MARK Scrivens and Sian Morris wanted to get married for almost 12 years – and they finally did so in style on Saturday, with a little help from the Argus.

The happy couple, from Sullivan Circle, Ringland, Newport, tied the knot in the rural surroundings of St Tewdric’s Church, Mathern, before enjoying an evening reception and overnight stay at Chepstow’s St Pierre Hotel.

It was the culmination of more than six months of planning since they won the Argus’ Win A Wedding competition last autumn, scooping a prize worth around £3,000, and which included a ceremony, wedding breakfast, reception and luxury bedroom at the St Pierre complex.

Mr Scrivens, 32, proposed to Miss Morris, 28, in July 2000, just five months after they met. But costs, expected and unexpected, have since repeatedly conspired to empty their savings.

Since that proposal – made while the couple were watching an episode of the BBC drama Casualty in their flat in Maindee while sharing an Indian takeaway – the couple have had three children, Cole, Chloe, and the youngest, at 16 months, Leon.

Mr Scrivens has also had to battle non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, diagnosed last summer after he had an operation to remove two tumours from his neck.

Before that diagnosis he was looking for work, while his fiancée completed a level one hairdressing course in college before finishing in order to have Leon.

With all these things going on by last autumn the prospect of a wedding looked further away than ever, until Mr Scrivens entered the competition. He described winning it as “a dream come true”.

“This hasn’t made my day – it’s made my life,” he said.

Yesterday they made their vows before a congregation of family and friends, and arrived at and departed from the church in a vintage car.

And even though it was not a feature of their prize, even the weather was on their side as the rain stayed away.