And the Winner of the 2025 Dream Wedding Is… Emma Cartwright!

Emma & Matthew Win the UKbride £25K Dream Wedding Competition!

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Emma Cartwright is the winner of the UKbride £25K Dream Wedding Competition! Each year, we have the honour of changing one couple’s wedding journey forever – and this year, Emma and Matthew’s beautiful love story completely captured our hearts.

The Moment Everything Changed

When Emma found out she had won, the news felt almost too good to be true. After months of planning and carefully considering how they would afford their dream venue, the call confirming their win left the couple in total shock. Matthew’s first reaction? A very disbelieving whisper insisting it couldn’t possibly be real!

For Emma, the emotion truly hit later that evening as she looked through the list of incredible prizes included in the £25,000 package. She found herself in tears as the magnitude of what they had won – and what it meant for their future – began to sink in. The couple had never won anything before. To win something so life-changing felt surreal.

A Love Story 20 Years in the Making

Emma and Matthew’s story is one that feels written in the stars. The pair first met when they were just 11 years old – each other’s very first relationship. Life, as it often does, took them in different directions. They became friends, went to different universities, experienced life’s ups and downs, and the years passed. Then, unexpectedly, they reconnected.

What started as catching up soon became something much more, and here they are today – two decades after first meeting – planning the wedding they once could only have imagined.

The Proposal

Matthew’s proposal was heartfelt, nostalgic and completely unexpected. In November, despite feeling poorly and reluctant to leave the house, Emma was persuaded to go out for a walk. The couple retraced an old route they used to walk when they first reconnected, eventually stopping at a bench overlooking the beach – a place filled with years of shared memories.

As they sat talking about their past and reminiscing, Matthew got down on one knee. Emma was completely taken by surprise. With dog walkers nearby on the beach, she remembers jokingly urging him to “get up before someone sees!” Public proposals weren’t her style – but the intimate, meaningful location made it perfect.

Planning Their Big Day with UKbride

Emma and Matthew will be tying the knot on in December 2027 at the breathtaking Sandhole Oak Barn, complete with a beautiful lake setting. From browsing suppliers and comparing prices to reading reviews and exploring venue options, Emma has been making full use of UKbride’s planning tools. One feature she’s particularly loving? The UKbride table planner.

With a winter wedding planned, Emma is currently deciding on colours – loving shades of ivy and emerald green, while steering firmly away from red (they’re Evertonians, after all!)

What Winning Truly Means

Before winning, Emma and Matthew were preparing to make it work no matter what, even if it meant cutting back on the extras to afford their dream venue. Now, everything has changed. They can include special touches they once thought were out of reach – including a live wedding illustrator, something Matthew has always loved.

But the meaning behind the win goes much deeper. Emma shared that she lost her dad nine years ago. Walking her down the aisle and giving her the big wedding she’d always dreamed of had meant everything to him. Winning the Dream Wedding feels, to her, like his way of making sure she still gets that day. “It is life changing,” she said. “It’s literally the one day that you plan for your whole life.”

For Emma and Matthew, this isn’t just about prizes – it’s about memories, family, love and the journey they’ve taken to get here.

Congratulations Emma & Matthew!

From childhood sweethearts to reconnecting years later, to a seaside bench proposal and now a £25K Dream Wedding – your story is truly special. We are so proud to be part of your journey and cannot wait to see your December wedding come to life.

If you’d love the chance to win your own Dream Wedding, don’t forget that next year’s UKbride competition is now open! Join UKbride, start planning your big day using our tools, and you could be our next £25,000 winner.

Your dream wedding could be just one click away!

Our latest £25,000 Wedding winners Emma and Matthew