A COUPLE won a competition that paid for the wedding of their dreams at a hotel on the Herefordshire border.
After a year of upheaval and disruption Victoria Dix and Andre Martins were finally able to tie the knot at Colwall Park Hotel on October 30.
Mrs Dix said: “Our original plan was actually to get married in Portugal. We had started inquiring with various venues but didn’t get anywhere with it.
“It was a bit of a distant dream, and because we’re both so relaxed there was no real urgency to push the plan forward.”
It was in conversation with her manager at the time that Mrs Dix, a hairdresser, was informed of the competition being hosted by Colwall Park Hotel.
“It was a raffle, and for £10 a ticket you could enter the draw to win your entire wedding.
“So, I entered the competition, much to my boss’ dismay. A friend of mine accompanied me to take a look around the venue, but that was after I had committed to the tickets.”
The entire day, complete with on-site ceremony, wedding breakfast, evening celebrations and accommodation was taken care of.
The couple’s ceremony and celebrations were delayed twice as the pandemic interrupted several set dates and years of planning.
In the end they celebrated with a small ceremony with close family and friends.
The Gloucestershire based couple said: “It was just such a beautiful day.
“We had started to think the day would never come, so to be able to celebrate with our nearest and dearest at such a stunning venue was everything we could have wished for.”
Mr Martins, two years after the raffle was drawn, is still in disbelief that his now-wife spent £100 on raffle tickets without first consulting him.
“First of all, she told me she had spent £100 on tickets without me ever having heard of the venue, the next thing I know she’s won the competition and is crying down the phone to me and I’m having palpitations,” he said.
“It was quite the roller coaster.”