Blind Date: Church for TV show's first wedding seeks nuptials stories

The church where TV's first Blind Date wedding was held wants stories from other couples who wed there, as part of its 180th anniversary celebrations.

Alex and Sue Tatham got married at St Michael & All Angels Church, in Pelsall in 1991, after meeting on Cilla Black's classic dating show.

The West Midlands church wants to hear memories of other couples for a wedding fair, in October.

By chance, the fair will fall on Mr and Mrs Tatham's 33rd anniversary.

The Reverend Alison Morris says she remains in touch with the couple who are "still full of the joy and celebration of the day", on 19 October, and they may be coming to officially open the fair.

The couple met in 1988 and tied the knot three years later with presenter Cilla and her husband Bobby attending the wedding at the church. and the service being broadcast on ITV a day later.

Events will include a service of celebrations and vow renewal for those who wish to, on the following day.

"That is just so poignant that we chose that date and low and behold, it happens to be their wedding anniversary date," Ms Morris said.

"They are a lovely couple and they just epitomise and show the love and joy that couples enjoy within their marriage and they were just so overwhelmed by being at Pelsall and having Cilla and Bobby there," Ms Morris, who also got married at the church, added.

"I believe there was over 5,000 people gathered outside, it was an enormous event and service and congregation and people still speak about it, so it's a lasting legacy for Pelsall really."

For the wedding fair, she said they were looking for marriage stories from over the many decades, as well as "the joys and perhaps mishaps" that occurred, she said.

"You can imagine how many weddings over the 180 years, but we're only looking at the last 50 to 60 years of people that are still alive," Ms Morris continued.

"That will cover the war years and, it'll cover the exciting 1950s as we came out of the Second World War and the 1960s, the hippy time, into the soul and reggae of the 70s and 80s.

"So, we're really looking at how people met and and why they chose to come to Pelsall church... and the interesting uniting of two families coming together."

The event was about celebrating lasting marriage, she said, and they hope also to hear from the oldest surviving married couple.

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