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Church cuts fees for credit crunch weddings

A Church is offering free weddings to cash-strapped couples desperate to tie the knot without breaking the bank.

St Hild and St Helen’s Church even offers to lend out wedding dresses and morning-suits in a bid to help save on costs.

Donna Swinney and partner of 12 years Alan Davison always wanted to get married in church. The pair, who have been engaged for 10 years, became the first to take advantage of the free wedding service when they tied the knot on Saturday.

Church chiefs at the St Hild and Helen Christian Fellowship, in Dawdon, County Durham, have also waived the fee of the pastor and organist. The offer has saved the couple an estimated £2,000, including the £400-plus charge for the church.

Alan was made redundant from his job as a dry liner with a building company last year and has struggled to find work during the recession.

Donna, who left her job as an administrator to become a full-time mum to Jordan, eight, and Aiden, six, wore a dress borrowed from the church. They also saved cash by making their own bouquets with the help of instruction videos, with the pieces then donated to the church.

The couple, who live in Parkside, Seaham, also saved money by shopping on the Internet for their honeymoon.

Donna, 29, said: “Alan lost his job, so we thought we would have to put it off for another few years. It’s absolutely fantastic what they’re doing. There are so many people out there who won’t be getting married because it’s so expensive.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .