Toronto bride and groom cancel wedding ceremony to raise funds for Syrian refugees

oge okonkwo

November 19, 2015 2:56 PM

Samantha Jackson and Farzin Yousefian from Toronto, Canada had planned a a big wedding, venue, caterer and other preparations ready when they realised the cost of their wedding could be put to better use by using the funds for another cause

A couple showed how much concern they had for humanity after using their special day to touch lives.

Samantha Jackson and Farzin Yousefian from Toronto, Canada had planned a a big wedding, venue, caterer and other preparations ready when they realised the cost of their wedding could be put to better use by using the funds for another cause.

READ: Photos show wedding of two Syrians in Austria, Vienna camp for refugees

The couple redirected the funds to a cause of their choice, the Ryerson University Lifeline Syria Challenge.

“We realized as we planned for our wedding that the average cost of a wedding is almost the same amount as the average cost of sponsoring a family of four.”

“Seeing how far donations go and seeing how much the money fundraised really means to people who are going through the program both as sponsors and people being sponsored…it just seemed logical that we would switch gears and make our wedding a fundraiser instead,” says Jackson, a PhD student studying refugee health care policy who has been involved with the Ryerson University Lifeline Syria Challenge since July.

READ: Incredible photos show first wedding in Kobani, Syria after being destroyed by ISIS

Jackson and Yousefian then called the invited guests including family and friends that the big wedding had been cancelled and they'll be getting married rather at the at city hall and celebrating with an informal dinner afterwards.

“We just called the venue and the caterers and we told them our plan, we said that we wanted to redirect our efforts towards this humanitarian crisis and they were immediately on board as well, which is great because they allowed us to cancel our existing reservation and refund our money to use towards this new cause," Jackson told Yahoo news.

The bride and groom were able to raise up to $17,500 with the support of their guests.

According to the bride, these funds will help the Ryerson University Lifeline Syria Challenge, which connects citizens who want to be private sponsors with people who have been displaced by the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

READ: Syrian refugee couple marry in the midst of war [PHOTOS]

“It essentially allows people in Canada to take on the responsibilities of resettling refugees, the financial and time commitment, it lets people really direct the resettlement process and help people make Toronto home directly,” she said.

“It really was just the perfect wedding and the perfect way to start our marriage, ” Jackson insisted after telling reporters that she still loved traditional weddings.

oge okonkwo