Say I Do Again
Congratulations to our winning couple, Carron and Ian Cunningham from Bedlington, Northumberland who get to say "I Do" all over again.
Carron and Ian's big day will include:
A vow renewal service conducted by a Registrar from the Durham City office in a private room with a view of Durham Cathedral.
Champagne reception
Three course meal with wine for the couple and up to 20 guests
A night in one of the fantastic suites with stunning views of Durham Cathedral
This is Carron's story
My lovely husband, Ian and I, were married on 21st June 1986, but what should have been the best day of our lives turned out to be one of the worst, and it was all thanks to me! It all started on Thursday, 2 days before the wedding, when I felt a bit of a "ping" in the bottom of my back.
On the Friday morning, I woke up to the fact that I couldn't get out of bed because my back had gone into spasm. I later managed to see a chiropractor, but unfortunately he didn't help a great deal and I ended up being given Valium from my G.P. to try to relax me (which failed).
The day of the wedding dawned but I was still in the same condition! My bridesmaids came to go along to the hairdressers with me but they had to go by themselves! I was due to get married at 11.30 and by 9.30 I knew I wasn't going to make it so I actually sent for Ian to come and see me (even though it's supposed to be unlucky to see the groom before the wedding)! I promised him that I would make it to the wedding that day if it could somehow be postponed. That was it - everyone rushed around, making phonecalls to guests, vicar, venue and everyone else who was involved in the day to tell them I would be there for 3.30 p.m.!
11.30 came and went (with only 6 guests out of more than 100 turning up at the church) and I was still in bed! Then my friend Helen (an occupational therapist) arrived and she brought a gods-send - a surgical corset! 4 of my friends managed to slide it underneath me and strap me in and lo and behold! I was up on my feet! I staggered downstairs, only to fall asleep on the settee (out of sheer exhaustion) and woke up 1/2 hour later to find the vicar sitting next to me! But he'd only come to promise me that he would marry us that day come what may!
So, it was all stations go! My chief bridesmaid, Sheena, set to work with my hair - her drying the back and me drying the front (whilst I was being sick in a bucket at the same time!) Then I wanted to go the toilet but my mother forbade me to even try to get upstairs again, so as we didn't have a downstairs loo, I had to stand up, balanced against a wall and the breakfast bar with a bucket strategically placed underneath me! I eventually struggled into my dress, into the car, and got to the church to walk down the aisle at 4.00 p.m! - Just 4 and a half hours late from the original time! I got down to the altar and received a standing ovation from the vicar and guests!
The rest of the day just really passed in a blur - I couldn't eat anything at the reception, and the night-time was a washout as I had to go home at 8.30 p.m. I'd just had enough but at least we were married!
I would really love to win this competition for Ian, more than myself, because he has had to put up with not only that day, but with me for the last 22 years, and I would just love to be able to surprise him with this to show him how much I love him. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me, apart from the 2 beautiful daughters we have had together, and he is the best husband a wife could ever have!
For years we've thought about renewing our vows but either haven't had the money to do it or haven't had the time to arrange it. That's why this prize would be perfect for me because it would allow me to show Ian how much I love him and to really say sorry for the mess I made of our wedding day. Also I think it would be lovely for my parents, because I am an only child and after all the months of arranging the wedding, their daughter's day wasn't the dream they'd hoped for therefore it wasn't such a happy day for them. If we won then we would be able to have a perfect day surrounded by the people we love.