IT is the start of the next chapter in their lives together.

Celebrating a day she never believed she would see, the new Mrs Alice Harrison is today overjoyed at marrying her “rock” Ryan.

The couple, who met around four years ago, finally tied the knot surrounded by their family and friends in the stunning setting of Prested Hall, near Kelvedon in Essex on Saturday.

But for 24-year-old Alice and her supportive partner Ryan, 26, of Ipswich, the journey down the aisle has been a long one.

Fourteen years ago Alice was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis – a condition which left her unable to bend her arms after her elbows fused at 90 degree angles.

Last year medics performed two “life-changing” elbow replacement operations, giving Alice the ability to bend her arms again.

Simple things people take for granted – pouring a drink, getting dressed, washing her hair – were all things she had to rely on Ryan to help her with.

But after recovering from her ops, what she was most looking forward to was holding Ryan’s hand properly for the first time.

“I wouldn’t have even got married if I hadn’t had the operations,” she said.

“I lost a lot of self-confidence and I wouldn’t even try a wedding dress on until I had recovered.

“The movement I have regained in my arms is just amazing. I would never have walked down the aisle if I couldn’t do the things I can now.

“I am so excited to be Mrs Harrison. During the build up you kind of forget what it is all about.

“I was so excited to walk up the aisle and see him in his suit. It went perfectly, I couldn’t have asked for anything more, everything just fell into place. We couldn’t have had a better day if we tried, it was just amazing.

“He has been my rock since the day we have been together and I am really proud to call him my husband. It is the start of a new chapter in our lives, we have so much to look forward to and there is now nothing really holding us back.”

Mr Harrison added: “I am so proud of my wife, she has had to put up with so much.

“She looked amazing, she was just so beautiful. It brought a tear to my eye.”

The couple are today setting off on their honeymoon to Florida for three weeks.