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Issue 621
Couple jilted 09 - 15 Sept 2011
by Jack Troughton MARIE AND Gary Mead made it to the church on time for their wedding ceremony – but the priest failed to turn up. The newlyweds – they were actually married in Las Vegas – had promised family and friends a more traditional service and had arranged a blessing at the romantic Las Alcazares church. With 74 guests heading for Murcia from the UK and Spain, Marie and Gary carefully planned their big day and a 10,000€ celebration to remember by the sea on 25th August. The invitations had long since been sent out, transport arranged to the church and onto the reception, a photographer booked, dresses fitted for the bride, bridesmaids and flower-girl, and the wedding cake ‘imported’ from England. Marie and Gary had even learnt their responses in Spanish to make the blessing more authentic, were given permission to play a little
Elvis Presley in church, and had taken the priest’s advice to delay the ceremony until 6pm when it would be cooler. However, they got to the church only to find it locked. What happened to the priest remains a mystery even though the couple watched him highlight the date in his diary. COMEDY And referring to a hit television comedy, Gary told RTN: “We think the vicar was still in Dibley.” The couple live in Bristol but have a villa at Mil Palmeras and because other members of the family own Spanish properties decided to have a blessing by the Mediterranean. Marie said: “In the end you just have to laugh but it was unbelievable. We were both married before so could not get married in Spain so we thought why not have a blessing here. “We actually did an Elvis quickie in Las Vegas but did not have any family wedding pictures so thought we would do it properly – my sister was
devastated when we got married in the States so I promised we would arrange something here. “I could not believe it when I pulled up in the car and everyone was standing outside – at first I thought I had better go around again just like in the movies.” She added: “At church they just said the priest had gone. It was disappointing because I know we were already married but you want your husband to see you walk down the aisle.” IDEAL Marie said friends had their marriage blessed at Las Alcazares last year and she and Gary thought it an ideal place for their celebration. “And with people travelling a long way we thought it would be nice to hire a coach and take them round to see a bit of Spain,” she said. “We went to see the priest and he asked if we wanted an English vicar and we said ‘no, because this is Spain’.” Continued on page 3