager, added that she and Mr Tooth were “absolutely amazed” by the gesture.

“We had no idea what they were doing until they woke us up and said ‘get dressed, you’re getting married today’,” she added.

In a short video of the makeshift ceremony, Louis is heard welcoming his parents ahead of pretending to ordain them.

“Do you Kim, promise to be Mark’s friend?” the 10-year-old says, to which his mother replies: “Yes, I promise to be Mark’s friend.”

The family of four pictured on the big day. (Kim-Marie Gerrard / SWNS.COM)

“To comfort him and listen to him?” he adds, to which Kim replies: “To comfort him and listen to him, yes I do.”

Then, addressing his father, Louis asks: “Do you, Mark, take Kim to be your friend? To kiss her and cuddle her like a grizzly bear? Dad you had better say ‘I do’.”

Mark replies: “I do”, prompting Louis to say: “Good, you may now kiss the bride. Congratulations.”

The couple are planning on having an official wedding ceremony later this year.

Additional reporting by SWNS