BIG DAY: Krystle Harrison shed almost three stones after buying a dress two sizes smaller to renew her wedding vows to husband Mark
BIG DAY: Krystle Harrison shed almost three stones after buying a dress two sizes smaller to renew her wedding vows to husband Mark

A ONCE-in-a-lifetime holiday during which she felt unable to appear in family snaps combined with the imminent renewal of her wedding vows convinced Krystle Harrison action was needed to get into shape.
Five months later and almost three stones lighter, the mum-of-three and husband Mark renewed their vows at The Bowes Museum on New Year's Eve – the venue where they were married almost 13 years ago.
“We went to Universal Studios, in Florida, in July – it was a once-in-lifetime holiday – but out of the hundreds of photos, I was only on three of them because of the way I was looking,” she said.

“I thought I didn’t want to look like that for the wedding.”
So, Mrs Harrison bought a wedding dress two sizes smaller than she was at the time and joined a Slimming World class in Barnard Castle.
“The motivating factor was to get into the wedding dress. I wanted to feel pretty, elegant and lovely – and I do.
“Everybody in the group has been so supportive and can’t wait to see me in my dress. It’s been a massive help.”
She said the Harrisons, from Startforth, spent a year planning the ceremony.
Preparations began in January when Krystle and the children – Imogen, 16, Jaimie, 13, and ten-year-old Riley – made a video asking Mark about renewing their vows. The ceremony will also hold special significance for Mrs Harrison, who will be given away by her father Mick van Dyke. Having lost contact when she was a child, it was her stepdad who gave her away when she and Mark were married.
“About ten years ago he got in contact with me. He has not been well – he had cancer twice in the last year – and I am his only child, so that put things into perspective,” she said.
“I thought how nice it would be for him to give me away and have all my family and friends together.”
She added: “We thought nobody ever does anything on New Year's Eve and most people would be off work, so we thought how nice it would be to see in the new year with family and friends.”
And going a step further, the couple decided on a 1920s theme for the day.
About 70 people attended the couple's renewal of their vows and there was a reception for 120 at Barnard Castle Workingmen's Club on the evening.