See how other couples celebrated their big day with wedding stories and ideas from County Wedding Magazines' Real Weddings features.
Rebecca and Simon met through work in 2019 after both qualifying as nurses. "We started as friends but our friendship grew into something more during the pandemic," Rebecca tells us. "During this time, there were limited options as to what we could do due to the restrictions, so we went for walks at Camber Sands, picnics and visited the supermarkets!"
Amy and Luke met at the University of Reading in 2015 during their f i rst year. "Luke proposed to me on the 26th of August 2023," Amy tells us. "He ordered cake pops from Pop Bakery that spelt out the words 'Amy will you marry me?' I came downstairs to make a cup of tea in the morning and when I opened the fridge to get the milk, there they were! The proposal wasn't a surprise, but how he did it was."
When Claire and Jack met through a mutual friend, it wasn't long before he asked for her number. In no time, they were off on their fi rst date to the BFI on London's South Bank. "I loved how many diff erent interests and hobbies Jack has," Claire tells us. "He'd say he loved my sense of humour!"
Vicki and Steve met on Tinder in 2017, and got together for a first date at Nettle and Rye in Bristol. At the time, Vicki lived in Clevedon, and made a memorable exit when her Uber driver crashed into a bollard while reversing! The two soon went on a second date and before long they'd bonded over a love of food and enjoyed subsequent dates at foodie hotspots including Bravas and Poco Tapas in Bristol and Scoozi's in Clevedon. As Vicki is a vet Steve also impressed her on an early date with a tour of Bristol Zoo complete with a quiz.
While Pia and Joe were aware of each other at school, nothing happened between them until they were old enough for a bit of Dutch courage, and met up at a pub five year's after leaving. "Although we weren't high school sweethearts, meeting in our early 20s felt like the right time for both of us to have this forever thing going," Pia explains. "It's funny because even when we started dating, Joe said he didn't want anything too serious. Obviously that didn't quite go to plan!"
Holly and Cory met while working at a nightclub when they were 18 and 19. "We were completely lost in the world, not knowing what we wanted to do in life," says Holly. "We'd have never thought that 12 years later we'd have a house, be married and have two children!"Cory proposed during a break away. "I had planned a trip to New York as a surprise for his 30th birthday," shares the bride. "We went to Central Park at Thanksgiving, which was full of people and there wasn't an inch of it without a tourist with a camera. We walked for hours while Cory tried to fi nd the right place for us. Finally, we found a place called the Cop Cot. Sitting there, we decided to say what we were thankful for, in true American tradition. We discussed the journey we'd been on as a couple, our two beautiful children and just as we were about to leave, Cory explained he had one more question before we left. New York will forever be our special place."
Rob caught Saz's eye while she was out at a bar with her friends. "We exchanged a few words and ended up matching on Tinder a couple of months later," says Saz. "We bonded over our love of festivals, music and rugby. We are both very outdoorsy people. We go hiking and camping quite a lot and have attended lots of festivals and concerts together.
Haley and Kristian met while Haley was working at a pub in Neath. "I became friends with a regular called Ryan," says Haley. "I didn't know at the time that Ryan had a brother, so when Ryan walked into the bar one day and I asked him about his trip away to Butlins and he told me he'd just returned from Egypt with his girlfriend, I was confused! Later on, Ryan came in again and was dressed in a different outfi t! It turned out Ryan and Kristian are brothers and looked exactly the same to me. It was then that Ryan introduced me to Kristian, and well, that was when our story began. We were both in relationships, so we just enjoyed being friends. Kristian was so nice to me and he became my best friend.
Kristian and Matthew met at a New Year's Eve party. "I was drawn to Matthew's awkwardness and his jokes that not everyone would laugh at but I just found funny and innocent," Kristian shares. "I knew from the beginning that he was special, a unique character that deserved to be loved." For Matthew, Kristian's nervousness attracted him, as well as his smiles whenever they were together. "He couldn't do enough for me. I always wanted to be around him, and his personality was so infectious," he explains.
Sophie and Craig met in York's Yates while Sophie was up from Brighton visiting a friend. Craig danced over to her to Peter Andre's Mysterious Girl, but his cool moves were hampered by the sticky bar floor! He was dressed in a bright red Rudolf the Reindeer suit jacket and tie at the time... well it was Christmas. After a brief conversation, Craig handed over his number and they parted ways, or so Sophie thought. An hour or so later they bumped into each other again at a different bar and something compelled her to stick around this time, their two groups united. From there, a long-distance relationship blossomed.
Jess and Martyn met when she was a professional dancer and he a professional singer during rehearsals for a cruise ship contract in Italy. "We instantly connected," Jess remembers. "We could talk like we'd known each other forever." The two began to build a wonderful friendship becoming inseparable, and a few months later realised they were, in fact, much more to each other than friends. Their relationship blossomed from there.
