Clark Howard

This couple saved money at their wedding serving food that was headed for the trash heap

On their big day, a couple in the United Kingdom saved thousands of dollars and did some social good when they found food targeted for the trash and served it at their wedding reception. You may be thinking, “GROSS!” but this turned into an amazing deed — and feed — for all involved.

It all happened in East Keswick Village Hall, Leeds, West Yorkshire, when newlyweds Cherie Harris, 36, and Jaimes Mainwaring, 29, made a concerted effort to have a green wedding, according to the UK's Daily Mail — and we're not talking flowers

Ways to save: Couple served food destined for the trash at their wedding reception

The socially conscious couple partnered with The Real Junk Food Project, a food charity organization, to create a menu from food that would otherwise have been discarded. The kicker in all this? The wedding guests were left unaware.

During both a wedding feast and an evening dinner, the couple were able to cut costs by using the unconventional food, which was perfectly good to eat. The couple saved big money in other ways, too: The bride made all her own invites and wedding decorations, the Mail reports.

When it came to the food, they wanted the caterer to be a surprise. In fact, the bride and groom were surprised as well. The Real Junk Food Project doesn’t know what the menu will be until they see what comes into the warehouse.

“We wanted the food to speak for itself,” Cherie Harris told the Mail. “We did not tell our guests what they were eating until the speeches.”

The Real Junk Food Project is an organization that is part of a vast "pay-what-you-can" network across Great Britain. The group has plans to soon open stores that sell food from landfills, according to its website.

RELATED: 16 not-so-obvious ways to save money

So, would you serve your wedding guests food that was headed to the garbage can? Let us know in the comments or on Clark's Facebook or Twitter.

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