Alina added: 'The head of the registry office asked her to instruct us that we should not appear both in dresses, because in Russia marriage is between a man and a woman, and no other way.
'She threatened that she would not allow us to come in such clothes.
'When I called her, she threatened me with an administrative punishment, saying something about the insult to the feelings of believers, and so on - although we did not marry in church.'
Eventually the registry office 'surrendered' since, in fact, there are no rules on couples marrying when both are wearing white bridal dresses.