A PORT couple pulled off an almighty double bluff by turning a joint 30th birthday celebration into their wedding day.

Bride Chloe Hagan and her groom Jamie Macleod spent years hatching their secret plan to get hitched,while letting family and friends think they were going to a surprise party instead.

There wasn't a dry eye in the house at Cruden Hall when shocked guests realised that they were there to see the wedding of the new Mr & Mrs Macleod.

It was the perfect twist to a love story which first began when the couple were both sweet sixteen.

Chloe, 30, from North Road, said: "We have been together for 14 years since we were both at St Stephen's High.

"We have everything we could ever want, our two children Finn, who is six years old, Thea, who is three, and our pug Peanuts.

"We had been engaged and wanted to get married and wanted a party but I didn't want to make guests pay for a big day.

"Ever since the pandemic things have been tough for people, I didn't want them worrying about what to wear and getting a wedding gift.

"We just wanted everyone to have a good time."

Chloe, a nursery nurse at Rainbow Family Centre, and Jamie, who works for housebuilders Stewart Milne, came up with an idea to get married for their 30th as their birthdays are just weeks apart in April and May.

Jamie said: "We decided to mess with everyone a little.

"We had everyone thinking they were invited to a surprise 30th, but they were actually coming to our wedding."

They only let their parents, along with best man Kyle Hughes and his wife Laura, bridesmaid, in on the plan.

Chloe added: "Laura and Kyle are our best friends and they have been together since they were 16 as well.

"We all went to school and they got us together, so it was really special."

Chloe's mum Ann sent out all the invitations for the 'surprise 30th' while the couple privately plotted the wedding instead.

She added: "I didn't even tell the kids until the night before because they couldn't keep a secret.

"They were so happy."

Eyebrows were raised when Jamie arrived in his wedding day kilt at Cruden Hall - and the penny dropped when Chloe walked down the aisle as their guests cried tears of joy.

Chloe said: "It was perfect in every way possible.

"We were married by the humanist Gordon Bond, who was amazing, with our best friends, parents, our flower girls my daughter Thea and my goddaughter Ana.

"I had my favourite DJ Robbie Murdoch - I was only doing it if he was there too.

"But it is great that finally we don't have a secret to keep."

The couple would like to thank everyone who made their big day happen, including their best friends Kyle and Laura, as well Chloe's parents Ann and Craig McArthur, Jamie's mum Jane Darrah, stepdad Allan McFeely, dad Joseph Macleod and step mum Kelly Devenney.