Bride of the month Competition WINNERS

Winners in each of the past twelve months....

December 2011

Pic by Mike Robinson Photography
www.berketexbride.com

Our lucky winner this month is beautiful Bride-to-Be Stephanie Whitell from Bungay who is pictured receiving Gift Certificates from Melanie Riches at Berketex Brides in Norwich.  Stephanie, who works in retail, met fiancé Graeme Binks, a Structural Designer for SLP Engineering in Lowestoft, in a local pub in Teeside, where they  both originate from.  Stephanie was working as a barmaid and when they first met they were both involved with other people, but they soon became good friends with lots of banter and flirting when Graeme was in the pub.  Graeme was away working for a year and, when he returned, they were both free and the night before Christmas Eve, Graeme asked her out and they have been together for the past three years.

Graeme arranged booked them a table at Roger Hickman’s Restaurant but when they arrived they were sharing the restaurant with a Wine Tasting Evening so after the meal they left and went to the river by Bramerton Woods End.  The evening was misty and with no moonlight so they went home.  Once Stephanie was inside, Graeme popped out to the car and returned with massive bunches of red roses and as Stephanie turned round to see what he was doing, he went down on one knee and said “Will you marry me” and presented her with a beautiful ring.  Stephanie burst into tears but managed to say “Yes”.

They will be married in June 2013 with a civil ceremony and reception at the Elms Barn at Toft Monks with three of Stephanie’s best friends, Megan, Jess and Hayley, as bridesmaids plus Graeme’s niece Jamie as a flowergirl and nephew Aiden as pageboy.  Graeme’s will have his best friend from Yorkshire as his Best Man.  They would like to honeymoon in the Seychelles.

November 2011

Pic by David Garrett Photography
www.bride-all.co.uk

Our stunning bride-to-be pictured this month with Lynn Keutgen, Proprietor of Bride-All in Exning, Nr. Newmarket, and flowergirl Lanie Everitt, is Sally-Anne Roberts from Cambridge.

Sally-Anne, a Graphic Designer for Information Transfer in Cambridge, originally from Barnsley, is to marry Adam Walker, a self-employed carpenter/builder from Thurlow in August 2012. They were set up on a blind date by a friend at The Boat House in Cambridge on Sally-Anne's birthday and immediately hit it off and have been together ever since.

Adam proposed on a beach in Esperence in Western Australia where they were on holiday for a month travelling all over Australia. Sally-Anne had an inkling he might be about to propose but his efforts kept being thwarted. Ever the romantic, he wrote "will you marry me" in the sand but the tide came in before she saw it so he called Sally-Anne over and they walked into the sea together and he proposed and presented her with a ring which he had purchased in secret in Adelaide two days before.

They will be married at Withersfield Church with their reception at Ravenwood Hall in Bury St. Edmunds. They will be attended by flowergirl Laine and Alyssa Walker, Adam's niece plus two of Sally-Anne's best friends as Matrons of Honour, Laura Light and Michelle Lambourne, and Adam's brother, Westley, will be Best Man. They hope to honeymoon somewhere hot and exotic with Peru coming out as a favoured location.

October 2011

Pic by A K Expressions
www.crownjoolz.com

Delighted Bride-To-Be Ginny Sargent from Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, a Support Worker for younger people with dementia at The Courtyard, a small group home in Ixworth, is pictured with her bridesmaids, daughter Corin and friend Alison Litterick, receiving Gift Certificates from Carol Cutter at Crown Joolz in Bury St. Edmunds. This is where Ginny entered The Wedding Guide's competition and where she is buying her dress.

Ginny met fiancé David "Diddy" Milligan, an HGV mechanic at Sturgeons in Ixworth, at The Greyhouse in Ixworth and this is where they plan to have their reception on 31 December 2011. Both have been married before but had broken up as partners had moved on to other relationships. It took some time to recover from the break up of their marriages but now, seven years later, they are both ready to start afresh. Ginny told us that in the years they had been together Diddy had been a great father to her children, Corin and Drew, and loves them like his own.

They started discussing getting married in general terms over breakfast one morning and Ginny said she would like to be "Mrs. Milligan" – Diddy said he would like that too, said let's do it, and burst into tears. Their marriage on New Year's Eve is very symbolic – a New Year for a new start to a new life with someone you love – and 5pm is the latest time they can get married at St. Mary's at Ixworth.

September 2011

(Pic by Headline Portraits, Photography by Steve Jones)
www.headlineportraits.com
www.thedressmakerstudio.com

Stunning Bride-to-Be, Lynette Chandler, from Houghton Regis is pictured with fiancé Lee Muldoon receiving Gift Certificates from Ruth Rockley, Proprietor of The Dressmaker in Dunstable, where Lynette entered the competition.

