A determined woman refused to sulk when her wedding had to be postponed due to Covid, and used the extra time to lose more than 11 stone ahead of her new big day.
Melissa Williams, from Bridgend, south Wales, was heartbroken when the pandemic scuppered her plans to wed fiancé Chris in the summer of 2020.
But she soon let the lockdown delay inspire her to slim right down for when she did finally ie the knot, WalesOnline report.
The mum was 25st 4lbs and a size 30 when she was due to get hitched nearly two years ago, but when she walked down the aisle in April the 27-year-old was almost half the size.
However, it wasn't all good news - she did so well that had to go out and buy a brand new wedding dress, after buying one which fit her perfectly just as Covid arrived.
Melissa says that she was so grateful for the pandemic delaying her wedding because it meant she didn't have to spend her special day hating the way she looked.
She said: "I've been big for as long as I could remember. I was a secret eater and a binge eater.
"And I'd also have Chinese and Indian takeaways about four times a week. The weight crept up on me and all of a sudden I was 25st 4lbs and wearing a size 30-32.
"I was miserable. I didn't leave the house and I was cutting myself off from everyone around me. I was supposed to get married in 2020 but, of course, it was postponed because of coronavirus.
"I was dreading it. I hated the dress I had bought, but I just got it for the sake of it because I knew that no dress would look nice on me. I hated how I looked, so I was actually glad it got postponed because I ended up feeling amazing!"
In a desperate bid to get her life back, Melissa had weight loss surgery in August last year. Her parents, Lynne, 67, and Tony James, 58, were so worried about the dark place she was in, that they offered to pay £11,250 for her gastric bypass.
Melissa, a stay at home mum, said: "I'd completely lost myself. My parents were so worried about me and just wanted to get me better.
"I was humiliated by the way I looked. I'd taken my son, Charlie, six, to Thomas Land at Drayton Manor and I'd gotten on a ride with him. The bar wouldn't go down and I was asked to get off of the ride. I've never felt more embarrassed than I did at that moment."
"I also felt so bad for Charlie. I couldn't even go on walks with him or run about with him in the fields because of my size. I could hardly walk to the end of the street. I was on blood pressure medication and my back was so sore. My health was deteriorating and I knew something needed to change."
After years of binge eating and takeaways, Melissa had a gastric bypass which meant she would be losing weight in time for her new wedding day.
Since the surgery, she dropped an impressive 11st 2lbs which meant she needed to buy a new wedding dress.
Melissa said: "I am so happy that our wedding was pushed back because I felt amazing on the day. I was dreading my wedding previously because of the fact I would have to get ready and put a dress on, even though I felt horrendous.
"It was just the normal wedding nerves, it was because I was so unhappy with how I looked. My new dress was a size 16 and I was so happy when I looked at myself in the mirror with it on.
"I felt incredible and I had the best day not worrying about my weight. We have also just returned from our honeymoon in Gran Canaria where I even wore a bikini for the first time in my entire life.
"I would have usually been a ball of sweat and hated the heat. I didn't have to cover up and I could wear whatever I wanted. I don't have to wear clothes I hated because they were the only thing that fit me. I felt lovely.
"When the weight started coming off, it was so surreal to notice all of the changes happening to my body. I feel better than I have ever felt and I am so much healthier.
"I can walk for miles, I go to the gym and I am so much more confident. I love going out and getting dressed up with my friends now. It's the best decision I have ever made, and I had the best wedding day that I could ever have dreamed of."
