See how other couples celebrated their big day with wedding stories and ideas from County Wedding Magazines' Real Weddings features.
Having moved with his family down to Sussex from London, Harry joined the local sixth form, which Zoe already attended. He was soon cajoled into a night out by his new friend Duncan, and that's where he met Zoe. "One thing lead to another and now, 10 years later, we're married," she says. "We've always just enjoyed each other's company and we often say to each other that we just love doing life together."
Natasha first met Eric at Wattisham Airfield in Suffolk after she decided to take up gliding and he was the instructor. They quickly became friends before becoming inseparable. After two years Natasha started to think that perhaps they could be more than friends, even though Eric told her they should be together sooner and are meant for one another – the rest is history! Eric proposed on Natasha's 28th birthday in London with Tower Bridge in the background. She says, "I certainly had my suspicions on the day when he put my 'present' in my handbag and told me I could have it later on in the day. We'd talked about getting married before, but I didn't know when the proposal would come." Here Natasha shares details about their special day...
Chris and Angela met online. "Not very exciting, but I guess it's the modern way of dating," Angela laughs. Perhaps so, but there is nevertheless a funny story behind how they were matched. While Chris was on holiday in Sweden he'd accidentally set his Tinder account to Singapore, where Angela was working as a nurse at the time! Three months after they started talking, Chris decided to travel to Singapore to meet Angela. "It definitely wasn't love at first sight," she says. "Chris and I are totally different apart from our love of travel. We don't have any common interests at all, but we enjoyed learning a lot from each other. I think that's what excites us, there's never a boring day."
Childhood sweethearts Ella and Ben met at school and became best friends, hanging out together and chatting online most evenings. By the age of 14, they were boyfriend and girlfriend and have been together ever since. "Ben has always made me laugh and I adore him for that," says Ella.
Sophie and Will were both living in London when they first met on Tinder and happened to only be a five-minute walk from each other. After they both swiped right and had a brief chat on the app, they decided to meet up and go on a date – the rest is history!
Will proposed to Sophie while on a trip travelling through Belize and Mexico for two weeks. She says, "It was the last day of our holiday when he popped the question on the balcony at our hotel in Tulum. He'd been trying to do it the whole trip but could never find the right moment or pluck up the courage!"
Emily and Will met at Bath Spa University but it wasn't until years later that they came across each other on a dating app and decided to go from a drink. "Will proposed on the evening of 17th September 2020, on a pier at the Liberty Lara resort in Antalya, Turkey," Emily tells us. "We visited the pier to take some photos and everyone seemed to be leaving so we had it to ourselves. Will told me that he had an accessory to add to our photographs and got down on one knee before presenting me with a stunning solitaire ring that he had designed himself and had made which was a wonderful surprise - I didn't even see the ring for the first few minutes because I was crying happy tears!"
Amy and John met through work and became best friends. "The rest, as they say, is history!" Amy tells us. The couple became engaged during a few days away in Kent. "We were staying in a beautiful woodland cottage cabin, the Woodcutters Cottage at Swallowtail Hill which Amy had booked as a surprise," John says. "She didn't expect me to propose by the campfire!" Amy adds, "John had set up his iPhone for what he told me was a timed photograph but actually it was a video and at the last minute, he got down on one knee so the moment was captured perfectly!"
Kathryn and Mike met online in 2015. "Mike was genuine and kind, and he liked that I was intelligent and funny," says Kathryn. "He proposed on Christmas morning in 2019. We were at home and had come downstairs to open presents with our daughter. They both disappeared upstairs and came downstairs with a small wrapped gift. I opened it and saw a sparkling diamond ring! Mike said: 'well, will you?' and I told him: 'only if you get down on one knee.' He did, and I said yes. Our daughter was ecstatic!
Sam and Victoria met at work. Victoria tells us, "We realised we had a lot in common, liked the same things and found ourselves eating pizza and drinking wine at the local restaurant shortly after." During lockdown, on Christmas morning Sam proposed. Of course, Victoria said yes, and wedding planning began! On 28th May 2022, at Ripley Castle, Harrogate, the pair said their vows. Here, Victoria tells us more about their day...
Charlotte and Ryan met at university and soon became inseparable. "Despite being very different people with many different interests, it just worked," Charlotte says, "Being at uni could be stressful and Ryan was always there, being a calming influence, which I definitely needed as I was the opposite. He never failed to make me laugh and became, not only my boyfriend, but my best friend." The couple decided to move in together during their last year of studying and have lived together ever since.
Orlane and Adam met through a dating website in 2018. "I'm not sure how we matched as I lived in London and he was in Dorking, but I think it was a sign that we were meant to be," says Orlane. "We went crazy golfing and had dinner in London, which was the best date ever. Adam and I texted for two months before we met, and we would send massive messages to each other and never get bored of talking. I found out later through his family that he is usually bad at replying to people!"
