MANY brides dream about reliving their big day. And today, Chantelle Gauvain will be doing exactly that with husband Gary – just two weeks after they were married.

Months of planning and thousands of pounds went to waste when Mrs Gauvain, nee Fallaize, came down with a severe case of gastric flu hours before her wedding.

Having soldiered on to get her hair and make-up done, she stood in St Martin’s Parish Church for what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life with a bouquet in one hand, knowing that she might need to leave at any minute.

She spent the entire reception at the Jerbourg Hotel in bed, twice being visited by a doctor before being given an injection to ease the sickness, taken to hospital by ambulance and put on a saline drip.

‘It was so disappointing. I had been so looking forward to it for so long. I had planned it perfectly, down to the gifts on the tables,’ said Mrs Gauvain, a mother-of-two and a secretary for White & Co. Removals.

But today, the couple will be recreating their special day.

The Rev. Mike Kierle offered to renew their vows in front of friends and family, including those from England.

‘I was very sorry and sad that Chantelle wasn’t well but I’m delighted that they wanted to come back and have another bash at it,’ said the Rev. Kierle, who had shortened the service when he saw how ill the bride was.

He said that he had never had such a situation in 15 years of marrying couples and added that Mrs Gauvain coped very well.

When she first woke up with stomach pains at 2am on the day, she was not overly concerned. ‘I thought it was just wedding nerves,’ she said.

But husband Gary, 35, a factory supervisor for Regency Bedding, had to hold her up during the service before she made a dash for the vestry.

‘I was happy for us to get through the service but I was so gutted for her. It’s supposed to be a woman’s big day, getting dressed up and looking beautiful, but she looked beautiful anyway,’ said Mr Gauvain.

Mrs Gauvain, who was Island FM’s Bride of the Week, told everyone to carry on without her at the reception, which she had been so keen to have at the hotel that she had brought the wedding forward from June to fit in with its vacancies.

‘I couldn’t fault the Jerbourg – they were wonderful,’ she said.

She could not even see her two daughters, one aged six years and the other 13 months, and her worried husband spent the evening going back and forth to see her.

Her mother, Karen Fallaize, said that she felt devastated for her daughter. ‘You can foresee everything else happening, but not the bride being ill. You just want everything to be so special for them.’

Today’s ceremony will be followed by a barbecue at a relative’s house because the couple had no money left for another reception.

Tussie Mussie Flowers is providing a free bouquet for the bride and photographer Mark Leightley will retake photographs of the couple as a gift to recapture the moment. Hardly any pictures could be taken on the day.

‘When the photos are in their album, no one will be any the wiser,’ said Mr Leightley.

Fortunately, the couple did not miss their honeymoon – they had already planned to leave that until next year.