A CONGREGATION that had gathered for a christening got a big surprise when they discovered they would also be attending a wedding.

Family and friends of Lucy Whitaker and Andrew Phillips were invited to the Christening of their one-year-old son Frankie at St Mary’s Church, Riccall, last week, but as the Rev Francis Loftus spoke to them, Lucy disappeared. When she reappeared at the back of the church, she was wearing a wedding gown, and Andrew stepped forward to the altar, while the crowd gasped and tears began to fall.

Lucy said: “The vicar suggested it when we spoke to him about the christening.

“We laughed it off, didn’t take it seriously but during that week thought we already have a baby and didn’t want a big wedding, maybe it’s a good way of doing it.”

Lucy and Andrew have been together for four years, and decided to tell only their parents about the surprise ahead of time, with even their best friends kept in the dark until the last minute.

Lucy said: “We wanted to be married, but we weren’t bothered about the wedding, really. Andrew said he’d think about it and the next day as asked. He said ‘I don’t think it’s a good idea... I think it’s a great idea’.”

Alison Day, one of Lucy’s friends, recorded the moment the crowd were surprised and uploaded it to YouTube.

She said the unannounced wedding had caused quite a stir.

She said: “The vicar went to the front and the organist played Here Comes The Bride. Everyone thought he’d gone mad.

“I’ve been watching the video for people’s reactions and it’s amazing to see the shock on people’s faces, and the number of hankies that came out and the number of people crying.”

Lucy said: “People at work keep smiling at me as they have seen the video and everyone’s saying how lovely it is. It’s just about the wedding, not the hype beforehand.”