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.” Danny proposed on a trip to the Lake District while celebrating Caroline’s birthday. “I’d been hopeful that Danny would ask me to marry him, but I didn’t really think it would happen, as every time I thought he would he never did!” continues the bride. “There’d been numerous opportunities for him to propose, such as my 40th birthday trip to Venice, so I was pretty clueless that he was planning anything. On my actual birthday, we climbed The Old Man of Coniston fell, and Danny had a backpack which he fussed over far too much. It was an exhausting hike, and when we eventually reached the top, I laid down to rest as I was so tired. Danny asked me to sit up – before producing the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen! He asked me to marry him, and after I said ‘Yes!’ he pulled out a mini bottle of prosecco and some plastic wine glasses from the backpack he’d been so precious about all day. It was a beautiful and romantic moment – although I still wind him up that he didn’t get down on one knee!” The couple set the date for the 9th May 2022, choosing Doxford Barns for their big day. Here, Caroline tells us more about their amazing wedding… BARN DANCE Caroline couldn’t sleep the night after they got engaged, as she was far too excited about getting married! “While Danny slept, I searched up wedding venues online,” she says. “I knew I wanted to get married in a barn and did a random search, and the first one that came up looked amazing – so I dropped them a message. Doxford Barns replied the next day to say they had appointments free that week, so we visited on our way back from the Lakes. The moment we walked into the Great Barn, with its festoon lights and dried hops hanging from rustic oak beams, we were blown away by how stunning it was. The exclusivity of the venue, along with the stunning grounds and cottages to accommodate family and friends, was also a huge selling point. We didn’t want to see anything else – and booked our date right there and then!” LATE STARTERS As Caroline and Danny had both been married before; “Danny three times – Ross Geller vibes!” – jokes the bride; they decided against a traditional full day wedding. “Instead, we chose a later ceremony with a laid back informal meal afterwards. Danny was initially nervous about having the ceremony at half five in the afternoon – he thought it was too late and the day wouldn’t be long enough. As it turns out, it was the best decision we made! The day flowed perfectly, and our guests had a fantastic time. They interacted with people they’d never met before, and some made great friends for that day and night with complete strangers – the free prosecco and beer may have had something to do with that! Since the wedding, our guests have told us that it was the best celebration they have ever been to, and for us that’s an amazing thing to hear.” 33 REAL WEDDINGS
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