TEARS pooling in their eyes, a Tamworth couple has spoken of being overwhelmed by the extraordinary community effort to make their wedding dreams come true after the groom was diagnosed with cancer.
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Stephen Woods and Angela Montgomery, who have five young children, don’t know how much longer they have together after Mr Woods was diagnosed with stage four adeno carcinoma.
A doctor this week told Mr Woods to “make memories” as soon as possible.
With time running out, the couple brought forward their wedding day to next Saturday, November 1.
In a breathtaking show of community support, family friend Julieanne Crosby sprang into action on social media to organise the wedding of their dreams and within six hours everything from a honeymoon suite to a celebrant was offered from family, friends and people they didn’t even know.
“The budget is free, zero or borrow,” she said.
“They don’t have any funds for this, as it wasn’t on the plan, but we have a photographer, the honeymoon suite, hairdresser and nail technician, possible chef depending on the function centre, offers for wedding cakes, wedding cars and all this after just posting on the Tamworth and Gunnedah Facebook pages.”
Ms Montgomery will even wear Mrs Crosby’s wedding dress.
Mr Woods proposed to Ms Montgomery about a month ago, before they knew their time together was limited. Mrs Crosby said Mr Woods was Ms Montgomery’s first love and only boyfriend.
“These are their memories and the children’s memories,” she said.
Angela’s mother, said the children were very excited about their mum and dad’s big day.
Mr Woods discovered the cancer when he went to the doctor after injuring his back at work and was suffering pain in his back and left side.
The couple has been together for 15 years and have five children ranging in age from five to eleven years old and Mr Woods has a son, Michael, 23, who will be the best man.
“The children are devastated their dad isn’t going to be around much longer,” Ms Montgomery said.
Mrs Crosby said they still needed a few things including flowers and decorations, maybe a wedding arch or a beautiful garden for the ceremony, flowergirls’ dresses, invitations printed and table decorations with 30 people invited.
To get the wedding together in such a short time, Mrs Crosby’s four daughters Allison Denman, Kimberly Berry, Kayla Crosby and Anna Crosby are helping out.
Mrs Crosby said she had been overwhelmed with offers, with one lady creating chocolates for the tables and another making cupcakes for dessert in the purple, white and mauve theme of the wedding.
Anyone wanting to donate services or items for this memory-making project, contact Mrs Crosby through the Facebook page “Angela and Stephen’s Wedding”.