'Giving up smoking has paid for my wedding'

We're getting married in April and I can honestly say we'd never have saved up for the wedding if we hadn't given up smoking.
 
I used to spend at least £90 a week, usually more, on cigarettes. Colin was spending hundreds, too. Now all that money has gone on our big day instead.
 
I started smoking at 17 – my boyfriend had dumped me and it felt like the end of the world. As the years went by I became a heavy smoker. I had 30 a day during the week and who knows how many at the weekend.
 
I'd wake up, have a coughing fit, get dressed, have a fag and a cup of tea, skip breakfast and have a fag in the car. At work I'd pop out for hourly fag breaks, with another instead of a proper lunch. Then I'd smoke in the evenings.
 
I tried to quit five times, but willpower, nicotine patches and hypnotism failed to do the trick. I wanted to stop but just couldn't seem to do it. I'd sit in front of EastEnders, rolling my own to save money, thinking, why am I doing this? Why am I being ruled by this?
 

My stepdad’s terrible ordeal

The awful reality of smoking was brought home to me when I saw what my lovely stepdad went through before he died. He was a heavy smoker and I sat beside him in hospital, listening to his chest. I had a good chat with one of the doctors about what was happening and I didn't want that to happen to me.
 
A good six months went by before Colin was ready to quit too. Someone told us about the Gaol Street Clinic in Hereford and the receptionist was really friendly on the phone. When we went for our first appointment, she remembered our names and made us feel welcome.
 
We had a nice chat with Michelle Pugh, one of the advisors, and I got a good feeling that this time was different. I felt hopeful. She rang us the next day to say she'd checked with our GP and within a week we started Champix tablets.
 
They kill the craving and after a while you don't feel the need of a cigarette. To start with, you carry on smoking and pick a day when you'll stop. Our last smoking day was 6 March, 2009, and we did stay up late to smoke a few extra fags. I thought: 'This is it. I’ll never have another one'.
 

I just gave my fags away

On my way to work next morning I stopped at the garage for a newspaper. Then I walked up to a man and said: 'Do you smoke?' He nodded so I handed him my last fags and drove off.
 
We felt the extra money we were saving straight away and could afford gym memberships to keep ourselves busy (and fit!) Every day, I enjoyed totting up the money I’d saved. Colin bought himself a golf trolley and I paid a few bills off. After a couple of months, I treated myself to some new clothes, shoes and a ring.
 
We kept up our clinic appointments and Michelle helped us big style. She was always ringing to ask: 'How you doing?' It was nice to know she was there and she was really easy to get on with.
 
The only downside was mad dreams while we were taking the tablets. Being chased by werewolves in your sleep is no fun – but they stopped after a while.
 

The wedding I wanted

The single biggest change to our finances was realising we could finally afford to tie the knot. We’d been engaged for years and there was no way we could have saved to get married if we'd carried on smoking.
 
I loved picking out my dress and we’ve had more choice about what we can have on our wedding day. I feel more confident, too, about the whole thing.
 
My smoker's cough is long gone and I've had compliments about my skin. I couldn't have quit without help and support from the stop smoking service and I'd recommend it to anyone. It's the best thing that’s happened to me.
 
At a party a while back, we were watching our friends going outside every 10 minutes to have a fag. We realised they'd spent three-quarters of the evening in the cold and rain instead of enjoying the party.
 
I don't want to be outside through my wedding reception. I want to make sure I see everyone, talk to everyone. I won't be huddled outside in my wedding dress, with my cigarette in the rain!