Jim Kayes
Merita Donaldson had to see for herself that the church she had dreamed of getting married in today was gone.
It had. The 145-year-old Rangiatea church caught fire at 3am and there was nothing firefighters could do to save the building.
"We're devastated," said Miss Donaldson's fiancé, Blair Hamilton.
"We had come back from Sydney to get married in that church," he said.
Mr Hamilton said Miss Donaldson had always wanted to get married in the church, which had been her family church throughout her life.
"Merita had to go up and look for herself. She was devastated and broke down."
But the show must go on and Miss Donaldson was at the hair-dressers when The Post called, as her wedding day was being hastily rearranged.
Canon Lance Robinson, who was told by the Donaldson's at 5.30am the church had burnt to the ground, has found a replacement church. The wedding will still go ahead at 4pm at All Saints Church, but it has lost some of its magic, said Mr Hamilton.
"It's still going to be an amazing day, it's just that the church means a lot to many people and we were looking forward to getting married in it.
"We have been telling everyone of its magnificence and that it's something for them to look forward to seeing because it's such a unique church.
"And now it's gone. It's absolutely unbelievable.