LONDON: After three postponements to their wedding plans due to the strict lockdown restrictions, Dr Nur Amalina Che Bakri and Alexander Charles were finally pronounced man and wife by Imam Sheikh Faid M Said in a brief but poignant ceremony at the Central London Mosque on March 31.
The couple, both 33, met during a gathering at a friend's house three and a half years ago.
They became engaged in June last year shortly after Charles who is a director of a software company, proposed to Dr Amalina,
The solemnisation at the mosque near Regent's Park in London took place after a civil registration ceremony at the Southwark Registry Office, a requirement for any marriage to be legally-binded in the United Kingdom.
At both ceremonies, strict standard operating procedures (SOP) were followed, where only six attendees were allowed.
"Alhamdulillah, I am relieved we are able to do the nikah today. We had to postpone it three times due to the lockdown. Eventhough we are only allowed six guests, I am thankful," said Dr Amalina after the ceremony, adding she knew the importance of adhering to the SOP.
The ceremony carried a tinge of sadness as Dr Amalina's mother Sabariah Hassan was unable to attend and share her only child's happy moment due to travel restrictions.
"I would have loved to have my mum here, as that was our initial plan (for the originally planned, but later postponed nikah ceremony in January this year), but the restrictions mean she is not allowed to travel. I was sad that she couldn't be here today with me, but it is what it is," she said.
To make sure that her mother could be part of her big day, Dr Amalina who is a General Surgeon Registrar and Clinical Research Fellow in Breast Cancer Surgery at the Institute of Global Health Innovation, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, shared her big day with her mother via FaceTime.
"I am happy that she could watch the ceremony on FaceTime and that everything went well. Once we are able to go back to Malaysia, we hope to be able to do a reception in Malaysia," said Dr Amalina who looked radiant in a white wedding dress specially designed by designer Cosry from Malaysia.
Recalling the day they met, Dr Amalina said she and Charles "clicked" immediately on their first meeting.
"He is such a smart person, a gentleman, very respectful, polite and intelligent - all the qualities I love in a man."
Returning the compliments, Charles said: "She is incredibly intelligent, a very caring person and very beautiful."
Charles said he was aware that his new bride is a public icon who has well over a million followers on Instagram and Twitter and added he had gotten used to having people stopping Dr Amalina on the streets to say 'hi' or to take photographs with her.
"I think living in the UK, we are not quite exposed to it (Dr Amalina's fame) in the same way as it would be if we are in Malaysia. Of course we still have people coming up to say 'hi' to her and take photos, so I think that's not particularly invasive to our day to day life," he added.
Taking advantage of the warm weather, the couple, accompanied by a photographer, crossed over to Regent's Park to take photographs of the most important and memorable day in their life, with well-wishers who were out enjoying the sun shouting out "congratulations!" to the happy couple.