Dancing on Ice 2019 contestant Saara Aalto has revealed she married her long-term partner and manager Meri during the coronavirus lockdown. The 33-year-old has shared the details on their "bittersweet" nuptials, which she said were a "spontaneous" decision after their original wedding plans were cancelled due to coronavirus.
Saara, who represented Finland in the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest, announced her happy news on Instagram, telling fans: "HAPPY NEWS!! First of all, we got married and Meri is now officially Meri Aalto… still waiting for the wedding though…"
© Photo: RexSaara Aalto married her fiancee Meri during the coronavirus lockdown
The former X Factor finalist has since told The Sun that for "romantic reasons and practical reasons" they decided they didn't want to wait any longer to legally marry, so chose to tie the knot despite their friends and family being unable to attend due to social distancing measures. Only the wedding officiant was present, and Saara said she found the service more emotional than she had expected despite it being nothing like the wedding she had dreamed of.
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"We were crying, it was really touching - I thought it'd just be about getting a bit of paper, but it was actually really, really nice," Saara said. "We both started crying at the same time - at the end when they ask: 'Do you want to take this person...' it kind of hit me; this is the sentence I've been waiting for."
© Photo: RexSaara competed on Dancing on Ice on 2019
While they are now legally married, Saara said that she and Meri are still planning a big wedding celebration once the lockdown is over, and she has saved her actual wedding dress for the occasion.
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Saara is not the only star whose wedding has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic; Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi have postponed their royal wedding, which was due to take place on 29 May, while the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Katy Perry have also revealed their wedding plans have been cancelled.
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