Four more eligible couples:

Ms. Lindsay Burdon (40) and Mr. Gary Hall (33): She has four children Garth, 17, Daniella, 12, and twins Michael and Daniel, aged 10. He has two children, Antonia, 9 and Bethany, 7 who spend weekends with him. They met via a blind date organised by Lindsay’s son Garth. Four of her relatives have died since 2003 in her native South Africa. In case you’re wondering what this has to do with them getting married - he was supportive.

Ms. Leanne Short (29) and Mr. Lee Measor (33): They met 11 months ago. Recently put wedding on hold so she can nurse both her parents with cancer. He lost his father to cancer two years ago. They would like to get married and this would be a way to have all the details taken care of in a trying time.

Mr. Mark Taylor (40) and Ms. Lisa Humphrey (23): The met two years ago in an online chat room when she was bored while checking email.  She is mother to four-year-old son Dylan from a previous relationship and five-month-old daughter Emma who is Mark’s first child.

Ms. Kellyann Boocock (28) and Mr. Mark Facchini (28): They are childhood sweethearts since age 15. They have 2 sons Jaydn, 4 and Ben, 2. Wedding plans have been postponed 3 times, twice for the pregnancies and most recently when Ben accidently flooded the house causing £4,500 worth of damage.

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So far, my fave couple is Short and Measor. They’ve got a practical reason for wanting a wedding with all the details taken care of - though it seems I don’t get a vote, “The best entries will be narrowed down to a final six and a grand final will be held where a panel of judges will decide our winner.”

The Hartlepool Mail is sponsoring a contest for a £10,000 dream wedding.

My first thought was the title is a little too close to Mail (order) bride, probably would have worked better keeping the Hartlepool in there.

Prize includes a reception for 50 at the Staincliffe Hotel (where I got married in September) and night do for 100, hair, spray tans, manicures, tiaras and shoes, men’s suit hire, £500 toward a dress in a specific shop, invites, three-tier wedding cake, balloons, flowers, video and photography, cars to arrive in and wedding bands.

Not too bad, though the dress might cost more and I don’t really get the local obsession with spray tans.

Four couples so far:

Ms. Anita Bage (28) and Mr. Lee Mason: They have been together for 10 years and have a precocious 9-year-old daughter Aimee who wrote the letter to the newspaper. (The cynic in me thinks it’s possible an adult told her to sign her name to it for better odds getting published.) They were planning a wedding in Cyprus but Lee lost his job and Anita thinks her temporary contract is almost up. Also, there was a miscarriage 2 years ago.

Ms. Lynsey Mandry (24) and Mr. Craig Bage (19): They met 3 years ago at a house party. Heath problems are hers, a miscarriage and cancer with two operations to have a tumour removed. She is also mom to a 20-month-old daughter, Jessica. Both are employed.

Ms. Mandy Hurrell (24) and Mr. Steven Metcalfe (22): They met 7 years ago and have a two-year-old daughter, Kaydee. He is employed, she just lost her job. She almost didn’t go out with him because of his age and the night he proposed she thought he was breaking up with her.

Mr. Lee Bown (22) and Ms. Billie-Louise Payne (18):They met in a pub a year ago, he is disabled, suffering from weekly epileptic fits, and she is unemployed.

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More couples will be added. Hopefully the next batch won’t be so depressing. Weddings are obscenely expensive (especially if you have to add the cost of visas) but I still don’t really understand the mechanics of a couple saying to each other “Honey, let’s tell the world about our tragedies, we could get a dream wedding including spray tans out of it.”

Frank Reid, an official photographer of Hartlepool United F.C. There are tons of great photos on his site.

Last link to the Hartlepool Mail story because I like the picture and they called it wonderpants. : )