Newlyweds' generous act of kindness on wedding day goes viral

One Ohio couple have put their prepaid wedding caterer and food to good use at a local shelter. Photo / Facebook

A pair of Ohio newlyweds turned their cancelled wedding reception into an act of kindness.

After their dream wedding reception was cancelled amid the pandemic, the couple decided to repurpose their prepaid catered wedding feast to be served at a children and women's shelter instead.

In a series of heartwarming pictures shared to Facebook, the couple can be seen arriving at Laura's Home Women's Crisis Centre in Cleveland – complete in wedding gown and tux – and donning face masks and hair nets before proceeding to share their wedding feast with everyone present.

"When Melanie and Tyler's formal wedding reception was cancelled due to Covid-19, they decided they not only wanted to donate their reception food to our guests at Laura's Home, but also to serve the meal in their gown and suit!" the City Mission explained in a Facebook post.

"We pray this amazing couple is blessed immensely in their marriage, and thank them for inviting our guests to their wedding feast."

On August 15, Melanie and Tyler Tapajna were still married in front of their family and friends before heading straight to the shelter, ditching the 150-person reception they originally had planned.

The couple's wedding menu included fried chicken, green beans, salad and mac and cheese.

"It was really either have the big wedding or donate the food," bride Melanie told CNN.

"We were actually kind of excited I think more about donating the food than being stressed during the wedding."

The couple happily dished out food, still clad in their wedding attire. Photo / Facebook

More than 130 women and children were able to enjoy the meal, thanks to the newlyweds.

Shelter organisers said they had never seen anything like it before, according to local news reports.

The couple hope to give heart to other newlyweds, whose plans and weddings have been derailed by the pandemic.

"You can definitely give back in times like this," Melanie said.