Couple heartbroken as dream wedding cancelled after they made a vital error

Charlene Smith, 41, and David Lee Broster, 57, were unable to tie the knot in time for Christmas this year and have been left 'heartbroken' after a crucial paperwork error

A couple have been left "heartbroken" after being told they won't be able to get married on their chosen date - because one of them isn't officially divorced.

Charlene Smith, 41, and David Lee Broster, 57, met in 2019 and planned to exchange vows on December 17 this year. But their plans were derailed after the couple realised they would need a crucial document for the marriage to go ahead. The issue first arose when nurse Charlene tried to marry David, who works as a taxi driver, last year.

David's previous marriage from 1992 to 1999 meant the couple required his decree absolute - the official divorce document - to proceed with their wedding. But when Charlene attempted to locate it, the pair were told it didn't exist.

"We were due to get married in September last year. I was looking for his decree absolute, so I sent a search off down to London to the main archives", Charlene, from Wallasey, Merseyside, said. "That returned no results, so I then sent a search off for them through a private company. They came back with the result that his decree absolute had been refused.

"I did a little bit of investigating, contacted the court that had dealt with it and they said it had indeed been refused" she added. The decree is thought to have been refused due to a paperwork issue in the 1990s. David meanwhile believed he had been divorced for the best part of 25 years.

After realising he was still legally married, Charlene and David last year began the process to ensure he was divorced in time for them to marry by December 17 - the fifth anniversary of their first date, reports the Echo. A decree absolute dated December 11 2024 shows that David's first marriage has now legally ended.

But it arrived past the cut off for them to marry this month. Charlene said: "It doesn't mean our wedding can happen though. It's due to happen on December 17, but we didn't get the divorce in enough time to be able to give notice. On December 17 we've got a celebrant coming to do a celebration of our commitment. In terms of a legal marriage, we're going to do that at some point next year, with just the two of us. It is heartbreaking not to have the wedding."

Opening up about their relationship, Charlene said: "We've been through so much. Not long after we got together it was lockdown. I'm a carer and I had to shield, It was really difficult. Lee was great, he'd go out to do the shopping. He was fantastic with that. With my children, he's been really, really supportive.

"I've got five children altogether, including a stepson from a previous relationship. Not only did he take on my children but my stepson as well." Charlene continued: "It's really difficult to not be able to have that as a wedding day. It's a day that's so special for us, it's a date we met face to face for the first time, it's the day I got into uni. It's heartbreaking. It's a perfect day."

She added: "It's been a bit crushing, particularly for Lee, he's very day-orientated. As soon as that day became that free, we wanted to get married then."