A FAMILY AFFAIR Rachael and Mathew opted for a fun, relaxed, garden party vibe for their big day, and made sure their children were involved every step of the way Images courtesy of Chrissie Brooks Photography Rachael and Mathew met as many couples do in today’s world, online. Rachael had two very young children, so she was struggling to find opportunities to go out and meet new people, and her friends convinced her to give online dating a try. “I was really against it at first but thought I’d give it a go as a bit of a laugh,” she says. “Within a week, Mathew had messaged me and it went from there!” They met up six months later at a local pub for a drink. The idea was to stay for one drink, but they ended up chatting all afternoon and didn’t leave until closing! Mathew popped the question on Rachael’s birthday, as she sat on the bed with the children opening her presents. She knew he’d bought her a Garmin running watch, so when she opened the box that’s what she expected to find. Instead, she lifted the lid to find an engagement ring. Rachael remembers, “I was so shocked, I started crying, then Mathew started crying, which made my youngest cry as she thought we were sad! I had to explain to her that they were happy tears!” Slaugham Place was only the second venue the couple viewed, but as soon as they saw it they knew that was it. “We were looking for something that wasn’t too formal, which would give us the space and something a bit different,” Rachael explains. They knew there’d be a lot of children joining them on their big day, 43 in fact, so they wanted somewhere with plenty of room for them run around and play in safety, while the adults could have some down time. “We met Carolina at the venue and she was so accommodating. We just fell in love with it and didn’t look at any others. Within the week, we’d booked it for 17th June, 2023.” Read on as the bride tells us more about that oh-so special day... REAL WEDDINGS 43
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