World’s oldest newlyweds tie the knot

With a combined age of 194 years, George Kirby and Doreen Luckie beat the previous record held by a French couple who had a combined age of 19 years.

British 103-year old George Kirby, left, chats with his newly married wife, 91-year old Doreen, right. at their wedding party at the Langham Hotel, Eastbourne, East Sussex, on 13 June 2015. With their combined ages of 194 years, the couple became the world's oldest newlyweds, beating a previous record that was held by a couple from France, over a decade ago. Gerry Penny/EPAShow less

EASTBOURNE, UNITED KINGDOM // A 103-year-old man and a 91-year-old woman held their wedding in Britain have become the oldest couple to get married in the world.

George Kirby and Doreen Luckie – together for 27 years – looked delighted on Saturday as they tied the knot at a hotel in the seaside town of Eastbourne, southern England, before close friends and family.

The bride wore a white dress with blue flowers while the groom, a former boxer, was dressed in a suit and tie. He was in a wheelchair, bedecked with the logo of the London 2012 Paralympics, after sustaining bruising during a recent fall.

With a combined age of 194 years, the pair beat the previous record held by a French couple, Francois Fernandez and Madeleine Francineau, who had a combined age of 191 years.

Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Ms Luckie said the couple had “no regrets” about not doing it earlier.

“We didn’t want to bother about marriage before but eventually we did it,” she said.

The couple reportedly have seven children, 15 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren between them.

They got engaged on Valentine's Day this year, according to the Daily Mail.

“I didn’t get down on one knee, because I don’t think I would have been able to get back up,” the newspaper quoted Mr Kirby as saying.

Despite the long wait, “friends and relatives weren’t really surprised” by the proposal, Ms Doreen said.

“They knew George and me have been together for a long time,” explained the newlywed.

The couple have not yet decided where to go for their honeymoon, she added.

* Agence France-Presse