Coronavirus: 'We had a lockdown honeymoon in our back garden'

Monica and Matt McAllister got dressed up for drinks at home during their lockdown honeymoon

Newly-weds Monica and Matt McAllister's plans for a dream safari were cancelled because of the coronavirus lockdown - so they decided to have their honeymoon at home instead.

The couple had just returned home to Edinburgh after getting married in Ireland when the lockdown was announced.

That meant their plans for a safari in South Africa and Mauritius were called off - but the pair still had three weeks off work.

"Instead of being worried about the trip we had just lost, we thought let's make the most of the time and have our honeymoon here - so that's what we did," said 31-year-old Matt.

The pair went for romantic walks at nearby Arthur's Seat

"I made my wife breakfast in bed, went on romantic walks and pretended to see African wildlife, ate alfresco outside, got dressed up, and had candlelit dinners.

"We even got sunburnt in our garden, just like we would have done on our honeymoon."

During their three weeks together the pair went for romantic walks at nearby Arthur's Seat.

The couple played cards on their garden patio in the evenings

He said: "When we saw a deer in Hunter's Bog we pretended it was an antelope, and when we saw birds we messed about pretending they were lesser spotted whatevers... it was fun.

"We played cards outside in our garden with a cold beer and glass of wine, just as we would have done on our trip.

"We focussed on each other and reminisced about our wedding."

The ceremony was a big family event in Kilkenny, where Monica was brought up. Matt was born in Dunfermline and grew up in Dumfries and Galloway, and the couple now live in Edinburgh.

The pair tried to recreate hotel-standard meals in their own kitchen

Matt had been on a Vietnamese cooking school course shortly before Christmas but had not yet had time to put his new skills to good use.

He said: "We upped our game and cooked nice meals for each other and tried to make them as presentable as possible, as if the meals were at our hotel on the trip.

"We had bubbles and I even tried to make sangria.

"However, it went wrong as I used some lemonade that had gone off that I had found at the back of the cupboard."

Matt is a geologist who usually works away from home for about half the year, while Monica works shifts as a nurse - which means they do not normally have much time together.

Monica and Matt McAllister were married in Kilkenny

"It was certainly unusual but it was so great to spend time together," he said.

"It was a nice opportunity to spend time as newlyweds as we were both off work.

"It just shows you don't have to go away to connect with each other.

"We were holed up in our own little retreat, it was very romantic.

"We were together just like we would have been on our honeymoon trip."