Vet bills force pair to change dream castle wedding

Image source, Madeleine PincombeImage caption, Madeleine Pincombe and Shane Dixon-Mitchell chose Warwick Castle for their wedding after Pincombe read about it in a book

A Canadian couple have been forced to change their plans to fly their family to the UK and get married at Warwick Castle, after spending their savings on vets bills.

Madeleine Pincombe, 40, and Shane Dixon-Mitchell, 31, from British Columbia, had hoped to bring their whole family with them when they tie the knot in April 2027.

But when their dog Duke died after being diagnosed with a blood disease, leaving them with an 11,000 Canadian dollar (£5,830) vet bill, the couple had to re-evaluate their dream wedding.

Now instead of flying their family to the UK with their family, Pincombe and Dixon-Mitchell will travel alone.

Image source, Madeleine PincombeImage caption, The couple had to change their wedding plans after spending their savings, trying to save the life of their dog, Duke

"We were going to bring our three kids out, we've two young adult children, working full-time to get into college and stuff like that. So we were going to pay for everyone to go out there" she said.

"And with it being just so expensive, we decided our dog [was] more important than a wedding."

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Published3 OctoberPincombe said she chose Warwick as she had loved castles ever since she was a little girl and had always dreamed of running through a castle in a big gown and dancing the night away.

"As soon as I heard Warwick offers weddings, I jumped to my books [and] started reading," she said.

"I shoved the book in his [Shane's] face and I said, 'we can get married here'."

The couple booked the venue despite never having visited Coventry and Warwickshire before.

Dixon-Mitchell said he was happy to go along with the plan.

"I wanted to give her the wedding she always wanted and I thought it would be a great trip to take our family out there," he said.

Image source, BBC/ Richard SowersbyImage caption, The pair will fly to the UK in April 2027 for their wedding at Warwick Castle

The couple will fly to the UK in April 2027 and spend time at the castle and around Warwick, before exchanging vows in The Mill Garden next to the historic site.

Despite the fact neither have ever been to the UK before, they do have some family ties to the country and hope to rent a boat to explore the River Avon.

"My grandparents live out there, currently in Wigan", said Dixon-Mitchell.

"We look forward to coming out for the first time and seeing them and seeing the town."

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