AFTER winning the wedding of their dreams, James Durrant and Charlotte Pip were promised to be made to feel like a prince and princess.

But little did the Woodbridge couple expect that they would be sharing their special day with Prince William and Kate Middleton.

In September, the happy pair won a competition run by the East Anglian Daily Times and Pure Weddings magazine to have their special day at the Ufford Park Hotel, near Woodbridge.

But they were left stunned when the Royal Wedding was announced as being on April 29 – the same day as their own.

Miss Pip recalled the moment she realised: “I turned on my phone to find a number of text messages about the Royal wedding and their date – the same as ours!

“We hadn’t really thought about the Royal Wedding because we didn’t think they’d get married on a Friday.

“Our wedding plans have been going fantastically and everybody involved in the competition has been amazing and very helpful.

“However, it’s a shock that we are now sharing our wedding day with one of the highest-profile marriages of the last decade.”

Tarnia Robertson, marketing director at Ufford Park, said: “When I heard the news announcing Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding date as Friday, April 29, 2011 I thought how amazing that the winners of our free wedding had also chosen that very same date already.

“What a lovely coincidence. They certainly will never forget their wedding anniversary and neither will the rest of the country.” The couple are getting married at noon and have already heard whispers among friends and family about having a TV showing the Royal wedding.

“Quite a few people are having hotel rooms at Ufford Park so I reckon they’ll sneak to them later to have a peek at Kate’s dress. However, I hope that they will be concentrating on my dress on the day.

“Clare from Silk Rose Couture has designed it and to have a bespoke dress is such a fantastic prize. The dress is so important and I am sure Kate thinks so too. I am keeping my dress a complete secret until the day.

“I feel so excited and cannot believe our wedding is the same day as the Royal Wedding, although we did book ours first!”

Lorraine Mitcham, wedding executive at Ufford Park, said: “This certainly will be a wedding day to remember. Just think, as I will be sitting down with our bride and groom-to-be to help them organise the finer details of their special day, so will William and Kate with their organisers.

“I just wonder if we might be asked to set-up a TV on the day so the bride, groom and their guests can also watch the Royal Wedding too. I’m sure this historic occasion will only add to the excitement and enjoyment of our couple’s day too.”