Guests at a christening in Trowbridge were left in shock at the weekend after finding out they were attending a surprise wedding.

Melissa and Craig Randal, both 36, told more than 100 guests at the ceremony that they were attending the christening for the couple’s eight-month-old son Ashley – but tied the knot 18 years after they first got engaged.

The new Mrs Randal, nee Crook, said plans for the surprise wedding on Saturday had been in the pipeline for 10 weeks and only six people knew about the ceremony beforehand.

She added: “We had to be a bit devious really and we just got away with it and I kept thinking that people would find out.

“The idea came from my Aunty Marilyn because when we had my daughter christened she thought we were getting married then. That is what gave us the idea to do it this time.”

Reverend Liz Gifford at St John’s Church in Upper Studley carried out both the wedding and christening and Mrs Randal said that when the announcement was made of their proceeding nuptials, many guests gasped in surprise.

Mrs Randal, who is a nurse at the RUH in Bath, added: “We got the vicar to announce what was happening and the guests gasped. The next thing was me walking down the aisle with my dad to a round of applause.”

The couple, who first met at John of Gaunt School and have two children, said that not even the best man knew about the wedding until the morning. and after 18 years of being engaged, all the guests were happy to see the ceremony finally get under way.

She added: “We told the best man on the morning of the wedding and we don’t know what we’d have done if he didn’t say yes.”

The couple first becoming friends at John of Gaunt School and thanked all the people who managed to keep their special day a secret.

She said: “We couldn’t have done it without our parents who looked after the kids when we went to rehearsals.”

The couple had their reception at The Boathouse in Bradford on Avon and they are now planning a trip away for their honeymoon but will be going to Bath Spa for a break in the next few weeks.