Pelsall church famous for TV wedding wants happy couples to help celebrate special anniversary
Love is always in the air at this time of year, but the vicar of a Pelsall church which became famous on national television in the early 1990s is hoping to celebrate the sanctity of lasting matrimony later this year.
To mark the 180th anniversary of St Michael & All Angels Church, special services and events are being held, including a wedding fair in October where couples who have been married there over the years will be invited back to tell their stories.
One couple who did just that were Sue and Alex Tatham who met on the popular Saturday night television dating show Blind Date in 1988. They said 'i do' at the church three years later, watched by 18 million people with host Cilla Black also attending the wedding.
Around 5,000 well-wishers gathered outside the church when Sue, whose parents lived in Pelsall, and Alex tied the knot, hoping to catch a glimpse of them and their celebrity guest. In 2021 they celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary and last year they went viral on TikTok after they were approached in the street in London and asked where they met by an interviewer.
Vicar at St Michael's Rev Allison Morris, who has married many couples at the church over 15 years, said 2024 was a special year for all the church with plenty of celebrations around the 180th anniversary including celebrating the institution of marriage.
She said: "Despite the changing times, marriage is as popular as ever it seems. There are all sorts of places where people can get married now from register officers, to stately homes, beaches and locations abroad, the choice seems to be endless but church weddings will never go out of fashion.
"We are looking for the couples who have been married here, with one weekend dedicated to them. We are trying to find the longest living married couple but all are encouraged to get in touch.
"Our intention then in the autumn is to hold a special church service for all couples so they can affirm their vows and to celebrate their marriage together. This will also coincide with an Autumn Wedding Fayre over the weekend of October 19 and 20.
"Sue and Alex got married here all those years ago and are very happy still after 33 years. The wedding was before my time here but I know how big an occasion it was – I am in touch with them and their families and we hope they will be able to come back for the celebrations."
Any couples who got married at St Michael's or want to renew their vows there, or to register for the wedding fayre, can contact the parish office on 01922 685 666.
