Shoppers stunned as bridal procession makes its way through Diss high street

Shoppers could not believe their eyes this week as a tractor, flanked by two motorcycles, made its way through the high street – towing a bride and her bridesmaids.

Maria Groves, née Clarke, decided to celebrate her big day in style on Wednesday with a bridal procession through Diss town centre before tying the knot to Ricky Groves at the Park Hotel.

The couple of self-described ‘petrol heads’ organised for Maria and her three bridesmaids to be sat in the back of a trailer as a tractor drove them down St Nicholas Street, then Mere Street, before arriving at the wedding venue in Denmark Street.

Two vintage Outrider motorcycles, driven by Mr Groves’ friends Martin Cossey and Mark Cocks, escorted the group as shoppers looked on in amazement at the impressive display.

“Maria wanted something unusual to get married in,” said Mr Groves, who works as a truck driver.

“We have a friend who owns a tractor with a people-carrying trailer, so we asked him if he could drive through the town centre for us, which he was happy to do.

“My two sons were groomsmen, so I had to put my friends Martin and Mark on the Outriders as heavies, to protect everybody.

“Plus, both of them are mechanics, so if anything broke down, we would be okay.

“Looking back, everything went exactly as it should.

“It must have been an eye-opener for some people,” added the father-of-four, who is also a step-father to Maria’s two children.

The couple, who have been together for six years, had initially planned to get married on Valentine’s Day, but were prevented from doing so by the pandemic.