WEDDING planners are usually only for those with thick wallets.

They whip up elegant, dream days with meticulously selected finishing touches, perhaps a stately home backdrop, and a jaw-dropping wedding dress.

But when those wedding planners are your young children, you can be sure of something more leftfield.

For bride and groom Alison Williams and Steve Bunkle, from Rochford, thoughts of a chic wedding were thrown out in favour of a Swinging Sixties bash organised by their children – Abbie, 14, and Liam, 11 – and it was all broadcast on television.

The siblingsplannedthe secret big day, at Hollywoods in Thundersley, in two weeks, away from the watchful eye of their parents, for CBBC show Marrying Mum and Dad.

The programme, which aired on August 8, put all the responsibility on Abbie and Liam, who made the big decisions on a theme, entertainment, venue and the all-important wedding dress.

Trusting mum Alison, 40, was chauffeured to the ceremony in a three-wheel truck, while stepdad Steve, 41, led his own Mod scooter gang. Alison said she couldn’t be happier with the day, which was filmed in April.

Alison said: “Steve and I are so very proud of Abbie and Liam.

The whole day was fantastic from start to finish. Their attention to detail and thoughtfulness was completely overwhelming.”

Basildon artist Carl Brind was called in to help makeastatement cake, adorned with Andy Warhol-style paintings.

He sketched pop-art drawings of Alison and Steve on canvasses and helped Abbie and Liam paint them before they were transferred on to the cake.

The paintings were then given as a gift to the bride and groom.

Carl, 39, of Nottingham Way, in Langdon Hills, said: “Alison and Steve seem a really nice couple and Abbie and Liam were very well mannered.

“Throughout the morning there was great banter and laughs between the crew members, the children, and ourselves. I had a great experience filming and would love to do it all again.”

The show is still available to watch on BBC iPlayer until August 23.