Your Kent Wedding -September/October 2020 (Issue 92)

Nicola and Tom said “I do” at Weald of Kent Golf Course & Hotel, and styled their day with pops of red Images courtesy of Florence Berry Photography 43 T om made the first move when he sent Nicola a message through a popular dating site asking her if she’d like a cheesy chat-up line, a rap battle or a standard “hello” – she opted for the rap battle. The pair met up at Bluewater for their first date, and when Nicola spotted Tom sitting on a pink chair, she blushed a matching shade. She remembers, “I was struck by how handsome he was, but as he stood up to greet me, I felt instantly at ease.” Tom felt the same: “I was so attracted to her graceful smile, and I couldn’t stop looking into her eyes.” They both quickly discovered that they had an incredible amount in common and any nerves soon dissolved into a sense that they’d known each other their entire lives. The pair had fallen in love with the beautiful Sussex village of Alfriston on a previous trip and had booked to return there shortly after Nicola’s 28 th birthday. In particular, they’d found themselves enamoured with a bookshop, Much Ado Books, and were eager to pay it a visit when they arrived. Tom headed upstairs and soon after called Nicola up to see what he’d found. There to meet her was a room filled with antique books, squashy leather armchairs, and a table piled with books of romantic poetry and love stories. Her eyes eventually settled on a beautiful hand-painted sign, which read: “Nicola Rainsley, will you marry me?” She then turned to find Tom on one knee holding her engagement ring. Nicola tells us, “It was the most wonderful moment of my life. We sat embracing on the floor, crying happy tears before heading back downstairs to enjoy glasses of local champagne with the bookshop owners.” Here, the bride shares her happy memories of their wedding day, 17 th August 2019… Two of A KIND  REAL WEDDINGS