A BRIDE-TO-BE from Yate who was rushed to hospital the day before her wedding but miraculously still managed to take her vows has finally celebrated becoming a married woman.

Pregnant Nicola Harrington, 24, said the week in between her real wedding, which had to be cut short because of a severe illness, and the surprise reception her new husband decided to organise was like being in a dream.

Bank worker Nicola woke up excited two weeks ago and set about decorating the marquee outside her mother Mary's pub the Fox and Hounds in Acton Turville, where the reception she had planned for a year was to be held.

But she started suffering severe pain and fianc Stuart, who turned 30 on Saturday, called an ambulance.

Nicola was admitted to Southmead Hospital with a dangerous kidney infection and was devastated at the thought of missing the biggest day of her life.

"Of all the days, I just would not have thought this would happen on my wedding day," she told the Gazette. "Stuart said we should cancel the wedding but I was determined to go ahead. I told him I would see him at Poole Court on the Saturday."

In a magnificent display of strength, Nicola was allowed out of hospital to marry the man she has known and loved for four years.

"I remember everything but I was in so much pain, so I had to go back to Southmead immediately," she said. "I didn't even get the chance to go into the marquee or welcome any of our guests."

Stuart, a lorry driver, said: "It was an absolute tragedy, it is every girl's dream to get married.

"The reception went ahead because we had all this food to serve but it was so sad looking at the empty seat next to me."

Whilst Nicola was recovering in hospital last week, Stuart decided to give his new wife the day of her dreams after all. He set about planning the reception, including inviting all 130 guests back, in less than a week and on Saturday, family and friends joined the couple to celebrate their union of marriage.

Nicola, who is six months pregnant with the couple's first child, had no idea that her husband had been so busy.

"He told me we were meeting the photographer because I was too ill to have pictures taken on our wedding day," she said. "Stuart said we had to go into the marquee to have a picture taken cutting the cake. I thought it was going to be empty.

"But when I walked in our guests were sitting at their tables. I just burst into tears. I had no idea.

"They had all made the effort to dress the same and everything was exactly as I had planned it. It was almost like I had been in a dream for a week."

The couple, who went on honeymoon to Cyprus several weeks before the wedding, said they were extremely grateful to all the businesses and family and friends who helped them re-enact their reception.

Stuart said: "We couldn't have afforded to do it otherwise - we want to say a big thank you to everyone."

They also paid tribute to the nursing staff at Southmead Hospital and added a note of advice to anyone planning a wedding in the future.

"I would advise any couples planning their wedding to take out insurance," said Nicola. "We did not have any because we never thought we would need it but you just never know."