Your Hampshire and Dorset Wedding - May/June 2020 (Issue 80)

DORSET Verity Sanderson married Thomas Shallaker at Broadstone Methodist Church followed by a reception at Kingston Country Courtyard in Dorset on 27 th April, 2019. Verity and Tom stopped off for just-wed shots on Swanage beach before their rustic barn reception Images courtesy of Lewis and Schofield Photography dreams V erity and Tom first met through a mutual acquaintance but sparks didn’t fly until they bumped into each other five years later at the same friend’s 30 th birthday party. Romance blossomed and although they talked about marriage it was always as a plan for the future. “This was Tom’s ploy to throw me off the scent, so when it did happen it was a complete surprise,” reveals Verity. We’d planned a ‘date day’ on Brownsea Island in August 2017, it was beautifully sunny and we were both enjoying a few days off work. We were trying to find somewhere to eat our picnic and Tom was adamant he wanted it to be secluded with no one else around – a pretty hard task on Brownsea Island in the middle of August! Eventually we found a really quiet spot, laid out our blanket and Tom got down on one knee and pulled out a very sparkly ring! He said some lovely things but my mind was a whirlwind, so I couldn’t really take it all in! Of course, I said ‘yes’. Read on for Verity’s account of their big day… REAL WEDDINGS 37 