Hannah and Robs met on a dating app. “However, after six months we went our separate ways as it just wasn’t the right time,” says Hannah. “Two years, a pandemic and two break-ups later, I messaged Robs again – and that was it; I wasn’t letting her get away! I’ll never forget tipsily screaming, ‘Will you be my girlfriend?’ at Durham Pride in the rain, and she moved in five months later.” Neither Hannah or Robs wanted to get married – or so they thought. “One day we were sat in a pub when it hit me how much I’d love to marry her, so I could introduce her as my wife,” continues Hannah. “Telling Robs there and then, I was shocked when she liked the idea as well. I had a bit of a cry – I might have had a pint or two! – but nothing further happened at that point in time.” Robs popped the question when the couple had been together just under a year. “I took Hannah to Grassholme Observatory the day before her birthday, so she wouldn’t suspect a thing, even roping in the guy who runs it so we could have the whole place to ourselves,” says Robs. “Turns out I picked the only night that weekend where you couldn’t see the moon due to cloud cover, but the ring was in my pocket and I was sweating buckets, so I committed myself to asking the question! I first gave Hannah a locket shaped like a book – as she’s a librarian – with its pages folded out to a message saying, ‘Will you marry me?’. By the time Hannah turned around there I was, down on one knee, thinking I was about to pass out! Hannah jumped on me as she was so excited – and didn’t even realise I was holding a ring. It wasn’t until I got up that she asked, ‘Have I got a ring?’ that I managed to show it to her!” The couple set the date for 13th July 2023, choosing The Parlour at Blagdon for their big day. Here, they tell us more about their wedding… TO THE MOON & BACK The couple originally planned to elope. “However, as soon as Robs put a ring on Hannah’s finger she suddenly wanted a big wedding!” say the couple. “We started to look at venues, and after visiting a few knew The Parlour at Blagdon was for us. The outside space was a massive advantage, as we were getting married in the summer. We also couldn’t fault the staff. When we mentioned we didn’t really want a traditional day they were all for it, and we felt as if they were as excited as we were as we continued our planning journey.” When it came to a theme, Hannah and Robs agreed it should be celestial. “Hannah’s always told Robs, ‘I love you to the moon’, and seeing as Robs proposed in an observatory it seemed the perfect fit,” they continue. “Instead of traditional favours, Hannah made moon-shaped place names for guests to take home, with each name stamped on and a little tassel added. They also had magnets on the back to pop on fridges as a memento of the day. We continued our theme with our table plan and a beautiful white neon moon for the end of the aisle.” OVER THE RAINBOW When it came to flowers, both Hannah and Robs agreed it weren’t a priority for their day. “We liked the whimsical feel of gypsophila, so decided that was enough for the venue, along with a hint of eucalyptus and dried elements,” say the couple. “Robs, on the other hand, wanted a floral hat – which she decided on before even thinking about her outfit! Our florist was really excited to make it, choosing dried flowers which we then tied in with the buttonholes. We also had flower crowns made for our flowergirl, as well as Robs’ sister and maid-of-honour. Finally, as a surprise for the evening, Hannah had a rainbow flower crown made. In the excitement she almost forgot to put it on – luckily her bridesmaid remembered and brought it out to her!” Speaking of rainbows, the couple also had a clear idea of what they wanted for their wedding cake. “One of Robs’ closest friends, Beth, is an amazing baker, and she approached us to say she’d love to gift our cake,” adds the couple. “We decided on lemon and poppy seed, funfetti and a rainbow layer cake, which we wanted to cut as a surprise. We can’t stress how amazing the cake looked and tasted. Beth and her business partner Megan are just starting out their business, Whisk Away, and we cannot recommend them enough.” WEAR IT WELL Finding the perfect dress also wasn’t on Hannah’s list of priorities. “I’m not a 29 REAL WEDDINGS
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