Here comes the bride - on the 15:52 to Victoria (From Sutton Guardian)

Here comes the bride - on the 15:52 Sutton to Victoria train

12:00pm Wednesday 11th July 2012 in News Exclusive By Matt Watts

Most couples dream of a Rolls Royce or a horse drawn carriage to whisk them from away from the church on their wedding day.

But one set of newly-weds took the 15.52 to London Victoria from Sutton Station.

Rail passengers looked on in stunned disbelief on Friday as John and Amanda Harper, took the train in their bridal gown and morning suit just minutes after getting hitched at Sutton register office.

The couple were even treated to a congratulatory announcement on the station's public address system.

Mrs Harper, 35, said she did not need the glitz and the glamour of a fairytale wedding, as she toasted the big-day with a coffee bought from the Starbucks on the platform.

She said: "We decided we would just do it how we wanted to do it. We thought, 'why spend a fortune?' and it would be fun to do something different."

Mr Harper, 45, who works for cleaning company Chequers Contract Services in Croydon, said: "So many people end up having the same wedding as everyone else. Ours is quite different and we will remember it forever as a result."

"Complete strangers have been stopping us to say congratulations, it's been great."

The couple , who met nine months ago when they moved into a shared house together in Wallington, were heading to central London to go on the London Eye, dine in China Town, then watch the West End show the Lion King - all still dressed in their finest.

Mr Harper said: "You only get to wear it once, so why not wear it all day."

Now living in Crawley, they said they would be treating themselves to a taxi home.

The couple, whose first baby is due in a couple of weeks, had a quiet ceremony, with two friends as witnesses.