It is supposed to be the happiest day of your life but with 61 per cent of couples falling out with family and friends over their weddings plans, the road to marital bliss is far from harmonious, according to new research released today.

The study of over 1,000 UK couples by Mercure hotels reveals that pressure to keep relatives happy is the biggest cause of Pre-Matrimonial Tension (38 per cent), followed by deciding on the guest list (33 per cent) and sticking to a budget (24 per cent).

The strain on relationships is so great that almost a quarter of brides surveyed (23 per cent) admitted to falling out with their own mother in the run up to the big day, and one in six people had a bust-up with their fiancé over wedding plans.

In addition to the emotional cost of a wedding, 18 per cent said they had sleepless nights as a result of pre-wedding stress and one in ten (11 per cent) said planning for their wedding had even affected their health.

When it comes to the day itself, more than half of those who have walked down the aisle (51 per cent) said they were too pre-occupied with ensuring their guests were having a good time to truly enjoy the moment.

“The stress for couples organising a wedding can be quite overwhelming,” says wedding co-ordinator Siobhan Craven-Robins, who counts Hollywood A-listers and British TV stars amongst those she has helped. “Most people don’t realise that planning a wedding takes anything from 250 to 700 hours so it’s no wonder that tempers get frayed and differences of opinion become magnified often leading to unnecessary clashes and fall outs with those closest to us. Having a professional to take care of the planning details alleviates a lot of that stress.”

In response to the findings, Mercure hotels – which plays host to hundreds of wedding celebrations every year at its city and country hotels around the UK – is launching a nationwide search for candidates to fulfil the post of ‘Mercure Wedding Angel’. As the dream job for true romantics, their mission will be to help relieve the stress and restore the romance for couples planning their weddings.

Melissa Micallef from Mercure hotels, said: “This research shows that couples often lose sight of their own dreams for their special day in trying to please other people, when instead it should be a day that they can remember for all the right reasons. Having a professional to take care of the planning details alleviates a lot of that stress. Making the most romantic day of some-one’s life a dream come true takes a special type of person who is not only creative, diplomatic and meticulous, but above all a romantic who understands that every couple is unique. That person is not easy to find, which is why we’re launching our nationwide search for a ‘Wedding Angel’.

Further information on the role and details on how to apply is available at www.mostromanticjob.co.uk.