A COUPLE sharing a passion for Christ tied the knot eight months after their engagement in the Lake District.

Emilia Salehi and her new hubby James Locke walked up the aisle this summer on August 24 at St Mary’s Church, in Crosthwaite.

The sunny ceremony took place in front of 30 of their closest family and friends, which the couple thanked God for after a year marred by the coronavirus pandemic.

Mrs Locke said: “James and I met at a church in Oxford called St Aldates. I was an intern there and James was attending a service with his mum.

“We quickly felt like really good friends but didn’t start dating until a few years later. “I loved everything about him, especially his big heart, kindness and deep love for Jesus.

Mr Locke said: “I was really attracted to her gorgeous smile, gentleness, kindness, and how obviously she loved God. I’d never met anyone so loving and lovely.”

Mr Locke popped the question after getting down on one knee on Boxing Day last year at Derwent Water.

She said: “There’s a little hill overlooking the lake behind a sculpture of two giant wooden hands where James first told me he loved me and that’s where he also asked me to be his wife.”

However, like many newlyweds during 2020, the pair had to contend with coronavirus uncertainty.

“We chose August 24 as our wedding date shortly after we were engaged. A little while later we were in lockdown and we had to decide whether we would move our wedding date or to keep it,” said Mrs Locke.

“We made the difficult decision to keep the date and reduce the number of guests from 100 to 25.

“At this point weddings were not allowed, but we prayed and asked that God would protect our wedding date as He had done so far.

“Amazingly, a few weeks later the rules changed to allowing weddings of 30 people and we were so thankful to God."

The bride walked down the aisle to a song that James had written for her.

Mrs Locke said: “My younger sister Naomi, gathered my wonderful friends around the world to make videos for our songs during the service, it was so special. We had a lovely confetti tunnel outside where my sister walked ahead of us scattering flower petals.”

The couple’s reception was held at Holker Hall, in Grange, where they wandered the beautiful gardens before their meal together.

Mrs Locke said: “We had our speeches outside. My lovely Dad, Ramin, left no dry eyes in sight and our best man, Pablo, made everyone laugh so much. We ended the day with a gorgeous sparkler tunnel, it was such beautiful and fun day."