WHEN Kate Harvey and Jamie Leach won the Oxford Mail’s Win Your Wedding competition, May 2012 seemed like a long way away.

But with now just over a week to go, the young couple said they were “unbelievably excited” to be in the final run-up to their big day.

On Saturday, May 12, Miss Harvey will walk down the aisle at Oxford Town Hall in front of 84 guests to marry her partner of six-and-a-half years.

The 24-year-old said: “This is the wedding all girls dream of and we are so grateful for it.

“We never thought in our wildest dreams we would be able to afford something like this.”

The couple triumphed over 33 other couples in a public vote in the Oxford Mail last April to win the wedding, worth £12,000.

More than 8,000 votes by phone, text and post were cast. Miss Harvey and Mr Leach won with 1,862.

Over the past year they have picked out flowers, the cake, dress and outfits for the whole bridal party.

Miss Harvey, a visual merchandiser, said: “I think my favourite part was going to see the venue. The Town Hall is incredible. We are in the main hall and it is so beautiful.

“But I really enjoyed picking the flowers and trying the cake as we got to try six or seven different types of cake.

“And then dress shopping was amazing. I saw the dress before we had properly started looking and that was the one.”

Miss Harvey will have three bridesmaids, her two friends Rosanna Higgs and Vanessa Beal and sister Sophie.

Sophie submitted the application form for the wedding competition – something Miss Harvey said they would always be grateful for.

She said: “I definitely owe her a big favour.”

The couple will spend their first night as a married couple at the Malmaison Hotel in Oxford, before jetting off on their honeymoon to Egypt.

They will then return to Long Hanborough, where they have spent the last year building their own house. They hope it will be finished in time to cross the threshold as husband and wife.

Electrician Mr Leach, 27, said: “I’ve loved every moment of planning the wedding. It’s gone so quickly. It seems like only yesterday since we were winning the competition.

“I think my favourite bit was definitely the cake tasting but it has all been enjoyable.”