Bogus Couple are Stripped of Wedding Prize
A couple who had entered and won a competition for a £3,000 prize towards their wedding costs have now lost it after it emerged it was a ‘web of lies’ between two friends.
The students who entered the competition for engaged couples gave their ‘scam’ away when messages were posted on the internel social site Facebook.
Charlotte Parfitt wrote about their ‘wedding deception” to Anthony Morcom with a message that stated: “I’ve had like a million phone calls today about our ‘wedding’. I’m still getting media peeps wanting to sell our story. Oh the web of lies we have spun.”
She wrote in another message “Those pics are so funny. I love the one of us looking into each other’s eyes – you look like you might be sick on me.”
The prize included a reception complete with evening buffet and disco with accommodation for the happy couple.
Winners Picked Out Of Hat
The competition had asked couples to descripe their wedding plans and the groom was asked how he had proposed. The ‘winners’ were picked out of a hat during a bridal fair held in the North Gower Hotel.
The pair had entered the raffle just for fun and even posed as the future bride and groom-to-be in the promotional photographs that were taken outside the North Gower Hotel in Swansea, which had donated the prize.
Hotel management were tipped off about the messages left on the Facebook site and after investigating the false claim it announced it was withdrawing the prize.
Giles Baeton, managing director of the 17-bedroom country hotel, said: “To be honest, I think it was a bit of a joke that backfired on them. There was nothing malicious about it and I have no hard feelings. I hope they feel the same way about it.”
Even after posting the messages on Facebook, Charlotte and Anthony insisted they were a real couple.
The couple have been friends since attending the same school together at Olchfa Comprehensive in Swansea and niether Charlotte or Anthonay were avaiable to comment on their bogus wedding plans.
New Winners Over the Moon
There was good news though for Denise Davis, 23 and David Thomas, 25 when they were told they were the new winners of the first prize.
Denise, aged 23, said: "It was a big surprise when the hotel contacted us to say we would be getting the prize. "I saw the other couple win and thought that was it."
When they were told their name had been drawn the second time they were overjoyed when they found out they were to get the all-expense wedding prize of £3000.
David said “we'd already booked our wedding there for September 2009, so we're really happy. Not only are we tying the knot at somewhere we both love, but now we're getting it for free."
After meeting in 2005 the couple knew it was love at first sight and they now have a two year old son, Cameron.
Hotel manager director Giles Baeton said "David and Denise are a lovely couple, and I'm really happy for them."
Cheats don’t prosper and the truth always comes out. To deny one couple a chance in a life time to help towards their dream day is not only unfair, it’s uncalled for and downright unfeeling!
