IT’S that time again when loved-up local couples get the chance to win the wedding of their dreams.

The Tele is launching this year’s fabulous £5,000 competition today in conjunction with the award-winning Lynnhurst Hotel in Johnstone.

Last year’s wedding competition winners Jo-Anne Cricchi and Andrew McFadden are meanwhile gearing up for their special day next month - with an extra special guest, their six-month-old daughter Jessica.

Jo-Anne, 27, of Dubbs Road, said: “I was about 13 weeks pregnant at the time and when I saw the competition I thought ‘there is no harm, it’s a bit of fun!’

“Andrew didn’t even know about it then our photo appeared in the paper with 40 other couples.

“He started to get text messages, saying ‘I didn’t know you were in the competition’ and he told people neither did he!

“He was over the moon when he won.

“If we hadn’t won, we would have had to postpone things for a couple of years to save up, especially with me being on maternity leave.”

Jo-Anne, a customer services advisor with RBS in Greenock, had already put back their wedding from July last year, so they could prepare for the arrival of their beautiful baby girl who was born on August 19.

She and Andrew, who works at Tesco in Port Glasgow, can’t wait for their big day.

They will tie the knot in the hotel, then celebrate with 54 day guests, enjoying a sumptuous meal before continuing the party with another 50 friends in the evening.

The bash will continue into the wee small hours with the hotel’s resident DJ and the newlyweds will stay in the luxurious honeymoon suite.

Jo-Anne said: “The Lynnhurst is a lovely hotel. Our photographer Darren Mitchell showed us photographs of weddings he’s done there before and the gardens are lovely. I hope the weather stays dry.

“I would say to other couples thinking about the competition this year to just go for it - you’ve got to be in it to win it.

“I’d never ever thought I’d be on maternity leave looking after Jessica and planning a wedding at the same time.”

To be in with a chance of winning this year’s fabulous prize package simply email your names, dates of birth, address, email address and daytime contact number together with a photograph or yourself and your partner to Wedding Competition, Greenock Telegraph, 2 Crawfurd Street, Greenock, PA15 1LH to arrive by March 17.

All entries will be published next month to give readers across the area the chance to vote for their favourite couple.

Good luck!