A Brazilian couple whose wedding day was shattered after a hitman walked in and opened fire on guests have told why they decided to go ahead with the ceremony.

Jailton Barbosa, 25, and his 18-year-old bride Christina said they were 'trying to make the best of a bad deal' after gunman Humberto Ferreira Santos, 52, wounded three people as they were preparing to walk down the aisle earlier this year.

The pair say they do not regret pushing on with their vows, but were upset when around half of their guests failed to show up at the wedding party because 'so much food was wasted.'

Jailton Barbosa, 25, and wife Christina, 18, were moments away from tying the knot in January when a gunman walked into the church and shot three of their guests in a failed revenge killing

Despite the tragedy, Mr and Mrs Barbosa decided to go ahead with the ceremony, saying they were 'trying to make the best of a bad deal'

Chilling wedding footage shows gunman Humberto Ferreira Santos, 52, following a bridesmaid and a groomsman down the aisle moments before his attack

Wedding video captured the chilling moment Santos followed a member of the bridal party and a groomsman into the church before pulling a gun from his waistband and firing toward the front of the church.

Mr Barbosa was standing just inches from the victims when the attack took place while Christina was outside the church, awaiting her big entrance.

Mr Barbosa, a businessman, said: 'In just a few terrible minutes, our lives were turned upside down by a madman who tried to murder our relatives in front of us.

'When the gunman opened fire, it was one of the most frightening and chaotic moments in our lives.

'My mind went into a whirl. I couldn't get my head around what had just happened.

'I remember hearing the shots, grabbing hold of my mum and pulling her into a room and then rushing over to help those who were injured.'

Cristina was hurried back into the bridal car and locked in for her safety.

After the attack, Santos turned on his heels and walked away, leaving a scene of devastation behind him.

Mr Barbosa added: 'I ran and cradled my uncle in my arms. He had been shot several times and I kept talking to him and trying to comfort him.

'I helped him out of the church into a car and he was rushed to hospital. I did the same for my cousin and his wife who had been grazed on her arm by a bullet.'

Mr Barbosa and his wife were then giving drugs by a medic in order to calm them down while they awaited news about the wounded - Cicero Barbosa da Silva, 62, his son Edmilson Bezerra da Silva, 37, and Edmilson's wife, who has not been named.

After they received word that all three were going to survive, they decided to go ahead with the ceremony, two hours late.

Santos then pulls a gun from his waistband and fires multiple shots toward the front of the church before calmly turning around and walking away

The couple say they waited in the church for two hours after the shooting for word of their relatives, and when they found out all three would survive they pushed ahead

Christina said her and her husband were given medication in order to calm their nerves, and admitted it took all her courage to stand at the altar while the attacker was still on the loose

Mr Barbosa said: 'Our thoughts were with our relatives. But when we heard the injuries were not life-threatening we felt we should go ahead.

'We had planned our wedding day for over a year and we were so excited about sorting out the arrangements for the ceremony, sending out the invitations and organising the reception afterwards.

'To cancel everything would have been like allowing evil to get the better of us. We were innocent in all of this and just wanted to get on with our lives.'

Cristina admitted that after the incident it took all their courage to stand at the altar and say their vows as they were terrified the hitman would return.

In just a few minutes, our lives were turned upside down by a madman who tried to murder our relatives in front of us Jailton Barbosa, groom

She said: 'We are deeply disappointed we only have so few good memories and we find it hard to talk about our wedding day because it was so distressing.

'In the pictures, we are smiling but our hearts were aching.

'We're just hoping the pain inflicted on our family will never happen again and one day the memory will no longer upset us.

'But no matter what we do, we can't change what happened and we can't stop people from remembering our wedding as the one where the gunman just walked in and calmly shot our guests.

'We hope with time people will understand that our decision to go ahead was our way of trying to make the best of a bad deal.

'At the time we didn't know why he did it and we couldn't be sure he wasn't coming back. But I said to Jailton let's get married because someone like that has no right to destroy our dreams.

'What we are determined to do now is to make sure this horrific incident doesn't define our marriage.

Police say Humberto Ferreira Santos, 52, has admitted shooting three wedding guests who he believes were responsible for killing his son and father two years earlier

Edmilson Bezerra da Silva, 37 (left), and Cicero Barbosa da Silva, 62 (right), were both shot multiple times while standing at the front of the church, but survived

'The day started off with wickedness and anger but our marriage is full of love and happiness. These are the things that are going to shape our future.'

Father Marlucio Luiz, who officiated at the wedding, added: 'I had to remain calm and focused for the sake of the young couple. I asked them if they still wanted to hold the ceremony after the shooting.

'Once they had taken a soothing remedy they said they did and we asked God for strength to continue. In the end, everything went as best as it could.'

In the second wedding video filmed at the delayed ceremony, a crowd of well-wishers can be seen at the door of the church as the event finally got underway.

But after news spread that the attacker was still on the loose, around half of the couple's 300 guests did not turn up for the wedding party.

'The hall was practically empty and so much food was wasted. I cried a bit from disappointment and frustration,' admitted Cristina.

'But then I forced myself to smile and to try to enjoy what we had because I knew I was marrying the man I have loved for a long time.'

The accused, who is known as Betinho, gave himself up three days later saying he intended to avenge the death of his son, known as Caca, and his 85-year-old father.

Both had apparently been killed in a double homicide two years earlier, and Santos claims the men he shot were responsible for their deaths.

Christina said less than half of the couple's guests turned up to the wedding party out of fear, and she cried with frustration after seeing 'so much good food wasted'

Despite the tragedy the couple say they are determined not to let it overshadow their marriage, and are now focused on enjoying their lives together

The assailant, who once stood for election as a local councillor, told cops his one regret was 'committing the crime inside the church'.

According to Detective Gustavo Xavier, Santos said in a confession: 'I didn't want to do this. I acted on impulse. I believed the men I shot killed my son and father.

'I tried to get these people arrested but no one would listen to me. I felt that I had fought so hard for justice and got nowhere that I no longer had any choice but to take matters into my own hands.'

The injured were whisked to Agreste Accident and Emergency unit by other wedding guests. Both Edmilson and Cicero underwent surgery and have since been discharged from hospital.

Edmilson's wife, who was sitting next to the men and who asked not to be named, received a superficial wound to her arm and was released following treatment.

Santos has been remanded in custody in the Casa de Custodia jail in Maceio and is due to answer the charges in court within the next few months.