‘We won our royal wedding!’
GEMMA BRADY, 40, FROM TAMWORTH, IS MARRIED TO LIAM, 42
‘Who married Prince Albert of Monaco?’ a voice at the other end of the line asked. I took a deep breath. ‘Grace Kelly,’ I answered.
‘Congratulations!’ cheered the voice. ‘You’ve won a royal wedding!’
As I screamed in excitement, I couldn’t quite believe it. I’d been engaged to my long-term partner, Liam, ever since he’d shocked me and my family by dropping down on one knee on Christmas Day 2009.
We’d been saving up for a wedding but, as the money had mounted up, we’d decided to buy our first house together instead. Our plans to wed had been put on hold as we’d bought furniture, painted walls and decorated rooms .
When Kate and William’s wedding was announced, our local radio station, Touch FM, advertised a ‘royal wedding competition’. They’d pay for your ceremony – dress, suits, cake, venue… everything except the reception and rings.
Not believing I had a chance, I called up and left my details to be entered. And then again, with Liam’s.
So it was a huge surprise when we got a call to say we’d made it through to competition – a quiz against seven other couples on famous royalty.
Immediately, I started revising – and it paid off! We won!
We were so elated, but we quickly realised we only had three weeks to organise an event that people spend months, if not years, planning.
Luckily, the shops involved in the competition were extremely helpful and as we’d been granted the extra bank holiday, no one even needed to take the day off. It was utter madness that amounted to an amazing big day.
We’ve since had a daughter, Amelia, now nine, and it’s still a bit of a running joke among friends. ‘I’d like to wish my very good friends, Kate and William, a very happy anniversary… oh, and
Gemma and Liam too,’ my bridesmaid Becky writes on my Facebook wall every year.
Life is so busy, who knows when we’d have got round to tying the knot if it wasn’t for the competition – and, of course, Kate and William!