AS THE coronavirus crisis ruins wedding plans up and down the country, one couple decided the show must go on.

School sweethearts Ben Jackson and Sophie Austin got engaged in August 2018 and 200 people were due to watch them tie the knot last Saturday.

When the lockdown made this impossible, they gathered all their friends and family on Zoom, an online app which allows lots of people in different places to see each other at the same time, and had the ceremony over video chat.

The couple have been together for eight and a half years after meeting in sixth form.

Sophie, 26, said: “It was amazing. It was absolutely amazing.

“I think it really drew back the sparkliness and extra stuff of a wedding and made it really obvious what was important: the two of us saying the vows to each other.

“Even though we didn’t have everyone here it made it more intimate and special.”

The singer-actress said that she was unable to wear her planned wedding dress as it was at the shop which had closed for lockdown.

The couple have rearranged their big wedding for September but Sophie said the Zoom ceremony was very special.

She said: “We still wanted to make the date significant to us because we had such a build-up.

“Also it was so nice for everyone else to have an online party and see a lot of faces.”

The couple said their vows and declared their love for each other in their living room before sharing some cake.

They were watched by up to 300 “guests” over the internet, all safely socially distancing in their homes.

Ben, 25, who works at the University of Sussex, said the ceremony featured a “real mix” of people... in terms of what they were wearing.

He said most wore suits or dresses, but added: “I know a couple of my mates were wearing their suits but underneath they had their football shorts on.”

The idea came from their pastor, who was not sure if the couple would go for it.

But Ben said: “We just sat there and thought oh that’s a really good idea.

“It’s still real. In that moment we didn’t really notice it, we were focused on what we were saying.”

  • The coronavirus Sussex Crisis Fund has been set up to help those affected by the pandemic. The Argus’s charity and American Express have each donated £50,000 to kick-start the appeal. Grants will usually be for up to £5,000. More information is available at www.sussexgiving. org.uk/apply. To donate visit www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/sussexcrisisfund