TEN couples are preparing to battle it out to win a hotly-contested wedding competition.

The Sentinel launched its Win A Dream Wedding competition in January and readers rushed to sign up for the chance of winning a prize worth more than £15,000.

A supplement, published in March, invited readers – as well as friends, family and colleagues of those who entered – to vote for one of the 185 couples, and around 65,000 votes poured in.

Now the 10 couples who got the most votes are keeping their fingers crossed that they have what it takes to be crowned the winners.

They will be competing against the other hopefuls in the final, due to be held at the Best Western Manor House Hotel, in Alsager, on Thursday.

The Sentinel's promotions executive Virginia Lewis said: "We've had a wonderful response from people, both from the couples who entered the competition and all the people supporting them.

"The Win A Dream Wedding final next Thursday promises to be really entertaining, with the 10 pairs of finalists battling it out in a series of fun challenges for the chance to win the big prize.

"As well as the dream wedding prize, we've got some fantastic runners-up prizes for the couples who don't make it through.

"We're looking forward to making one of these couple's dreams come true and wish all our finalists the very best of luck."

The night of the final will be hosted by Louise Stones, below, and Simon Morykin from Signal Radio and will see the couples take part in six challenges, with at least one pair eliminated after each round.

A panel of six judges has been lined-up to make the night's big decision, including Editor-in-Chief of The Sentinel, Mike Sassi, representatives from the wedding sector and the Best Western Manor House Hotel's manager Jayne Chapman.

The winning couple will pick up £15,750 of prizes including a wedding breakfast and reception, honeymoon of the couple's choice, professional photography, a wedding dress and suit hire.

Each prize has been donated by sponsors such as the Best Western Manor House Hotel, Beaverbrooks, Thomson of Hanley and Robert Kent Photography.

But the nine couples who don't make it will not go home empty handed and will pick up prizes including photography vouchers, a spa day, lunch and an overnight hotel stay, a ride on the Potters' Wheel at Trentham and a bottle of champagne.

Meet the couples: