'All you need is love' - Couple's Beatles inspired wedding photos as they tie the knot during the Covid pandemic

Julie and Gary Docherty recreated the Beatles Abbey Road album cover on a zebra crossing in Jarrow. Photo by Victoria Geldard.

Julie and Gary Docherty had planned to tie the knot surrounded by 130 family and friends at the Clarion Hotel in Boldon on July 25.

But the Hebburn couple decided to postpone their big day as a result of coronavirus restrictions which currently limit the number of guests to just 15.

Instead they rearranged their big day for March 2021 in the hope they would be able to have the wedding they had dreamed of.

Julie and Gary Docherty at Souter Lighthouse on their wedding day. Photo by Victoria Geldard.

But with the pandemic set to continue for the foreseeable future, Julie, 52 and Gary, 56, decided they didn’t want to wait any longer to say their vows.

Julie said: “We had moved the wedding forward to March but then cancelled that and just wanted to get it done.”

The pair married at South Shields registry office on October 17, with just 15 guests, before taking photos at Souter Lighthouse and the zebra crossing in Jarrow in an attempt to recreate the iconic Abbey Road Beatles album cover.

Julie and Gary Docherty had fun with their wedding photos. Photo by Victoria Geldard.

Guests then went home and the couple spent the night at the Gateshead Jurys Inn before going to the Lake District for their honeymoon. They plan to have their reception when it is safe to do so.

Nursing assistant Julie, who met Gary through work more than two years ago, said: “It was an absolutely amazing day [and] having it with everything going on made it even more meaningful.

"Everybody was in tears. It was nice for people to get together for it, although everybody had to do social distancing.

“We had a really good laugh.”

Groom Gary Docherty and his groomsmen also recreated the iconic Beatles image. Photo by Victoria Geldard.

On the restrictions in place for the service Julie said that the registry office had measures in place to ensure everyone kept two metres apart and a plastic screen was in place when it came to signing the wedding register.

But the newlyweds said that the safety measures didn’t prevent them from having an amazing day and urged other couples who want to get married during the pandemic to ‘go for it.’

Julie said: “I would say just go ahead with it, you can have your party later but the ceremony is the most important thing."

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