Couple tie knot on net

The wedding went without a broadcast hitch

A couple eager for friends and family around the world to watch them get married have tied the knot on the internet.

Ravi Ram, 38, and his girlfriend, Mamta Patel, 24, took their vows at a council registry office in Brent, north-west London, on Thursday, before a potential audience of millions.

It is the first time in England and Wales that a registry office wedding has been broadcast live online.

We have all the facilities set up - it is just the cost of a camera

Pascoe Sawyers
Council spokesman

Brent Council, which is offering the service free of charge, came up with the idea because so many of its 1,500 marriages each year involve couples with families abroad.

"It was nice for people who could not get here," Miss Patel said.

Mr Ram said there were lots of family members who could not attend the service.

"Hopefully my sister will have been able to watch it."

Family and friends of Mr Ram, a registered psychiatric nurse from Harrow, north-west London, and Miss Patel, a part-time care worker, watched as the ceremony took place.

Mr Ram's sister, Doorga, logged on to watch the service from the University of Mauritius, and Miss Patel said she has many friends in the USA who would have watched the wedding online.

Brent's chief registrar Mark Rimmer, who conducted the service, said the facility would be a great benefit to couples from abroad.

"I expect this will be extremely popular, particularly as it will be at no cost to the couples getting married," he said.

Online birth certificates

The service will cost the taxpayer virtually nothing.

"We have all the facilities set up - it is just the cost of a camera," council spokesman Pascoe Sawyers said.

Other services will soon be available online from the council, including birth, marriage and death certificates.

The ceremony took place at 1130 BST at the registry office at Brent Town Hall.

www.brent.gov.uk/reg is the council's web address.