Abbie and George first met online before going on a date in London, where they got to know each other better. There was a spark straight away and the pair headed for a romantic walk around Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. Abbie loved how kind and friendly George was; he always managed to make her laugh. He says, “I first saw Abbie reading a book while she waited for me at the station as I was running late. It made me chuckle to see her innocently stood there reading amongst the chaos.” He adds, “Once we got chatting, I knew she was someone that was going to be in my life forever.” George proposed on March 23rd 2019 at Swanage Beach, a very special location for Abbie, who would visit the beach with her grandparents and dad. She says, “It was just the two of us and I was paddling in the sea when I turned around and saw George on one knee – it was a beautiful moment.” SETTING THE SCENE The couple set the date for March 19th 2022, and created a wedding that represented them both. Abbie says, “We had to delay our wedding three times because of Covid-19, and in that time we changed our venue after realising it didn’t fit our vision. We decided to stop worrying about what everybody else would think and go for everything we wanted for our day.” Swanage Town Hall was the perfect location for the pair’s ceremony; the building is beautiful and created the perfect backdrop to photographs. The pair used faux flowers for the buttonholes and bouquets with pink, lilac and burgundy shades. A neon sign saying ‘The Gormans’ became the reception’s centrepiece and was made from wine corks. Dorset Pedaling Pizza Co was in charge of catering and created woodfired pizzas that everyone loved! Abbie says, “It was the best pizza we’ve ever tasted, even for George who’s a fussy eater!” After the pizzas, guests could tuck into the cake, which was surrounded by cookies and cake bites. LOOKING THE PART When it came to finding her dream gown, Abbie fell in love with the fourth dress she tried by Phoenix Gowns. She comments, “I was surprised I liked the dusky peach colour instead of the traditional white and I felt really comfortable – it was still dreamy without being too much.” To finish off the look, the bride wore her nan’s pearl necklace, a pair of earrings from George and her mum’s bracelet to match the beading on the dress. Abbie’s shoes were hand-painted converse with lots of the couple’s favourite things, including buildings made from bike wheels, pizzas and books. She says, “I was a bit surprised when I saw myself properly on the day as I’m not the most confident person, but Bex Elizabeth had done an amazing job with my hair and make-up – I was so happy with how I looked.” The groom wore a three-piece suit from Hawes & Curtis and looked dashing. Abbie comments, “He worried me before the day after telling me the suit was baggy, so I pictured a dodgy ‘80s get up, but he looked amazing and the only man there in charcoal. MEMORABLE MOMENTS The couple both felt very relaxed in the morning. Abbie took some time alone to have a bath and then relaxed for 30 minutes away from the buzz of everyone else getting ready to try and stay as calm as possible. She says, “I started feeling nervous once I had my dress on and again when we drove to the town hall, but I completely calmed down as soon as I saw George.” The groom spent the morning with his best man in a cottage before 29 REAL WEDDINGS
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