With this gold medal, I thee auction this wedding dress!!

Sparkling purse wedding bag

Angie bridal shoes

Patricia bridesmaid dress

Meningitis is a cause close to Sarah's heart after she nearly died from the disease when she was fifteen and as of this month she is Patron of Meningitis UK. She has decided to auction off her wedding dress so it can be put to some good use rather than just packed away to gather dust in some loft somewhere. All money raised from the auction will go towards research into the illness to help eradicate the disease and stop the heartache and devastation that it causes.

The dress itself is an Ian Stuart design called Patience and is a size 10. Sarah fell in love with it when she first saw it but when it came to the fitting, she got cold (or should we say wet) feet! So she dragged her long suffering mum around the wedding shops all over again until she ended back in the first shop buying the first dress she tried on! So if Sarah's perfect dress is your perfect dress too and you want to give to a good cause at the same time, click here to make a bid! You need to get in quick though if you want a bit of Olympic style for your own nuptials as the auction ends on the 15th December 08.

We also asked Sarah if she had any tips for all you brides to be when it comes to planning the big day. Her top tip was research, research, research especially when it comes to buying The Dress. Sarah pored over magazines looking for designers and styles that she liked. She then tried on various styles ‘til she had a short list of four. Then comes the difficult bit though - whittling it down to the one. She suggests finding a stockist that holds all the styles you like. According to Sarah seeing your favourites in one place avoids all the agony and heartache of trying to remember what each one looked like as you trail round the shops and you can try them one after another ‘til you have the one. After all, as we all know it has to be perfect as you will hopefully only wear it once. Then after the big day, you could follow Sarah's example and auction it off for charity or another cause close to your heart.

Sarah's other top tip was that when you're choosing the venue for your nuptials, it's a good idea to get to know the person who is performing the all-important wedding ceremony before the big day. She says it makes the ceremony even more special and personal to you and your beloved if they can include anecdotes about you as a couple as you declare your undying love to each other.  

To find out more about the auction for Sarah's dress and about the website Buy Once Give Twice, click here.

And to read Henry Kaye's hints and tips on planning the perfect day as well as style advice that every bride to be should read, check out our wedding information pages. They're an indispensable source of advice that every bride should consult before tying the knot.

And should you be lucky enough to get the winning bid for Sarah's wedding dress (or even if you're not so lucky), don't forget to browse Henry Kaye's complete range of stunning wedding shoes (for brides, bridesmaids and pageboys alike),  exquisite wedding bags, bridal gloves and beautiful wedding accessories for those finishing touches as well as our stylish pageboy outfits and gorgeous bridesmaid dresses for the rest of your wedding party.