MARRIAGE should prove a doddle for one unfortunate couple after they survived a nightmare engagement.

Friends and relatives began to wonder whether Kenneth Porter and Karen Cauwood’s losing streak would ever end.

However, since the pair, from Bishop Auckland, tied the knot nearly two weeks ago, their fortunes have improved – they even enjoyed fine weather on their week-long honeymoon.

“We had been planning the wedding for more than a year,”

said Mrs Porter. “But it was one thing after another. It’s been a really hard year.”

Their run of bad luck included: ● The collapse of the airline and hotel provider booked for their Greek honeymoon; ● The shop supplying the bridesmaids’ dresses went into administration; ● Mrs Porter had to give up her Oasis tickets after having a foot operation and feared getting married in slippers; ● Having got tickets to see Michael Jackson, the King of Pop died; ● The County Durham hotel booked for their wedding reception was placed in administration.

“Everybody who’s dealt with us has had bad luck. It’s been a nightmare. But the wedding was perfect,” she said.

Mrs Porter, 43, who is an audit manager for Orange, in Darlington, and her husband, 56, a site manager for North Yorkshire County Council, were married at Durham Register Office, in Durham City, on Saturday, August 15.

The couple’s troubles began when XL Airways and a hotel firm that had booked their week-long honeymoon to the Greek island of Kefalonia, collapsed.

Their deposit was returned and they were able to book an alternative trip to Parga, on the Greek mainland.

Next, a shop lined up to provide three bridesmaids’ dresses went into liquidation, costing them the £154 deposit.

Mrs Porter had a foot operation in May, which meant she had to cancel a trip to see Oasis in Manchester. The operation caused concern over her possible wedding day footwear.

“They removed a bone from my left foot and I couldn’t get my shoes on until about three weeks before the wedding. I thought I might have to wear slippers,” said Mrs Porter.

The hotel booked for their wedding reception went into administration and was unable to guarantee it could host the event, so the couple lost their £300 deposit when they switched it to Durham’s Radisson SAS Hotel.

They did, however, have some good luck. The shop supplying the wedding dress was broken into, but Mrs Porter’s gown was not touched.

She added: “The wedding was absolutely fabulous. I couldn’t fault it at all.

“And the honeymoon was brilliant. We had good weather all week. It was great.”

However, she recalled: “I did buy a hand-held steamer off the internet – and that blew up.”