Catherine and Mike set out to create a fun-filled festival vibe for their big day at Gote Barn Images courtesy of Will Fuller Photography WEDFEST! Catherine and Mike are both police officers and met through work. The first team Catherine joined after training college was Mike’s and there was an instant spark between them. The more they got to know each other the more they realised how similar they are. When they both had Valentine’s Day off in their shift pattern, they seized the opportunity and went on their first date. Shortly after, Covid hit and the couple moved in together; it made sense as being key workers, they both had to continue working throughout the pandemic. “Long walks and many games of Scrabble and Monopoly kept us sane!” Catherine remembers. Post-lockdown, the two had just come back from a month in Australia when Mike booked them a night away. They went on the Bluebell Railway before taking a romantic walk in Ashdown Forest close to where Mike grew up. It had been raining a few days before, so the ground was still pretty boggy underfoot. Poor Mike had to wait for a while to find a dry patch for him to get down on one knee and pop the question! He’d packed a bottle of fizz and some festival cups so they were able to share a celebratory drink before heading to beautiful Lewes to stay the night. “The ring Mike chose for me was perfect – a sapphire with a diamond halo,” Catherine shares. “It’s the ring I’ve loved since I was a child. My mum and sister have matching versions.” Gote Barn was the first venue the two looked at and instantly fell in love. “The rustic beams adorned with fairylights on the grounds of a working farm gave it such a magical feel,” Catherine explains. They knew they wanted a venue where they could have both the ceremony and reception in one place and was large enough to accommodate all of their guests, and Gote Barn fit the bill to perfection. “We had the option to choose all of our suppliers, which was important to us as we wanted to support local businesses,” Catherine tells us. Join us here, as the bride gives us the lowdown on the preparations and the big day itself, 3rd August 2024... 34
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