High in the sky hitch for couple

Samantha and Colin Bews were married above the Forth Bridges Enlarge Image

A couple who were married 2,000ft above the Forth Bridges in a helicopter have told how air traffic control kept interrupting the ceremony.

Samantha and Colin Bews were married on Friday. They had first met at Edinburgh Airport while plane spotting.

The 25-minute ceremony was conducted by West Calder United Free Church of Scotland minister, Rev Colin McAuley.

Mr Bews, 38, an IT analyst said he and his 32-year-old wife had wanted to make their wedding "a day to remember".

The groom, from Motherwell, who helps out at Lothian Helicopters, said he approached the company owner with the proposal because of his love of flying.

Air traffic control kept talking into all our headphones and interrupting the ceremony, they were talking louder than the minister Colin Bews Groom

He said: "I love flying and I wanted it to be a day to remember. On the day there was torrential rain, it really was like four brollies and a bride, but just as we reached the helicopter the sun broke out, it was just glorious.

"The minister said he was apprehensive before we took off but once we got going he was fine.

"Air traffic control kept talking into all our headphones and interrupting the ceremony, they were talking louder than the minister, but I would still recommend getting married in a helicopter in a heartbeat, it was fantastic and I'm very happy."

The pair then had a reception at Mrs Bews' father's house in Livingston before spending the night in the town's Travel Lodge.

They plan to go on a honeymoon in the future.

Mr Bews said he started talking to the now Mrs Bews by saying he had good pictures of planes and so they swapped e-mail addresses.

Mr Bews added: "We are both of the opinion you only get married once so we wanted to do something unusual."

'Tremendous experience'

Mrs Bews said: "It was such a fantastic experience. The views were fantastic, it really is a different angle to look at the world.

"My nine-year-old daughter, Chloe, was our flower girl and she was up front with the pilot, it was great and she was so well behaved.

"Our friends and family were waiting on the tarmac on our return and backed us all the way when we said we were going to get married in a helicopter."

Rev McAuley said it was a "tremendous experience".

He said: "I have always had a fear of helicopters but I thought I would take the plunge and conduct the ceremony.

"I found it to be a tremendous experience and I would not hesitate to do it again.

"One of the hazards was that we kept hearing the airport control tower so we had to stop and take a breather between them talking but I never had any doubt we would be able to complete the ceremony.

"It went without a hitch and was just quite amazing."