Why this UK man and Ukrainian refugee have Google Translate to thank for their wedding

Vira and Luke got married after three months of dating. (Representational)

A British man managed to woo a Ukrainian refugee and marry her after three months of dating despite not knowing her language thanks to Google Translate.

When Vira Klimova fled war-torn Ukraine with her teenage daughter, she had to choose among a few countries where she wanted to go. After travelling across Europe, she chose UK where a Moldovan friend of hers decided to be her sponsor. While the 37-year-old out figured all this out, she joined a Facebook group where she started to talk to Luke Dickinson, 28.

But he spoke English and she Ukrainian and both of them didn’t know a word of each other’s language. Then Google Translate came to the rescue. Luke says that while they chatted, every message was translated and he didn’t mind it because he started to like her.

Soon after, Vira reached Bristol in the UK where they started dating soon. And within three months of dating, the two decided to get married.

The couple got married at Bristol Register Office on September 30. A reception at cocktail bar followed.

Vira gave a speech in both English and Ukrainian as an homage to her homeland, that has been marred by war and violence since February this year as Russian forces continue shelling the country.

Vira worked as an accountant in a law firm and had returned home to find her house in Odessa destroyed one day. She took a single bag and fled the country with her 15-year-old daughter Karina.

Google Translate is out of the picture now as the couple are now learning each other’s languages. Vira is also working to get her Ukrainian qualifications converted so she can work in the UK.

While Vira is still staying with her sponsor and friend, she plans to move in with Luke soon.