To wonder what is wrong with the world

[Alibelle]

A few days before our wedding and we receive a call from the vicar to advise that the beautiful country church along a quiet sleepy lane where we were to be married has been viscously attacked by vandals. All windows smashed, gardens destroyed, door smashed in and so on. It really does make me wonder what is wrong with the world :(

I’m now left with a few days to find an alterntiave venue 😡

That's a bit pants! So sorry to hear that - hope you can find an alternative.

How utterly horrible! I hope the perpetrators are found! Can you put an urgent request out for help to repair the damage ? In cases like this most people would be very willing to help...you never know you may get things sorted in time ?

Yick. Could you go anyway and get wedding guests to donate or help replant the garden?

Sorry to bring this up but don't you have to give 28 days notice of intent to marry which includes the venue where you will marry? I don't think you can just change venues like that (although you might be able to get special permission from the senior registrar?)

I think you would be better trying to rally the parish troops to get essential repairs done then have your ceremony at the church and go elsewhere for photos.

Sorry about this. It's shit. No excuse for wanton destruction by pathetic shits.

Oh no that's awful. Who would do that to a church?!!

Is there a village hall perhaps the vicar wouldn't mind performing the ceremony in?

It really is terrible. Obviously I’m sad for myself but also the church was used by so many. It’d be terrible wherever it happened but it’s in such a nice quiet area so far out of the way from any drinking establishments etc, it had to be a pre planned attack. Allegedly it was a group of teenagers who have also damaged the headstones there and were about to graffiti the church as the police arrived.

The community have rallied round (including my family) and are working on trying to get the church safe at the moment as there is broken glass everywhere and various other damage making it unsafe. The vicar is trying to do all she can as apparently under exceptional circumstances, special arrangements can be made but I’m just waiting to hear at the moment.

Just so devastated!

Oh no, how horrible Especially destroying the gardens, as even if the rest can be repaired quickly the plants will take a long time to grow back. Did the police manage to catch the vandals?

Yes they were caught as they were their for quite some time.

There nor their!

How would you feel about getting married there anyway, in defiance of the vandals? You say people are helping to clear up, could you help too and kind of make the church yours for the day?
It would be a great way of supporting the church as I'm sure wedding guests would be quite generous when a collection plate was passed round.