A couple in England who won a contest to have their wedding sponsored by a Bingo company in exchange for product placement on the happy couple, has been denied the use of their parish church. The deal with the Bingo company included displaying the company’s bright orange and blue logo on the bride’s wedding dress.
“It also wanted a small logo on the groom’s suit and on the underside of the couple’s shoes so it would be visible to the congregation when they knelt at the altar.
The stunt is reminiscent of the wedding of Anthea Turner and Grant Bovey, who were famously pictured apparently ‘promoting’ Cadbury’s Snowflake chocolate bar at their nuptials.
[…]When the contest was launched The Church of England said couples should think very hard about having weddings sponsored.
‘It seems like the latest in a long line of themed weddings,’ said a spokesman. ”Presumably at the end someone shouts ‘House!’
‘But it might not be the best way to start out in what should be a permanent relationship.
‘It would be worrying if people decided to marry according to how much sponsorship was on offer.’ Matt and Suzanne, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs, were selected from more than a hundred entries.
Ultimately, even though the couple won the contest, the clergy of the parish church would not allow the service to continue as planned:
‘[O]ur minister is not allowing any photos in the church during the ceremony, it is a sacred place and he wants no distractions, on speaking to him he didn’t approve of gambling being advertised in his church.'”
More here.