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A benefits couple who rake in £10,000 in state handouts are getting married live on TV in a £950 budget ceremony.
Andrew Prosser, 43, and his childhood sweetheart Joanna Griffiths, 38, became engaged last year after not seeing one another for nearly two decades.
Now the couple are preparing to tie the knot in a lavish but low-cost ceremony, which will include a £139 dress, a £16 cake and an amateur photographer who has never covered a wedding.
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Benefits couple Andrew Prosser, 43, and his childhood sweetheart Joanna Griffiths, 38, from Cwmbran, Gwent, South Wales, are getting married live on TV in a £950 budget ceremony
The couple are preparing to tie the knot in a lavish but low-cost ceremony, which will include a £139 dress, a £16 cake and an amateur phot ographer who has never covered a wedding.
Receiving £800 in state benefits, the pair have had to take out hundreds of pounds worth of loans - which includes 20 per cent worth of charges - so they can pay for their dream wedding.
But their limited budget hasn't stopped the pair splashing out on some luxury items - including their own sunbed so they can look their best on the day.
The couple, from Cwmbran, Gwent, believe the benefits they receive are not enough and that the government should increase handouts in line with the cost of living.
Ms Griffiths - who became one of Britain's youngest grandmothers five years ago - said: 'I'm marrying the man of my dreams and I want the wedding of my dreams but you can't if you can't work. I just want to get as close as possible on the budget we've got.'
In order to keep the costs down, Ms Griffiths - who first claimed benefits when she fell pregnant at 15 - is wearing a dress from China, which they managed to pay for after a win at bingo.
She also plans to wear a £3.50 necklace along with glittery canvas trainers - which she has decorated with diamantes and ribbons - which she bought on eBay.
Mr Prosser, who stopped working as a roofer eight years ago, receives 'low level' PIP and carer's allowance of £304 due to his rheumatoid arthritis. He is wearing a hired suit (pictured) for the big day
The unemployed mother also sent the invites over Facebook and bought a cake for £16 from a local supermarket. She will also ice a batch of £1 supermarket cupcakes
The unemployed mother also sent the invites over Facebook and bought a cake for £16 from a local supermarket. She will also ice a batch of £1 supermarket cupcakes for guests on the day.
Meanwhile, a photography student will takes their wedding pictures free of charge, despite having never covered a wedding.
They even extended their scrimping to their hen and stag dos, allowing themselves a £30 budget each.
Ms Griffiths said: 'It's all about getting everything as cheaply as possible but looking as expensive as possible. Hopefully the way we've done it, it will look like any other person's wedding really.'
The couple, who live in a three-bed council house, had dated when the y were teenagers but did not see one another for 20 years after an acrimonious break-up.
The couple, who live in a three-bed council house in Cwmbran, Gwent, South Wales, had dated when they were teenagers but then did not see another for two decades. Pictured: The stag do
In order to keep the costs down, Ms Griffiths (pictured on her hen do) - who first claimed benefits after falling pregnant at 15 - is wearing a dress from China, which they managed to buy after a win at the Bingo
After meeting through a mutual friend in September 2014, the pair got engaged.
In total, the couple now receive £824 in benefits per month.
Mr Prosser, who stopped working as a roofer eight years ago, receives 'low level' PIP and carer's allowance of £304 due to his rheumatoid arthritis.
He sa id: 'When I had to sign on, I did find it really hard. To swap bodies with someone so I could go back to work... I would do anything for that, I would sell my soul.
'I was doing everything with my hands and now I can't even use a screwdriver to undo a plug.'
Between them, the couple have six children and two grandchildren, making Ms Griffiths one of the country's youngest grandmothers
They also have joint ESA of £264 per fortnight, while they also receive child benefits and child tax credits for Joanna's 16-year-old daughter, Georgia, and Georgia's nine-month-old daughter, Mya, who live with them.
Between them, they have six children and two grandchildren, making Ms Griffiths one of the country's youngest grandmothers.
She says she has tried to find a job but that there are no opportunities in their town.
'The industry in this town has completely gone,' she tells the programme. 'There was a job going at a pound shop and 300 people applied.
'I took my age off to see if that at least got me a foot in the door for an interview but there are so many people applying for the same jobs.'
Source: The Great Big Benefits Wedding: Couple who receive £10,000 in state handouts to marry live on TV in £950 budget ceremony
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