WHEN carer Julie Bowring walked down the aisle yesterday she wore a huge smile and the size 12 wedding dress she dreamed of fitting into.

Julie, 37, was so determined to look her best on her special day she bought her wedding dress TWO sizes too small and made sure she got in shape for the ceremony.

At her heaviest Julie wore a size 24 but with

marriage plans on the horizon she used her

wedding as the ultimate incentive to slim down.

To help meet her goal Julie signed up to the Daily Echo's Let's Commit to Get Fit campaign - and she won a year's membership of the David Lloyd Fitness Centre in Nursling.

"I was absolutely determined to do it. I don't know how much weight exactly I have lost as I don't weigh myself - I just go by dress size.

"When I first got the gym membership I was going about four times a week but I have problems with my hips and had to cut down to once or twice a week.

"It has been really great and definitely helped me get into shape," she said.

Julie, of Paynes Road, Shirley, Southampton, met fiance Martin Wolden, 38, at an Eastleigh nightclub and they became engaged last May.

Martin, who works for a bill posting company, has been deaf since birth and Julie delivered her

marriage vows in sign language.

"I found it easy to learn and I enjoyed being able to deliver my vows that way," she said.

Martin is a mad keen Saints fan so the couple decided to wed at the St Mary's stadium. Many of the guests got into the spirit of the occasion by wearing red and white and the theme was continued at the Hilton Hotel at Basset where the happy couple held their reception.

The tables were decorated in the team's colours - and Julie organised a special wedding cake complete with a football and scarf.

"I wanted to make it very special for Martin," she said.

"The cake was a big surprise and he knew nothing about it."