These lovebirds fi rst crossed paths at university and were assigned to the same dormitory. Although it wasn't love at fi rst sight, they quickly became close friends, and their bond grew stronger. Fast forward, Ollie decided to propose to Katy at a serene spot in Greenwich Park, a place they frequently visited during lockdown. While it wasn't a complete surprise, Katy had a hunch that something special was about to happen when Ollie suggested having a fancy breakfast at The Ivy on a random Saturday in February!
These lovebirds first crossed paths at a mutual friend's birthday bash and instantly clicked! Abi was drawn to Chris's witty humour and charming Irish accent, while he couldn't resist her vibrant red hair and the way she laughed at his jokes. Fast forward 10 years, Chris popped the question to Abi during a beachfront dinner in the Maldives, which was very romantic and a huge surprise. They scheduled their wedding for July 2023, hoping to craft a flawless day for their cherished guests
Anna and Owen met at university in 2012. "We knew of each other but didn't really get to know each other until a few months later," says Anna. "When we spoke to each other properly, there was instant chemistry and we've been extremely close ever since. Our attraction to each other was obviously physical, but our personalities are very compatible and we can always make each other smile and feel loved."
Katie and Marc met at school when two mutual friends introduced them. "We were in a relationship for fi ve years before we went our separate ways," says Katie. "Four years later, Marc reached out to see if I wanted to go for a drink. I thought it would be an opportunity to reassure us both that we'd made the right decision all those years ago; however, within fi ve minutes, it was clear that we were going to get back together."
Ann-Jee and Nick were introduced to each other by a mutual friend at a Halloween party 10 years ago. "For me, it was love at first sight," says Nick. "She was so effortlessly charming and funny, with a captivating smile. Sadly, my 'friend' had already told Ann-Jee all of my most embarrassing stories, so she took a bit more convincing, especially as I was the only person in attendance who hadn't bothered with a costume!"
These lovebirds met as London university students at an indie night club called Propaganda in Angel, Islington. On their first date after meeting, they went to a bar called The Book Club in Shoreditch. Chris was immediately charmed by Katie's individual style despite her being almost an hour late to the date. Here, they realised they had a shared sense of humour and loads in common with the same values for the future. They were also surprised to find out that they lived just round the corner from each other.
These two lovebirds instantly hit it off when they first crossed paths at the pub where Emma worked! Lewis, a somewhat shy guy, would frequently drop by with his buddies, and they couldn't help but notice his fondness for Emma. Eventually, Lewis gathered the courage to ask her out on a date. Time flew by, and in August 2021, Lewis proposed at Godrevy in Cornwall. It's worth mentioning that Lewis hails from Cornwall, and throughout their 10-year relationship, they had made it a tradition to visit every year. Their absolute favourite spot was St Ives, and Godrevy offers a breathtaking view of the sea overlooking the iconic destination. Lewis put together a charming breakfast picnic for Emma and their threemonth-old son. As they savoured their meal, Lewis seized the moment and popped the question. With the sun shining down on St Ives, it was an incredibly special and perfect moment – a complete surprise for Emma!
These lovebirds met at their local pub and hit it off! Kierran hadn't got up the nerve to introduce himself properly until Olivia approached him on New Year's Eve at the bar! She comments, "He was tall, which immediately caught my eye, and he had a gorgeous smile!"
These lovebirds originally met at work and became friends but lost contact for quite a few years while Luke travelled. They reconnected through social media, and it was clear to Erin that they shared a connection worth exploring. She says, "I remember I was nervous when we met for our first date, but that all faded away. It was like I'd seen him the day before, laughing and talking like we always had.
Nadene and Steve met at The Devonshire, Derriford Health & Racquets Club where they worked. "I was in reception and Steve was a lifeguard of the swimming pool," Nadene tells us. "Steve would walk past reception when starting his shift and leaving to go home. We soon started talking and then enjoyed our fi rst date at the Jack Rabbit pub - we haven't stopped talking since!"
Lily and Shiv met at university, yet their paths never crossed until the very last day. "It was at the end-of-year celebration that I saw her in the student union," Shiv tells us. "The stars were out, the exams were behind us, and Lily looked stunning. Before meeting her, I saw the world in black and white, governed by logic and reason. But that night, my world burst into colour. My heart understood feelings that reason could not explain, and I knew I had found somebody special."
Mel and Tom met at a drum and bass night in Leeds when they were at university in the city. "We both love raving and drum and bass music and having fun," Mel tells us. "We kissed early on, but then remained friends for fi ve years before fi nally getting together as a couple."
Amy and Rich met via the online dating website, match.com. Having spoken online and on the telephone for a few weeks, it was now time to meet in person, as Amy explains. "Our fi rst date was bowling and cocktails. It was like we'd always known each other, and we couldn't wait to see each other a few days later. Rich was and is very caring towards me, he looked out for me in ways that no one had ever done before. He made me feel special and is my safe haven."
Chris and Vanessa met at work. Over time, their feelings intensifi ed for one another and friendship, respect and love grew. On 28th October, 2023 the pair offi cially became Mr and Mrs Egan, with a Halloween inspired affair at Baddow Park House.
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