Bride walks down aisle with huge black eye - after punch-up with the caterer

Bride Bernadette McGibbon has a wedding album like no other. She looked a vision in an ivory gown, flowing veil ... and sunglasses to hide the black eye she received in a punch-up with the caterer.

Despite her injury, which has left her with a serious impairment to her vision,  Mrs McGibbon, 50, still walked down the aisle. She smiled to family and friends at St  John's Methodist Church, Sunderland - after receiving 10 stitches to her face.

Now, just a month before their first anniversary, the couple say that the events of their big day actually brought them 'closer' as a couple.

Now looking forward to a Caribbean honeymoon next year with husband Eric, 53, Mrs McGibbon said: 'It didn't spoil the day, I just got on with it and didn't let it spoil the  wedding.'

Kevin Forster, 39, was cleared of any wrong doing after defending himself against the pair when a row erupted over their catering, provided by Mr Forster's girlfriend Joyce Miller.

Mrs McGibbon said that if the original reception venue had not fallen through, they would never have asked Mrs Miller to do their catering, and would never have ended up in court.

She said: 'We are disappointed with the outcome but that's the way it goes. We had friends coming up from all over the country and everything was booked. It was a lovely day and I only wish I had met him years ago.'

'It didn't spoil the day, I just got on with it': Bernadette with husband Eric on their wedding day

Mrs McGibbon spent the morning of her wedding in hospital after her retina was  ruptured when Mr Forster punched her while defending himself after coming under attack from the pair.

The couple described Mrs Miller, a caterer for 26 years and the widow of a friend, as their 'knight in shining armour' when she offered to provide catering for the big day.

Mrs Miller had always claimed in court that she had every intention of preparing the catering for the wedding and was to make food fresh in the morning. But Mrs McGibbon said that Mrs Miller told her the money had been spent and there was to be no buffet, leading to the fight.

Mr Forster said he lashed out in self-defence after the irate couple turned up at his door.

He told jurors at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday that he was unaware Mrs Miller, his partner of just seven weeks, had been paid to do the catering, and he knew nothing about the couple when they arrived at his house.

He told the court: 'I thought they were going to kill me, honestly I really did. I could see anger in their eyes, rage, I was fighting for my life.'

Mr Forster said that his home was like a 'butcher's back yard' after the fracas. Jurors cleared him of causing grievous bodily harm to the bride, and of assault causing bodily harm to the groom.

'I only wish I'd met him years ago': Bernadette and Eric after the ceremony, with family and friends