A BRIDE was able to walk down the aisle on her wedding day in her ‘perfect dress’ after losing more than seven stones.

Rachel Seedall weighed 21st 5lb when she became engaged to her partner, Mick, and wanted to be slimmer for her big day.

The 40-year-old, from Blackburn, joined a Slimming World group and through a balance of healthy eating and exercise she dropped down to 14st 2lb, dropping from a size 22/24 to 14/16.

The high school welfare and support officer said she did not want to wear a “typical plus size A-line dress” and was worried about how she would be perceived on her wedding day.

She said she found a dress she loved, but had to lose enough weight to fit into it.

Mrs Seedall was also diagnosed with benign intracranial hypertension, a pressure on the brain caused by too much fluid, which she said was caused by being overweight.

She said: “I had to lose weight for my health and for my wedding dress.

“I started swimming 50 to 70 lengths four or five times a week and my weight came down.

“My eating habits also changed. I swapped out bad foods for good foods.

“I’ve stopped cooking a lot of things in oil. I now remove as much fat as I can from foods and I now have fruit in my bag.”

Mrs Seedall said her first experience of going dress shopping did not go well and was left feeling ‘embarrassed and traumatised’ after shop staff tried to put dresses on her that did not fit.

However Mrs Seedall said she walked down the aisle with her dad in a white fitted vintage dress and felt amazing.

She said: “It was the best day ever, it was completely perfect. I had the perfect dress.

“I feel so much better about myself, I have more energy and I can do a lot more.

“Slimming World was amazing for me and I still go back every week.

“I never starved myself or went on a crazy diet, I just ate better.

“I don’t get the hypertension symptoms anymore, which is great.

“Before my weight loss, I was always tired, out of breath.

“I had dreams of what I wanted to wear and with losing the weight I was able to fulfill it.”

Mrs Seedall is a member of the Slimming World group in Bolton Road, Blackburn.