Lucy and Tom met on Tinder back in 2014 and went on a first date in Aberdeen where they were both working at the time. They discovered that they’d both lived in Australia and Germany at the same times and shared an interest in crafting and the outdoors – it seemed like they were meant to be together. Tom hadn’t divulged his exact height prior to their first meeting, having only said he’s “quite tall,” so petite 5ft 3 Lucy was quite surprised to see the 6ft 11 gentlemen walking through the bar towards her! Tom proposed while they were on their first holiday postCovid. Having spent the week in Iceland, adventuring in icy, stormy weather and seeing the sights, they were waiting for a good night to see the Northern Lights. Eventually, they booked a trip for their last night with the forecast being 50/50. Lucy remembers, “We wrapped up in every layer we had for the -18 degree temperatures, and got lucky with a sighting half an hour into the journey.” She was taking a photo when Tom called out her name. She turned around to find him down on one knee and he popped the question. It was midnight and dark so Lucy couldn’t see the ring, plus Tom had always made it quite clear that marriage wasn’t on the cards, so her first response was a surprised: “Are you joking?” Having reassured her that he was completely serious, she of course, said “Yes.” Their sights were then soon set on finding a venue. Read on as Lucy tells us more... LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION With family spread out all over the country, it made sense to look for a venue closest to the majority, which was near Tom’s home town. So, with a clear idea of budget and guest numbers in mind, they set off to explore Somerset and Devon. They found themselves immediately taken with the gorgeous setting and original features of Crowcombe Court. “There was an element of understated grandeur about it and the staff were really friendly. We would have the whole place to ourselves, and the bridal getting-ready room was the icing on the cake,” Lucy explains. So, the date was set for 17th September, 2002, with the legal ceremony taking place the day before at Taunton Vivary Room. “WE DO” The couple were both quite relaxed on the day as they’d been lucky enough to get in and set up the day before, so were good to go. “I worked the entire weekend around reducing anxiety and emotional aspects that were sure to come with the day, and this worked well,” Lucy explains. “We’d already been married in an intimate ceremony the day before and went for a miniwedding breakfast that evening with our bridal party. “We plumped for a first look on the Saturday morning, so that we could reduce the emotions during the ceremony in front of our guests. We also decided to have our couple photos after that, so we could spend more time with our guests at the reception. This also meant there was a 45-minute space between the first look, photos and ceremony, so we could relax and not be rushed. We got some pasties sneaked in for lunch too, but I had to wear a dressing gown over the top of my dress to protect it!” The ceremony, conducted by Jen the Celebrant, was a big hit with the couple and guests alike, and Lucy found herself delighted with how it all went. She says, “Jen took all of our bespoke requests and created a beautiful ceremony from ring warming to hand fasting, and a reading from my twin sister. We really appreciated her help and support, and joyous delivery. “We’re so glad we decided not to have children at the REAL WEDDINGS 23
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