Lynette, a full time Mum to Rebecca and Kelly is to marry Lee, a self-employed builder originally from Paisley, in June 2012. They met on the beach in Brighton where Lee was working and Lynette was visiting for the day. They spotted each other on the beach, got chatting and then Lee asked her out. They saw each other regularly with either Lee coming up to Houghton Regis or Lynette going to Brighton until on one occasion a seagull pooed in Lynette's drink and she refused to go to Brighton again! Lee then decided to move to Houghton Regis to cut out all the travelling for both of them, started working locally and, in June, proposed to Lynette. They went for a meal in Gary Cooper's Restaurant and Lee proposed down on one knee in front of everyone. Lynette told us she was gobsmacked and rendered speechless but eventually managed to say "yes" and Lee presented her with his Mum's ring.

They plan a civil ceremony and reception at The Old Palace Lodge in Dunstable with lots of family and friends coming from Scotland and they will be attended by Lynette's daughters and Lee's daughter Emily will also be a flowergirl and son Mason the pageboy. Lee's brother William will be best man and they will live in Houghton Regis after the wedding.

Beautiful Bride of the Month winner Georgia Brilliant from Orford is pictured with fiancé Sam Brown receiving Gift Certificates from Angela Keeley from La Vinia Bridal in Ipswich, where Georgia entered The Wedding Guide's competition.

Georgia who works in the bar/restaurant, The Jolly Sailor in Orford met Sam, an AV Installer for Iconic Home in Ipswich, at Secondary School when they were about 12 years of age. They had been mates all through school and on Georgia's 18th Birthday they went to the beach and were camping overnight when they got chatting and decided they should start going out together. They have been together ever since.

On returning from a working trip to London, Sam proposed down on one knee and produced a gorgeous ring. Georgia told us it was totally unexpected but she was thrilled and same "Yes". They will be married in June 2013 and hope to have the ceremony at Otley Church followed by a local reception venue with lots of family and friends. They will be attended by Sam's best friend, Alex as Best Man, with Alex's girlfriend, Mandy, who is also Georgia's best friend, as Maid of Honour and they hope to honeymoon somewhere hot and chilled.

July 2011

Pic by A K Expressions)
Taken at Beautiful Designs

June 2011

Pic by Light Angles Photography
Taken at Elizabeth Mulholland

Beautiful Bride-to-Be Katherine Connors from Bury St. Edmunds was this month's lucky winner and is pictured with fiancé, Phillip Reed, at Elizabeth Mullholland in Bury St. Edmunds receiving Gift Certificates from Proprietor, Claire Robinson - the dress Katherine is wearing was individually designed specifically for the photoshoot by Claire and she will also be designing Katherine's wedding gown.

Katherine, a Sales Assistant at Ellis Jones in Bury St. Edmunds, is originally from North Yorkshire and met Phillip, an Account Manager at Welcome Finance in Cambridge, through his ex-girlfriend on a night out. Katherine was friends with her and she introduced her to Phillip. They got chatting and Phillip asked her out to a Club in November last year and they have been together ever since. Katherine had warned Phillip that if he proposed to her in public she would do three things, say no, cry and leave so he proposed at Dublin Airport early in the morning when they were the only people in the departure lounge. She was totally surprised but did say "yes."

They will be married in April 2012 with a civil ceremony and reception at Smeetham Hall Barn, Nr. Sudbury and will be attended by a Best Girl who is Phillip's best friend Natalie, and two bridesmaids and four flower girls and hope to honeymoon somewhere exotic.

May 2011

Pic by David Garrett Photography
Taken at Crown Joolz

Our stunning bride-to-be pictured this month with Julie Renshaw-Anthony from Crown Joolz in Bury St. Edmunds, is Lisa Chudley from Exning, Nr. Newmarket with fiancé Mourad Yahouni. Lisa, a full-time Mum to 11 week old son Salim, is currently on maternity leave from Sainsbury's in Bury St Edmunds and will be returning to work shortly, and Mourad, is a Chef at the Café Rouge in Cambridge. Mourad, originally from Algeria, met Lisa on an internet chat room. Neither of them had been on a chat room before but Mourad was off work with bronchitis and looking for something to do, went into a chat room and started talking to Lisa. They exchanged numbers and spoke every day and a month later arranged to meet up for a coffee in Harlow and have been together for five years.

Mourad proposed during a walk in Finsbury Park when they sat down on a bench - he had spoken to her Mother beforehand to ask for permission. Lisa was totally surprised and thrilled but said "yes" and they will be married at Cambridge Registry Office followed by a reception at The Cherry Tree in Newmarket in June 2011. They will be attended by both their daughters Hayley and Malika and the Best Man is Mourad's brother Moustafa.

