Only witnesses and a City Hall official were allowed into Saturday morning's ceremony in Italy's capital — and everyone wore masks
ADVERTISEMENTNot even a global pandemic could stop one Italian couple from tying the knot this weekend.
Tatiana Datolla and Armanda De Rosa were married on Saturday by a City Hall official in Rome, all of them wearing masks, in a ceremony they had booked a year ago.
De Rosa's family was due to travel from Naples to the Italian capital for what was planned as a big family celebration.
But all non-essential business and activities have been stopped for weeks in the country in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus.
Officials at Rome's City Hall, however, have made an exception for anyone who booked a civil wedding ceremony before the lockdown began.
"I feel a bit down," Datolla said, "but I am happy at the same time because I have been waiting a long time for this moment.
"It doesn't matter, even if we have to do it like this, it doesn't matter."
The couple were wedded at the deconsecrated Santa Maria in Tempulo Church, surrounded by empty chairs.
They were allowed only two guests: the maid of honour and the best man.
Hairdressers and florists are closed so the bride said she did her best to fix her hair and found some fake flowers.
Luckily, she had bought her dress in advance.
"I am sorry about what is happening but what can we do? This is life," she said after the ceremony, before tugging down her mask and kissing her new husband.