Disease forces couple to cancel wedding

A young couple have called off a sponsored wedding after the bride-to-be was diagnosed with a severe form of arthritis.

Sandra Crisp, 28, and her partner John Taina, 24, were due to marry in Mangere next April in a wedding that had attracted sponsorship of goods and services valued at $12,000.

But their wedding planner, Janet Hannah, contacted sponsors and media yesterday to say it had been cancelled.

Because of the arthritis, Miss Crisp had at times been unable to walk or even look after her children.

The pair have four children between them and $20,000 in student loans, so the sponsorship had offered a way to pay for her dream wedding.