When Kelly and Richard Pope were offered the chance to appear on their favourite reality TV wedding show, they jumped at it.

And they got the special bonus of having their big day screened on national television as a keepsake to keep on watching over and over.

The couple from Kidlington never imagined they would walk away with the top prize after their special day was judged the best when they entered the Four Weddings programme on satellite channel Living.

Mr and Mrs Pope – who have known each other for 12 years but only got together after a night at the Bullnose Morris pub, in Blackbird Leys, 19 months ago – stole the show, winning the top prize of a trip to Jamaica.

The winning couple are judged about how good their wedding is against three other competing couples. Everything is taken into account before the winner is announced.

Mrs Pope, 30, neé Trinder, said: “I love the programme and always used to watch it, so we thought it would really be fun to be on it.

“It was a big surprise to win it, to be honest.

“When we found out we had won, I was obviously really excited but felt bad for a couple of the other brides, who I had made really good friends with.”

The couple treated guests at their March wedding at the Queen’s Hotel, in Chester, to a meal of soup, with pasta in the shape of the couple’s initials, roast chicken and an array of five different desserts.

Guests were welcomed in to the hot pink and black-themed bash by Roman centurions and were treated to a rendition of Olivia Newton John’s hit Xanadu, sung by karaoke fan Mrs Pope.

Competing against the couple for the honeymoon was a girly pink ‘rock chick’-themed event, a racing car enthusiasts’ dream and a medieval fancy dress banquet.

Mr and Mrs Pope will be taking the honeymoon trip to Jamaica next year, because their plans to go last month were scuppered when the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano grounded their flight to the Caribbean.

Their wedding was broadcast last week.

The couple said the seeing the big day on national TV was a weird but wonderful experience.

It follows the appearance of Rebecca and Stuart Crichton, from Carterton, on the show.

Mr Pope said: “It was strange watching ourselves back but also quite nice, because you get to see a side of your wedding you didn’t notice on the day.

“We must have played it back about 15 times."

Four Weddings is broadcast by Living TV on Mondays at 9pm.