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Love’s young dream

Jonathon Dillon
19/ 5/2005

MEET the youngest husband and wife in Accrington... five-year-olds Richard Hodkinson and Emmanuelle Ford!

No, it wasn't love at first sight (as far as we know), nor even a whirlwind romance.

The simple fact of the matter is that the young newlyweds were merely the central characters in a mock wedding ceremony at St John's with St Augustine's Church.

They were introduced to each other in the reception class at the church primary school and the wedding evolved out of lessons which are looking at ceremonies around the world.

Staff decided to give their young charges a taste of the "big day" to encourage them to marry someone they love later in life.

The service, which was led by the Rev Trevor Vaughan of Sabden, was made as real as possible, although the vows were altered so the youngsters would not actually be legally married!

The bride, in a flowing white dress, arrived at the church in a flash Aston Martin with her father, Callam, at her side as Richard waited patiently at the altar.

Flowers and balloons adorned the church and other pupils were made up to play the roles of bridesmaids, best man and ushers.

After the service, two pupils from Year 2 sang a duet of Love's Just Like a Magic Penny before the couple cut a wedding cake, made by reception class teacher Heather Throup, signed a pretend register and posed for their wedding album.

Mrs Throup said: "The children understood that if they marry someone they have to love them and it's for a lifetime. That was the serious message but they also had fun dressing up. They thoroughly enjoyed doing it."

Almost 200 pupils and staff were joined at the ceremony by more than 100 parents and several residents of Addison Court Residental Home.

Last year the school organised a mock baptism featuring a real baby.