April 2011

(Pic by Milkbottle Photography)
Taken at MacBride and Groom

Delighted Bride-To-Be Bea Rozanski, a Care Support Worker for Crossroads in Cambridgeshire, is pictured at MacBride & Groom in Mill Street, Bedford receiving Gift Certificates from Manager, Zora Koldan and Assistants Linda Breen and Dawn Curran.

Bea met fiancé Michael Francis-MacRae, an IT Technician for EFS Technology in Royston at The New Inn in St. Neots on a leaving do, with mutual friends, they got chatting, exchanged numbers and have been together for the past four years. Michael made his romantic proposal on New Years Eve at the University Arms in Cambridge where they were attending a Gala Ball, just after midnight, down on one knee and presented Bea with a fabulous ring. Bea was totally surprised and delighted, said "yes" and they carried on the celebrations with their friends at the party and started planning the wedding.

They will be married at St. Mary's Church in Potton where Bea sings in the choir, with their reception at Moggerhanger Park in Bedford. They will be attended by Sharon Filler as Matron of Honour, who is married to the Best Man Mike Filler plus two sisters and they hope to honeymoon in Margaritta Island in the Caribbean for two weeks.

March 2011

(Pic Wendy Willis-Best, Imagine… Wedding Photography)
Taken at Prima Donna Bridal

Stunning Bride of the Month winner, Angela Casey from Dereham, a full-time Mum to Tyler and Alex, is pictured with Maid of Honour Lucy Bates and bridesmaids Hannah and Ellen, receiving Gift Certificates from Denise Holmes of Prima Donna in the Castle Mall in Norwich, where Angela entered the competition and picked up her copy of The Wedding Guide.

Angela met fiancé Iain Gilchrist, a Bricklayer/Plasterer for JK Brocks in Dereham, on a night out at a club. They got chatting, exchanged numbers and went out on a few dates. They got on really well and have been together for the past two years. Iain proposed on the evening of Christmas Day when all their friends were around; presented Angela with a giant card and romantic message inside asking "would you marry me". Their friends all knew beforehand that this was the plan, apart from Angela, who read the card looked around and there Iain was, down on one knee with a beautiful ring. She was totally gobsmacked and couldn't believe it was happening, but did manage to say "yes."

They will be married at Dunston Hall with a civil ceremony and reception in November 2011 with lots of Iain's relatives coming down from Scotland and they hope to honeymoon somewhere hot and relaxing.

February 2011

Pic by A K Expressions
Taken at Clare Bridal Studio

Beautiful Bride of the Month winner Sarah Ovenall from Sudbury flowergirl Anna Weihe receiving Gift Certificates from Karen Buckingham from Clare Bridal Studio in Suffolk, where Sarah entered The Wedding Guide's competition.

Sarah, a Finance Assistant in a local Housing Association in Bury St Edmunds, met Chris Turnbull, a self-employed builder, in a local nightclub in Sudbury. They got chatting on a night out with friends some four years ago, really hit it off, Chris chased her for a couple of weeks then arranged to meet up on a date and they have been together ever since. Chris proposed on Sarah's birthday last year. Sarah was in a rush to get to work but Chris wanted to give her an orchid with her cards before she left. As she was reading it, at the bottom is said "Just one question I need to ask", Sarah looked up and there was Chris, down on one knee. She burst into tears but managed to say "yes."

They will be married in June 2011 at Crabbs Barn in Kelvedon with a civil ceremony and reception and Sarah will be attended by two nieces as bridesmaids, together with flowergirl Anna, and a Matron of Honour and Chris will have two Best Men as they are his oldest friends. They have not booked the honeymoon yet but hope to go somewhere far away with beautiful beaches such as The Maldives or Mexico.

January 2011

Photo:www.fotonovo.com 
Bridal shop www.bridesathotbobbins.co.uk

Our stunning bride-to-be pictured this month with Sara Hayter from Brides @ Hot Bobbins in Ipswich, is Lisa-Marie Wells from Stowmarket together with her Mother and Chief Bridesmaid, Carly Montague. Lisa-Marie, a Beauty Therapist at her own salon Bellisimi Hair & Beauty in Stowmarket is to marry Colin Dee, a mechanic with Truck East in Stowmarket in September 2011. They met at the Stowmarket Playing Fields some six years ago; their friends were dating and Lisa-Marie met Colin through them. They got chatting, Colin asked her out on a date and they have been together ever since.

Colin proposed when they were on holiday in Egypt on a beach, under the stars. Lisa-Marie was totally surprised when Colin went down on one knee and asked her to marry him. He had asked her father's permission before they went away and sorted out the ring. When they got back to the hotel her Mum, Dad and sister, who were on holiday with them, were all waiting for them to celebrate.

They will have a Civil Ceremony at Hengrave Hall and a Blessing in Hengrave Hall Church followed by a reception there and will be attended by four bridesmaids and a page boy. They hope to honeymoon somewhere hot, romantic and away from it all!