A COUPLE have had a December to remember this year as a ‘bundle of festive joy’ entered the world just in time to be a part of his parents’ wedding.

New parents, army bomb disposal expert Liam and his wife Jessie, from Didcot, were surprised to welcome their son, Theo, into their lives six weeks before his expected arrival.

The couple said their early Christmas present – a week before their wedding – made their big day even more special.

Four days later, Pte Shelton – a sapper with 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment RLC – and his wife moved into a new home at Vauxhall Barracks, Didcot.

Mrs Shelton said: “The wedding was everything we wanted it to be. Having Theo there made it even more complete.

“He was dressed in a little panda suit in his car seat and stayed silent through the whole service.

“Every time he woke that day, was like pass the parcel. Everyone wanted to have a hold. The whole day was just perfect.”

Theo was born by emergency Caesarean on December 1, weighing at 5lb 4oz. The parents had an anxious wait to see if mother and baby would be allowed home from hospital in time to make the wedding at Didcot Registration Office on December 8.

But Mrs Shelton said she was determined to go ahead with it.

She said: “They kept reassuring me everything would be okay. Our family and friends had booked places to stay so I didn’t want to cancel.

“We eventually got out of hospital at 7pm on the Friday. That night we went out for a meal with all the family and the next day we were married.”

The wedding, which was followed by a reception in Abingdon, was organised through Oxfordshire County Council’s Registration Service and was enjoyed by nearly 25 of the newly-weds’ family and friends.

Deputy superintendent registrar Sally Gardner, who conducted the ceremony, said: “Every wedding is unique but this was extra special.

“Liam and Jessie had wanted to get married and move home before the baby’s arrival, but in the event, Theo preceded them both. He’s a beautiful little baby and it was a wonderful ceremony.”

This Christmas and New Year, nearly 30 weddings organised by the Registration Service will be held in Oxfordshire.

Two weddings are taking place on Christmas Eve in Abingdon and Oxford, while five are due to be held on New Year’s Eve.