“ Just before I entered the church with my aunty who gave me away, a yellow butterfly landed on my shoulder. We couldn’t believe the timing. It was the most emotional, precious moment that I’ll remember forever – perhaps it was my late dad. I found my Essense of Australia dress at Isabella Grace. The owner is my friend and she agreed to sell me her new sample gown, which was the only one in the country at the time, as the lead time to order was too long. I fell in love with Ben as soon as I saw him in a petrol station and he opened the door for me,” Joanna tells us. Later, she randomly found him on Facebook, they met up the next day after exchanging messages, and have been inseparable since. When Ben decided to pop the question, he did so at the Eiffel Tower late at night when it was lit up and sparkled as brightly as Joanna’s engagement ring. Ben’s family are from Rye, so the couple looked to the historical town for a wedding venue. In fact, Ben’s fourth great grandfather was imprisoned in Rye for smuggling, but his family also had connections with the Norman church, which is why today Ben and Joanna were permitted to marry there. “Rye has always been our happy place. We’d spend days out there and always loved The George,” Joanna adds. So, the choice of reception venue was clear and they didn’t hesitate in setting the date for 20th April 2023. Join us as the brides tells us more... We chose not to have groomsmen. Instead, our youngest daughter was the ring bearer. We had family 18ct gold rings once belonging to generations past melted down by Gold Arts and made into our matching wedding bands, which we had engraved with the wedding date. Ben’s suit was tailored by Anna at Stylianou Eastbourne. He wore it with his regimental Royal Artillery tie. 35 REAL WEDDINGS
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