Caitlin and Abe met in college and quickly became friends. “We always liked and respected each other, and one summer that turned into something more, and we quickly realised that we had never been as comfortable with anyone else,” says Caitlin. “The mixture of new love with the familiarity of a long-term friend made us very quickly fall in love.” Abe had planned to propose to Caitlin on their second anniversary. “I had sneakily measured Caitlin’s ring finger in the first few months of our relationship as I was so confident that I would marry her one day,” shares the groom. “We planned to go for a meal together and visit a romantic spot in Southerndown, which is where we first realised that we had feelings for each other. However, on the Monday before our anniversary, on the way home from picking up a pizza, Caitlin started asking about the timeline of our relationship and when we would be engaged and married. I had to reluctantly hide the fact that the ring was sitting in my desk drawer waiting for the weekend and try and play it cool, ‘Oh, maybe within a couple of years?’ Realising she was disappointed with this answer, I decided, why not now? As we got in, ready to share a delicious pizza, I grabbed the ring from the drawer and nervously entered the room. I walked over, sat half on the sofa and half on one knee, and proposed right there with the pizza right by us. She said yes! The ring fit perfectly, and she loved it!” SETTING THE SCENE “My mother and I went to Craig Y Nos Castle for a wedding fair, and we loved how beautiful, historic, and grand it was,” explains Caitlin. “There was a harp playing in the main room, and we instantly started crying. We compared other places, but nothing came close to Craig Y Nos Castle. The history of the building, the grandness of the rooms, and the incredibly reasonable price of the package they offered couldn’t be beaten! We are so glad we did go with them, as the staff are some of the kindest people we have ever met, and they made the whole wedding stress-free and perfect! They worked tirelessly to make sure everything was decorated beautifully and on track with the order of the day. Any queries we had, they were available to help ease our worries and stresses. “I hand-crafted most of our decorations with the help of my mother and brother’s partner, Emily,” continues the bride. “The idea was to include rustic decorations, making use of recycled jars, subtle lighting, and wooden hearts. The tables were decorated with copper wire lights in glass jars and bottles, hessian table runners, a mix of burgundy and hessian chair sashes, mason jars wrapped in lace, and photos of each guest as a little personal touch. Some of the photos were more than 20 years old and stored in photo albums that our mothers had.” For their favours, the couple opted for Welshcakes made by Caitlin’s mother. “My mother and Emily also helped make the centrepieces,” recalls Caitlin. “To finish the look, we sourced our table plan from Mally’s Crafts Limited, and That Finishing Touch provided our flowers.” DRESSED TO IMPRESS “My dress was an A-line design with lace overlay,” remembers Caitlin. “It was important for me to have a piece of my grandmother with me, who passed away while we planned the wedding, so I wore her engagement ring as my something old and something borrowed.” Abe’s suit was provided by Hanson – The Clothes People, an independent tailor with a selection of suits available for hiring. “I was able to find a suit on their website, which matched the theme and looked great,” explains Abe. “It was navy, paired with a grey waistcoat with blue checkered stripes. I wore a watch Caitlin gifted me, which had a brown strap, silver case, and blue face, as well as brown Oxford shoes. I also had a burgundy tie and pocket square that matched the theme 39 REAL WEDDINGS
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