As the average cost of a wedding continues to rise in the UK, leading wedding planning brand gave one lucky couple up to a £25,000 wedding package for free

For the third year in a row, concerned that the ongoing cost of living crisis would impact couples being able to afford the wedding of their dreams, the UK’s leading wedding planning destination, Hitched, is giving couples the chance to win up to £25,000 towards their big day.

Last year’s life changing prize was won by young Yorkshire couple Courtney and Adam Maughan, making their dream wedding possible sooner than expected.

Childhood Sweethearts

Courtney and Adam have now fulfilled their ‘childhood sweethearts arc’ thanks to winning their dream wedding, but it wasn’t until their final year of school that they really connected and became friends. Six years later, Adam popped the question.

Their fairytale proposal is truly one for the books, and he had been working hard behind the scenes to bring it all together.

“We were on holiday in New York with my mum and her partner. It was Thanksgiving and we got up early to walk towards Central Park to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I had dreamed of watching this parade since I was young because Miracle on 34th Street is my favourite film.” Courtney explains.

“We stood for three hours watching the parade and then walked across to Central Park when it finished. As we were walking around the park we were taking lots of pictures together and being typical tourists. We then walked to some rocks by the boathouse and I thought we were taking a picture when Adam got down on one knee!”

Making Dreams Come True

Courtney says that she was at work when she got the exciting news that she had won up to £25,000 to plan their dream wedding. She tells Zoe Burke, editor of Hitched.co.uk that she almost didn’t believe the news while sharing her experience with finding and entering the competition.

“I found out about the competition through the Hitched app. I downloaded the app to assist with the wedding planning. It was free to enter so I thought 'why not',” Courtney says.

“When I found out we had won, I was at work. I answered the phone and received the news and I didn't quite know what to say, I was in shock! I rang Adam straight away and he didn't believe me at first. You just don't think it will happen to you!”

With their initial wedding date set in 2026, the pair’s wedding plans were able to be brought forward almost two years after they received their prize, giving them an opportunity to ensure all the important people in their lives were able to be present.

Courtney explains: “Due to budget restrictions we originally booked our wedding for 2026 which meant that my Grandad, who is terminally ill, was unlikely to make the day. But now thanks to this competition we can bring the wedding forward to this year and my Grandad will more than likely be there on our special day and I can't thank Hitched enough for making this possible. It really feels like fate!”

The Dream Wedding

Courtney and Adam had a civil ceremony at The Majestic, in Harrogate, in front of 95 guests, and Courntney was walked down the aisle by both her father, and her step father, to ‘No Air’ by Chris Brown and Jordin Sparks.

Courtney tells Hitched why she and Adam chose the Majestic as their dream venue. “I loved the feel of the place. It was so calming and the decor was lovely, it just really fit into what I had imagined our wedding would look and feel like.

“I loved the idea of a wedding weekend with all our friends and family and The Majestic allowed us to facilitate that. We had a pre wedding party on the Friday night in a private room with a bar, pizzas etc. and there were rooms for all guests to stay in at a discounted rate and they also had use of the spa facilities.

“On the morning after the ceremony, they also cornered a section of the restaurant so that wedding guests could sit together for breakfast. All of these things really made us feel like we had a whole weekend of celebrating with our guests.”

The couple’s first dance was You’re Still the One by Shania Twain, which was sung live by Courtney’s maid of honour. “It was so special and something we’ll always remember about the day,” says Courtney of the touching moment.

Recalling one of the most memorable parts of the day, Courtney tells Hitched about a sweet gesture from her husband, Adam.

“My grandad was too ill to attend our wedding day, however Adam surprised me with a poem that my grandad had written for the day. I really wanted my grandad to be there with us on the day and Adam reading out the poem during the speeches made me feel like he was.

“I don’t think there was a dry eye on the room, it was so special and I can’t thank Adam enough for organising it with my Grandad in the lead up to the wedding. Sadly my grandad passed away 5 days after our wedding day. Having the poem from him is so special and I will treasure it forever.”

The Honeymoon

The couple spent some time on a minimoon in the Lake District directly after their wedding, but are planning something bigger for this year.

“We have chosen Australia for our honeymoon as it's somewhere we’ve always wanted to go but never thought we would be able to. With us winning the competition, the money that would have gone towards our wedding day could be used for us to have a once in a lifetime honeymoon.”

Zoe Burke, leading wedding expert and editor of Hitched.co.uk says “We’re so pleased that our dream wedding competition has been able to actually make dreams come true for Courtney and Adam, and meant that they were able to spend their big day surrounded by all their friends and family, as well as take the honeymoon of a lifetime together.

“I’m so lucky to have been privy to watching this wedding be planned behind the scenes, and seeing how all the elements came together on their big day has been such a joy!”

For more information on how to win £25,000 towards a dream wedding, please visit: https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/news/win-your-dream-wedding-worth-25-000-with-hitched/