WITH her big day getting ever closer, Lisa Richardson, the winning bride-to-be in the Wiltshire Times Win Your Wedding competition, has picked out her dream dress.

With parents Mary and Nigel, she went to the Clothes Horse in Milsom Street, Bath, to pick out her gown for the February 16 ceremony next year, when she will marry her partner of 11 years, James Stone.

They live in West Street, Warminster, with their three children, Jack, 13, Archie, four, and Charlie, two.

Lisa, 36, said: “It wasn’t an easy choice at first. I tried on six or seven dresses, but the ladies in the shop were very helpful and made me feel right at home.

“They found me the one I chose, which was perfect. It was all quite emotional.

“I didn’t need to try on any others after that, although it was a little over-budget.

“It was a bit unusual to take my dad along, but he really enjoyed it in the end.James hasn’t seen the dress. He will have to wait.”

Lisa and James, 38, have been together since May 2001 and planned to marry last year, but had to cancel plans after a series of set-backs.

She said: “It is getting a lot busier as we get closer. We have had to make a few changes to things, like the numbers and the menu at the Leigh Park Hotel, but Louise there has been amazing at helping sort it all out.

“We have the stationery designed, although I still need to see the finished version, and I will be talking with the cake man about his ideas next month.”

James, an IT manager for the BBC, and Lisa, who works at Junction 18 in Warminster, were named as winners of the dream wedding, worth more than £7,000, back in November.

Leigh Park Country House Hotel, Bradford on Avon, will provide the venue.

Other sponsors include the Clothes Horse, Beauty Bouquet, Lee’s Jewellers of Devizes, Claire’s Crystal Classics, Taking Pictures, Elite Limousines, Courtyard Creative, Kevin’s Menswear, Simply Beautiful Things, Blooms, Cake 2 Remember and DC Leisure.