Your Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wedding - October/November 2020 (Issue 85)

REAL WEDDINGS 37  Erin and James’s reception at Stoke Place followed an emerald green, gold and pink colour theme Images courtesy of David Bostock Photography EVER AFTER Erin Bargate married James Fifield on 13 th July 2019 at the Chapel at Eton followed by a reception at Stoke Place. Happy E rin and James met in 2010 when they were both members of the Oxford University Cycling Club. “I was fortunate to get a scholarship to study for my master’s degree at Oxford University where James was doing his degree,” Erin tells us. “We crashed into each other on a group ride, where I was freaked out by riding in the snow for the first time (I grew up in South Africa), and soon became friends. I moved to London later that year after finishing my studies and James moved to New York City in 2011. The following year, I went to New York for work for three months so we went out for dinner on my first weekend in the city and things progressed from there. When my three-month secondment was up, I had to move back to London but James remained in NYC so we agreed to give a transatlantic long-distance relationship a go. After 18 months, James moved back to the UK and the rest is history!” The couple became engaged during a surprise proposal in Central Park in New York. “James proposed on a sunrise run along the reservoir in the park,” Erin says. “We had been out late the night before so I was very grumpy about being dragged out of bed for an early morning run and in fact, I nearly refused to go. When we lived in NYC, early morning runs around the reservoir were one of our favourite things to do together so the location had special significance to us. When we arrived at the reservoir and James got down on one knee and produced a gorgeous emerald ring, I was shocked but very happy!” Here, Erin tells us about their emerald green, light pink, cream and gold colour theme that was decorated with South African influences as a nod to Erin’s home country, and bicycle references because the couple are both keen cyclists.