Wendy and Andy met at a Blondie tribute night. "I had a run of personal losses, including my best friend, partner and dad," says Wendy. "I had left nursing and wanted to focus on taking over my bridal shop when I went to the tribute night. Andy and I turned out to have mutual friends and hit it off immediately. He was so understanding and compassionate, and I have never felt more cherished. After only a matter of weeks, he never went home. When you know, you know!"
Jordan and Craig met through a mutual friend during a night out in Cardiff. "There was an initial spark, but we only met briefly, so we didn't know each other's names," says Jordan. "A few days later, I received a friend request on Facebook from Craig. We were attracted to each other, but the beginning of our relationship was not what we had planned as I had just gone on holiday and ended up stranded in Gran Canaria as a result of the Ash Cloud.
Leah immediately knew that Lee was someone she wanted to be friends with when she met him while working in the restaurant at Brandshatch Place Hotel & Spa. The friendship grew through mutual support and in time blossomed into a relationship.
The couple went to Nerja in Spain on holiday with best friends Riley and Ilona in September 2019 and while visiting The Balcon De Europa, which looks out onto the Med, Lee popped the question. "I had an inkling it might happen, but I was still overwhelmed when it did and I didn't answer him for a really long time!" Leah remembers.
Mariam and Charlie are both solicitors and have worked at the same firm since 2014. "We were great friends but that turned into something far more fantastic," say Mariam. So fantastic that eventually Charlie proposed. "He asked me to marry him on Tower Bridge on our anniversary," she says. "I wasn't too surprised to be honest. The first proposal attempt was aborted – Charlie thought he covered it well, but he didn't!" she recalls. "It was supposed to be by St Paul's Cathedral where we had our first kiss, but the filming for a DC movie made it impossible."
Caroline met Danny in the last place she ever expected to meet anyone – at work! "We worked on different floors and never crossed paths, until one day I was asked to take notes for a senior manager in a disciplinary meeting," she says. "When I walked onto their floor, I saw a gorgeous man walking towards me – then he opened his mouth and his Yorkshire accent finished me off! After the meeting Danny asked what my plans were for the weekend, and I got so flustered I waffled a lot of drivel. It couldn't have been that bad, though, as he asked me out the following week."
Alex Covey and Alex Frances first met in college when they were both 16. They were studying animal care at the time and already knew they had a shared interest.
The pair were both extremely anxious and shy, which meant they found it very difficult to talk to one another. Due to the severity of their shyness, they didn't truly talk to each other for a long time. They we were both overcoming a bad school life that stifled their social capabilities. It took until April 2018 for them to finally get the chance to properly become friends when they unknowingly chose the same work experience placement at an animal rescue centre.
Elisha and Adam met through mutual friends at school and have been a couple ever since. No matter how much time they spent together, they always managed to make each other laugh and have made so many amazing memories over the years.
Adam proposed on Christmas day after hiding a ring in a cracker to surprise Elisha – of course she said 'yes'. The pair set the wedding for July 25th 2021, and created a memorable day surrounded by loved ones.
Michelle and Chris met through mutual friends in June 2006. "We attended a group meal at Pizza Express in Salisbury where we couldn't stop looking at each other," Michelle tells us. "Chris proposed in August 2011 over dinner in Pizza Hut. He wanted to ask me in the same pizza restaurant where we had met but it was fully booked so he had to improvise! It was a complete surprise and I cried happy tears," Michelle says.
After meeting online, the first time Joseph set eyes on Francesca, he knew straight away that she was the one. "Joseph says that as soon as I opened the door to him and smiled for the first time, he knew he was going to marry me, however I took a little longer to realise this," admits Francesca.
Molly and Oli first met on Tinder back in 2015. After messaging back and forth, Oli planned dinner at his and the pair cooked a delicious meal together. "We ate food, listened to our favourite music, played a game and chatted until the sun came up – we couldn't believe how quickly time flew by", says Molly.
Jo and John met while working at the same Liverpool law firm. At the time John was going through a difficult time due to the sad passing of his father and Jo, who was unaware of his struggles, asked him on a date – not once, but twice!
Charlotte and Olly met whilst Charlotte was running a board game event at the bookshop where she worked and their friendship was cemented that day over a game of Munchkin. "It's fair to say that board games are the thing that brought us together and have been a pivotal part of our relationship," Charlotte tells us. "Since meeting, we have attended many a game convention together and always remained a united front - except when competing across the table!"
Daisy and Ed met in their final year at Loughborough University in 2016. "During our time at university, we had lived close by to one another and had heard of each other through mutual friends but did not meet properly until our final year," Daisy tells us. "When we did meet, we instantly hit it off as friends first, and then we started dating a few months later."
Heather and Chris' paths initially crossed through work. Once through a course they both attended and again two years later on the refresher. It was third time lucky though when they encountered each other once more on Guernsey where they were setting up a new retail store for the company they both worked for. During the short time Heather was there, they bantered as they strolled down to the shop, met for food and drinks in the evening and later went clubbing, where Chris treated her to his best dance moves.
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