The credit-crunch bride who wore a £50 wedding dress says she felt like a 'million dollars' as she weds her man

The biggest day in the life of the 19-year-old and her 21-year-old groom Christopher May had a bargain basement price tag - but that did not matter to the happy couple.

And as they celebrated their marriage today, Christopher said: 'The money is irrelevant, it is just a special day.'

Love birds Chris May and Odette Fenwick arrive at their money saving wedding reception

The couple decided to have a budget wedding to avoid getting into debt during the credit crunch.

They scoured internet auction site eBay, charity shops and budget stores to find almost everything they needed for their bargain basement special day.

Chrisptopher and his 19-year- old bride spent £52 on a second-hand wedding dress, £19 for both rings and £40 on party food from a budget supermarket.

Chris and Odette spent a total of £490 on their big day and loved every minute of it

The civil ceremony cost £43.50 and guests attended a reception in the grounds of Mr May's work place  -  an engineering plant.

But after the civil ceremony in Barnstaple, Devon, in front of around 20 guests, Odette said: 'I feel like a princess.

'It was wonderful, lovely. The cost of the day does not matter at all.'

Her husband, who was wearing a white morning suit, said: 'The price tag does not matter, it is the meaning of the day which is important.'

Bride Odette with daughter Bailey after after her wedding to Chris

His mother Dawn said after the ceremony: 'Odette looked really gorgeous, really lovely.

'The wedding was cheap - but she looked like a million dollars,' she added.

The couple, who have a five-month-old daughter Bailey-Ann, provided food and drink for nine  -  themselves, the best man and close family.

But the other 20 guests at the ceremony plus another 20 at the reception were asked to bring their own food.

Odette said: 'Most brides would want their dress to costs thousands of pounds but that wasn't ever an option for me. 

Chris and Odette show off their wedding rings which cost a total of £19

'Our credit crunch wedding is going to be the best day of our lives and without breaking the bank.'

Christopher said: 'Like most grooms I've left most of it up to the bride. Odette is very good at searching out a bargain.' 

The couple will even have a free memento of their big day by the BBC money programme that was filming the wedding and reception and will give them some footage.

The newlyweds will even be saving on their honeymoon - they are not having one.

The average cost of a wedding is £20,273, according to a survey of 1,500 brides-to-be for You and Your Wedding magazine.