PREPARATIONS for the wedding of the year are forging ahead.

And Evening Advertiser Bride of the Year for 2002, Katrina Bennett is enjoying making arrangements for her wedding.

In asking Katrina to marry him, fianc David McCarron, 27, stuck to tradition.

Katrina, 25, said: "It was on New Year's Eve of 2001 in the Steam Railway pub in Old Town. We were with a party of about 12 or 14 friends and he got down on one knee. He didn't get me a ring for then because he wanted to be sure I liked it. Later he gave me an engagement ring with white and yellow gold with a round diamond."

Katrina will be having one bridesmaid on August 3.

Her cousin Mandy Hudson, 25, will be on hand to hold Katrina's bouquet.

Although Mandy is currently living in London, she is originally from Bognor Regis on the south coast.

Both girls will be holding beautiful bouquets of flowers to suit the mood of the wedding, which will be classic but with a modern twist.

George Lesley Flowers will be providing Katrina's bouquet and other flowers. The fragrant blooms will add the finishing touches to the bride and bridesmaid's outfits.

The custom-made selection will help to ensure that Katrina and David's big day will be extra special.

Kate Hurst, of George Lesley Flowers, said: "We start with the bride and her personality. The bride comes in and we discuss colour texture, the theme of the wedding some want theirs traditional some want it more relaxed. It would be no good if we gave a bride whose is quite shy some showy flowers.

"So one needs to see the bride and then generally chat and then we find out what she is after. And then we come up with our ideas. But usually the bride picks out something very similar."

Kate said: "Katrina is a pretty girl and she has got lovely bright eyes the eyes tell us a lot."