Wedded bliss could be put on hold for hundreds of couples - because of a millennium boom in marriages.

Chelmsford looks set to be the wedding capital of Essex this year, with many couples having to wait to plight their troth.

Wedding venues across the county are filling up fast with people rushing to book places for a millennium marriage.

Despite being just 12 days old, the year 2000 looks set to be one of the busiest on record for those who help couples to tie the knot.

Receptionist at Pontlands Park in Chelmsford, Nicki Humphrey, said this year had been exceptionally busy: "We've been open since Tuesday, January 4, and inquiries are out of control already. I took two bookings within ten minutes for this year."

The Register Office in Chelmsford town centre has also been extremely busy since the turn of the century.

A spokesman said: "We've had lots of inquiries and lots of bookings. Being 2000 is an attraction - it is a special year."

Sally Burch, PR executive for Five Lakes Country Club in Maldon, said it had also been inundated with people asking about weddings: "This year the phones were ringing about weddings straight after New Year."

Other towns have yet to have the same level of interest as Chelmsford.

The county has also seen more sites joining the list of special licensed premises where wedding services can be held.

Historic Hedingham Castle and the Essex Golf and Country Club, in Earls Colne, are recent recruits.

News of the bride and groom boom comes just days after a national report revealed record levels of people trying to get divorced in the year 2000, thanks to those wanting a fresh start.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.