WHEN David O’ Connell and Alice Nevard realised they couldn’t afford a lavish reception after their wedding day, they came up with an unusual plan.

Alice, 21, was desperate to have the traditional first dance with her new hubby.

So after they tie the knot at Colchester Town Hall, they will go outside and, with the help of a friend’s iPod, turn the pavement into a makeshift dancefloor.

Alice, of Fingringhoe Road, Colchester, said she and David, 24, were desperate to get married soon because her father Michael Nevard was seriously ill.

She said: “We can’t afford a reception because we’ve got two kids and my dad isn’t very well, so we need to have our wedding as soon as possible.

“But I have to have a first dance.

“I put on my Facebook status I was disappointed about not having a wedding reception and my friend Stephanie said, ‘why don’t you have your first dance outside?’ “I slept on it and I thought that was a really good idea.

“I’m really looking forward to it – I’m counting down the days.”

The couple met while they were working in McDonald’s, in Clacton, and Alice asked to borrow David’s lighter.

As Alice is epileptic, David acts as her full-time carer at their home with son Dillon, who is nearly two, and six-month-old Poppy.

With money tight, friends and family have rallied round to help them pay for the wedding, which is in June.

Alice added: “My mum makes jewellery and she’s making bracelets for each of our guests.

“A friend of mine is giving me her bouquet and the only things that are new are the rings.

They are keeping the song for their first dance under wraps, although they say it became their song after they danced to it shortly after finding out Alice was pregnant with Dillon.