A YOUNG couple who married last year after winning a £14,000 wedding in the Oxford Mail have an extra reason to celebrate their first anniversary.

Matt and Laura Hemming, of Ascott-under-Wychwood, described scooping top prize in the Win Your Wedding competition as a “dream come true”.

But with a baby girl now on the way to join their three-year-old son Albie, they say they are still living the dream.

Mr Hemming proposed on Easter Sunday four years ago with a ring wrapped in a chocolate egg and they got married last Easter weekend after eight years together. The wedding took place in the elegant surroundings of Eynsham Hall, near Witney, on April 19, followed by a breakfast for 80 guests and an evening reception for 120.

Mrs Hemming (nee Wilkinson), 25, a nursery nurse, said: “Winning the wedding helped take away the stress element of finding money.

“Our first year has been wonderful and has been made extra special with our little girl due in June. I can’t believe it’s been a year already.

“The day was so magical, I can still remember it like it was yesterday.”

The couple met as teenagers while working at the Co-op in Milton-under-Wychwood.

They are both former Burford School pupils, but being in different years, did not meet until they worked together.

Their triumph in the Win Your Wedding competition meant the couple were treated to their outfits, wedding cake, flowers and all the other trimmings to make their special day magical.

And after spying a quirky idea on the internet, the bridegroom added a personal touch of his own to proceedings.

Mr Hemming, 27, who works as an IT support manager, wore a Batman T-shirt underneath his wedding suit on the big day and his two best men wore Spiderman and Captain America T-shirts.

He said: “We would never have been able to afford anything like the wedding we had.

“It was amazing.

“We’ve been together a long time – 10 years in October – and we had our little boy before we got married. But being married does feel a little bit different. There’s that extra connection now.

“It’s all good and we’re very excited about the baby – especially Albie, who is looking forward to meeting his new sister.”

Thousands of votes were cast for the competition’s 10 finalists in last year’s Win Your Wedding competition.

The Hemmings enlisted family and friends to help them win the prize after their hopes of a wedding were put on hold due to financial pressures and the birth of Albie in June 2012.

As well as a Facebook campaign, the couple put notices in the local shop appealing for people to bring in coupons.

They are planning a quiet family day together to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.

Mrs Hemming added: “We have no major plans for our anniversary. We are just looking forward to spending the day as a family remembering the special day.”