NATIONAL television programme The One Show pulled out all the stops to make a Tavistock couple’s wedding day extra special.

From an emotional surprise for the bride and groom to a video message from the bride’s favourite band McFly, Michael and Zelah Stott had the dream wedding they had always wanted despite the pandemic.

Plans for their dream wedding were thrown into chaos due to Covid-19 but Michael and Zelah had always wanted to continue with their plans to marry on August 1 at Launceston Town Hall even when restrictions meant that their wedding of 52 guests was reduced to eight, her father was not able to walk her down the aisle and her mother had to stay home due to shielding.

Producers for The One Show were looking for couples who were continuing with their wedding plans despite coronavirus and Michael and Zelah sent a heartfelt message to the show.

Producers snapped up their story and began with a plan to pull out all the stops to make sure it was a wedding they would never forget.

Their special day was broadcast on the BBC show last Thursday and viewers heard all the difficulties the couple had experienced on their quest to marry.

Restrictions saw the couple cancel their reception, caterer and band — and a week before the wedding fraudsters accessed Zelah’s bank account and emptied it.

‘It felt like everything was crumbling down,’ said Zelah.

‘We managed to look on the bright side of things and the most important thing is going home as husband and wife,’ said Michael, senior assistant at Dartmoor Photographic.

The film crew captured their wedding day and the many surprises — the first surprise saw Zelah’s wedding car ‘break down’ for her to then be rescued by a horse drawn carriage. The second surprise was an emotional one for both Zelah and Michael when, in the registry office, a TV monitor and camera had been set up so the bride’s mother could watch them marry.

But the surprises didn’t stop there, when the wedding party made their way over to Launceston Castle for pictures, they watched a special video from McFly who played their single It’s All About You for their first dance. The final surprise saw the band The Countrymen perform a few songs for the couple in the castle grounds.