Norwich couple beat lockdown deadline to get married, despite bride's dress getting stuck in escalator

  • Watch an extended interview with Sam and April


A couple from Norwich managed to beat the lockdown deadline when they were offered the chance to get hitched in a last-minute ceremony in London.

Sam and April Dennington had originally planned to get married in New York in September, but the impact of the pandemic meant they had to change their plans.

Following the setback, they decided to reschedule for London on November 10, but it looked for all the world that they would be left disappointed again after Boris Johnson announced that the country would be heading into a second lockdown on November 5.

The dress stuck in the escalator. Credit: Darina Stoda

However, on Tuesday afternoon, they received a call out of the blue saying that they could get married in Westminster on Wednesday, the day before lockdown, provided they could get to the venue for 8am that morning.

In the end, they did exactly that, but not without a few problems along the way.

"We decided to tube to the venue and we were just getting off the escalator at an underground station and my dress got in the last step on the escalator," April explained to ITV News Anglia.

"I was stuck, I couldn't get off! People were trying to get the dress out for me and we had to stop the emergency stop button to stop the escalator!

"The Transport for London staff came to help. One lady had a pair of scissors and said she wanted to cut the dress out, but another man said 'No, we're not cutting this dress, we'll get you out'. In the end, they had to reverse the mechanism on the escalator to release my dress!"

Sam and April had a brilliant wedding day in London - in the end! Credit: Darina Stoda

The drama on the escalator, as well as the rest of the day, was captured by wedding photographer Darina Stoda who set off from her home in Wisbech at 3am to make it.

Despite the hiccup at the tube station, the remainder of the day went smoothly, and Sam and April say they're looking forward to going on a honeymoon at some point in the future when the travel restrictions are lifted again.

"We'd like to have one (a honeymoon), but Boris will probably cancel it," Sam joked.

April added: "Maybe when we can (have a honeymoon), it probably won't be for a while though!"