David Smith, who has just months to live, marries Katy Harris

Photo: Ric Latham Photography

Katy Harris and David Smith with their son Danny on their wedding day

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Katy Harris, from Whitworth, and husband David Smith married at the Broadfield Hotel on 13 November, with 80 close friends and family, thanks to help from charity Gift of a Wedding.

The couple, who have a four-year-old son, spoke of their heartache when David was told he has months to live after battling a brain tumour for five years.

Thirty-four-year-old David Smith wed Katy Harris after the charity helped them organise the big day by asking for donations of flowers, a wedding cake, a live band and even a dress by local businesses and members of the public.

The newlyweds, who live in Portadown, County Armargh, met 11 years ago when Katy, who was working in a call centre, cold called David in the hopes of selling a mobile phone contract. The pair hit it off straightaway, soon after their first date in Katy’s hometown Manchester Katy moved to Northern Ireland to live with David.

In 2010, David found himself ‘lost’ in his own kitchen and began suffering from severe headaches. Weeks later MRI scans revealed David had an 11cm-long brain tumour and had to undergo lifesaving surgery.

After a gruelling course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the tumour stabilised, but in March this year, after a second operation, David was told the cancer had spread to the other side of his brain and is now terminal.

The couple contacted charity Gift of a Wedding, who appealed to local suppliers for donations of a wedding dress, a photographer, cake, a live band and even organised their big day for them.

David said: “I had my first operation in 2010 and the tumour was stable for a while, but in October last year we were told that the cancer had spread, and in March my mum and Katy were told that six months is my limit.

“It was my dying wish to marry Katy.”

Katy, 34, said: “We don’t know how long we have left together, but it is so important to us that our son Daniel knows that his mummy and daddy loved each other very much.

“Our son Danny has been our light throughout all of this. I want to show him our wedding photos when he gets older and I want him to know how happy we are together.”

Patricia Harrison, founder and chair of Gift of a Wedding, said: “There are no words to describe how honoured we feel when we are asked to create dream wedding days for couples battling terminal illness, who have been given the Gift of a Wedding.

“David and Katy challenged us to create a dream Irish themed wedding, based on a good luck theme. It really was a pleasure to put their day together with the help of some of the UK finest wedding suppliers.”