A couple from Wallasey are devastated after learning they cannot get married on their planned date because one of them is still legally married. Charlene Smith, a 41 year old nurse, and David Lee Broster, a 57 year old taxi driver, who have been together since 2019, were set to exchange vows.
Their plans came crashing down when they discovered the unexpected complication. The issue first emerged when they tried to marry last year, as reported by Liverpool Echo. David, who believed he had been divorced since his previous marriage ended in 1999, needed to provide his decree absolute to remarry.
However, when Charlene searched for the document, it was nowhere to be found. Speaking to the ECHO, Charlene said: “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.
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“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.”
It turns out the decree was rejected due to a clerical error in the ’90s, leaving David under the impression he was divorced for over two decades, a belief he held until recently. After discovering that David’s previous marriage was not legally terminated, Charlene and David set in motion the legal proceedings again for a divorce so they could be wed.
They had hoped to have everything settled in time to marry on December 17—their fifth anniversary—but their plans did not come to fruition. As per a decree absolute viewed by the ECHO and dated December 11 2024, David is now officially divorced, though the finalisation came too late for this month’s planned wedding ceremony.
Charlene expressed her disappointment and 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.”
She elaborated on their impending nuptials and said: “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.”
Describing their partnership, 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.”