A LUCKY couple were the first to reach the altar at St Matthew’s Church, Blackmoor after months of uncertain planning.

Sorrel May Wood married American-born Andy Shamel in a ceremony at the Grade II-listed church on August 1 – in a service dubbed “plan-c” by mother of the bride and St Matthew’s Church vicar, Alice Wood.

Sorrel was training to be a vicar at St Mary’s and St John’s Church, Cowley Road, Oxford, when she met Andy, who was completing a PhD in theology at Oxford University.

Originally from San Diego, Andy had previously served as a priest in the United States.

Speaking to the Herald after the ceremony, Sorrel spoke of the “lovely celebration” held for herself and Andy.

She said: “Everyone in the village turned up, and they were waving as I came down the street in the horse and carriage, we just felt really loved.”

The couple had initially planned a lavish ceremony in Oxford – they would be married in the church that they met in, before hosting a reception for 90 people – but their plans were thwarted as the country went into lockdown.

However, as restrictions were slowly lifted, the couple were able to put together a second plan of action, whereby they would get married in the same church, but a reception would instead be hosted in a marquee on the Linacre College lawns, Oxford, where Andy was attending.

But then three weeks prior to the reception the college pulled out – citing insurance issues and continued restrictions on numbers.

Despite this the couple were determined to get married, as Andy had secured a new job as chaplain for Lincoln College, Oxford – but had to be married for his work visa.

“We said right – we are going to move the whole thing to Hampshire,” said Rev Alice Wood, commenting on how the “whole village rallied” to assist the couple.

Members of the community came together in a bid to get the church looking up to scratch – which had just seen months of restoration work after its floor collapse in February – with Alice commenting on how the church “gleamed” on the big day.

Andy’s parents also flew over from the United States and quarantined in an Oxford flat for two months – while other members of his family tuned into the wedding via a live-stream session.

Commenting on the day, mother of the bride Rev Wood said: “It was like a fairytale, everything fell into place.”

She also paid thanks to the community – both those who helped set up, those who joined in to wave, and those who celebrated with the couple after the ceremony.