Mary and Joseph spring wedding surprise at Cumbrian nativity

David Blamire and Chrissie Armstrong get married during nativity service Credit: Diocese of Carlisle

A couple playing Mary and Joseph in a West Cumbrian church nativity left the congregation in shock after springing a surprise wedding.

David Blamire and Chrissie Armstrong decided that they wanted to get married during the special Angels and Shepherds Nativity service at St James’, Whitehaven, yesterday.

And to top off the nativity family affair, their seven month old daughter, Daisy, was baptised as well as ‘playing’ the part of the baby Jesus in the Nativity Tableau.

The Rev’d Robert Jackson, Priest-in-Charge of St James’ Whitehaven, was one of the few people in on the secret.

He arranged for the couple to be married under licence, meaning wedding banns did not have to be read out in the weeks leading up to the surprise ceremony.

And he also helped stash Chrissie’s wedding dress in the church vestry, meaning she could get changed quickly before the ceremony.