Wedding competition win gives happy couple 'best surprise ever'

Nicola McClure (32) and Kieran Toner (25), of Cardowan, near Stepps, came top of a public vote in the contest.

Thanks to the award-winning Best Western Garfield House Hotel, in Stepps, 
they are the grateful recipients of a dream wedding reception for up to 100 guests.

It will include canapes, fizz, a four-course meal, wine, flowers, a cake, a disco, a piper, an evening buffet, chair covers and sashes.

They’ll also get three rooms for the night - including, of course, the all-important honeymoon suite.

The couple have been together for four years, after they met at a friend’s birthday party five years ago.

Nicola, who has two sons Scott (8) and Reece (7) from a previous relationship, says they initially became friends and their relationship developed naturally during the first year.

She said: “Kieran’s always been fantastic with my boys and they adore him.

“Quite soon after we met I wanted to talk to him every single day.

“We are opposites in some ways - Kieran’s quite shy and I can talk for Scotland - but we get on really well.

“I love him with all my heart, he’s my best friend, you can’t ask for more than that.

“I never dreamt that we’d be able to get married this year or even next year because we needed to save up for it.

“Winning this prize has made it possible to get 
married sooner - it’s the best surprise ever!”

Nicola was completely shocked by Kieran’s proposal on a beautiful pebble beach while they were on holiday in Marmaris, Turkey, last year.

She says she had no idea that he was going to ask her to marry him, but said ‘yes’.

Nicola’s eldest son Scott has autism and, since the couple got engaged, he has been impatient and unable to understand why they couldn’t just get married immediately.

Nicola says a lovely wedding day with family and friends will also be a fantastic boost for her younger son who she feels misses out on attention because the focus is often on his older brother.

Nicola is also delighted that her dad George (59) will be able to give her away on her special day.

He defied doctors by surviving a serious brain injury in a motorbike accident nearly 13 years ago.

George was in a coma for several months after the accident and he was in hospital for over a year.

It then took him three years in a brain rehab unit to learn to walk and talk again.

He has also been diagnosed with a heart condition – cardiomyopathy, which means he has an enlarged heart.

Nicola jokes that the condition suits him because “he has a very big heart!”

She added: “The doctors told us he wouldn’t pull through but he did.

“Words can’t describe what it means to my family for him to be able to give me away.

“He’s so thrilled and excited about it.

“Dad’s still a bit unsteady on his feet so we will probably be staggering down the aisle together!

“I can’t wait to set a date now and for us all to be a proper family together.”