NEWLYWEDS Ross and Ciara Gardiner celebrated their special day at the weekend after winning their wedding through an Oxford Mail competition.

The Eynsham couple, who have a three-year-old son called Cory, met in 2010 and got engaged less then a year later when Mr Gardiner, 26, presented 23-year-old Miss Kelly with a gold diamond cluster ring.

The couple were struggling to scrape together the cash for a wedding last year when Mr Gardiner’s grandmother, Marline Turner, mentioned the Oxford Mail’s Win your Wedding competition.

After collecting as many tokens as possible, the couple were overjoyed to find out they had won.

The exclusive package included a breakfast and evening buffet for 50 guests, flowers, wedding cake and a bridal guest room.

On Saturday, Miss Kelly braved the British weather to walk up the aisle in the gardens of the Oxford Belfry hotel in front of 52 family members and friends.

The couple then enjoyed a colourful reception at the hotel with an extra 20 guests. Roofer Mr Gardiner said: “It was all perfect. It all went really well. We wanted to get married outside but we weren’t sure if we would be able to as it was drizzling in the morning. But we did get married outside after all, in the stone gazebo in the courtyard. We had our last photo taken and it started raining. The timing was perfect.”

The groom admitted he got quite emotional seeing the couple’s young son Cory walking down the aisle to give the rings to his parents. He said: “He was perfect. It was an emotional day for Ciara too as her grandfather, Tom Kelly, died three years ago. We were thinking it was him who made sure it didn’t rain.

“I had to hold the tears back. I was so nervous doing my speech too. And my best man embarrassed me to high heaven. I didn’t realise how much gossip he had on me – I reckon he spoke to my mum.”

Mr Gardiner added that without the competition, he and his beauty therapist wife would not have been able to include some of the fun, final touches on their special day.

Mr and Mrs Gardiner thanked wedding co-ordinators Carlie and Hayley at the Belfry, whom they described as “fantastic”.