Bespoke Wedding Gown Winner!

A few months ago, Dresses at No. 9 launched a competition to win a complete bespoke wedding gown experience to the value of £1,000.

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We teamed up with HF Couture Bespoke Jewellery design service who has offered a bespoke item up to the value of £100 and Xposure photography who have offered a photoshoot and DVD slideshow to the value of £300.

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The object of the competition was to find the best 'Down on one knee' moment and we are absolutely delighted, along with the tremendous support of her friends and collegues, to announce, Abi Thomas as our winner.

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When I told Abi the news she said.

"Eeeeeeek! Thank you thank you thank you!! I am so EXCITED I actually can't put it into words. I knew I wanted Linda to make my dress regardless of the result but this means I really do get the dress of my dreams. I can't wait to meet both Linda and Jane from HF Couture - I am actually the luckiest girl in the world."

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Our runner up receives a £75 voucher to spend towards a bridesmaid gown from

Simply Wedding Dresses Bingley.

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May I take this opportunity of thanking everyone for their massive support on behalf of our finalists and of course our winner. Abi received over 700 votes for her story, so for those of you who haven't read it, here it is.

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It actually all started 3 and a half years ago, sitting at the dining table with his mum, dad and brother when we had been together about 6 weeks.

The talk had turned to proposals as a friend was getting married. His brother explained that when he proposed it would be a Haribo ring and if she said yes then she would get a diamond.

Chris (my now fiance) turned to me just as I had taken a mouthful of dinner and calmly said "Well when I propose to you it will be with a biscuit party ring, and if you say yes, then you'll get a diamond sparkly ring". I coughed and spluttered. But the seed had been planted...

There was much talk of this party biscuit over the next 2 and a half years. Eventually I was encouraged to look at sparkly rings to go with my party biscuit. A further year passed and neither a sparkly nor biscuit based ring had appeared.

Then, in July this year we were on holiday, in a beautiful hotel in Gran Canaria. I had pondered whether he would choose this holiday to propose, however when we got to the hotel he would happily let me go in and out of our room safe... Would he bring a diamond ring on holiday and NOT put it in the safe?! I thought not.

Days passed in our holiday and I dismissed the notion of a proposal from my mind. On our fourth day we had a beautiful romantic meal in the restaurant, then sat and watched the "entertainment" in our hotel. After he suggested a walk on the beach, under the full moon and cloudless, starry sky. I took off my heels and we walked along the beach. He stopped and wrapped his arms around me, I was looking at the stars. He then said, "I was wondering, will you marry me?". I looked down and expected to see a party biscuit but instead saw a beautiful diamond ring glinting in the moonlight. I said yes, of course. And then made him get down on one knee and asked where my party biscuit was! Apparently they don't sell them in Gran Canaria and apparently he was brave enough to bring a diamond ring on holiday and not put it in the safe!!

We're planning to get married next September, in 2011.

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Abi, it was a perfect down on one knee moment. I can't believe he took the ring with him and forgot the party biscuits. They are my favourite!

Many, many congratulations on your forth coming marrige and I really cannot wait to begin working with you to make your dream gown the reality you deserve.

Linda x