See how other couples celebrated their big day with wedding stories and ideas from County Wedding Magazines' Real Weddings features.
Hayley and Simon were set up on a date by a mutual friend. "He was kind and loyal and we wanted the same things in life," says Hayley. "He was also very chatty and funny."
Rosie and Michael met, like most modern couples, online. "We were attracted to each other's sense of adventure and love of the outdoors," says Rosie. "Michael almost missed out though, as he cancelled our first date at short notice because he'd found a lost dog while out on the fells and, in the process of reuniting the dog with his owner, managed to get sunstroke. It was only because my mum persuaded me to give him another chance that I agreed to reschedule!"
Marguerite and Jason met eight years ago in London. "I was looking for a space to rent and Jason's house share had a room available," says Marguerite. "I was in touch with Jason's flatmate, but at the last minute he couldn't show me around, but he mentioned that his flatmate, Jason, would do it instead. It's a bit cliché to say it was love at first sight, but since the moment he opened that door, I knew I wanted to get to know him better. I even called one of my friends after the visit and said that if I don't get the room, I'll ask for his number. In the end, I didn't need it, as they offered me the room. Once I moved in, we started to chat a lot and go out as friends until six months later, when we finally admitted our feelings to each other."
When Harry met Megan online, he immediately found himself attracted to her confidence as she was the one to send the first message and had included some witty banter about his profile. The early attraction bloomed into a romance and Harry proposed in 2022.
In March 2016, Daisy arrived at a pub in Kington, Worcestershire. "I was there with another man," says Daisy. "Barnaby, the barman and waiter for the evening, caught my eye. We chatted and flirted, but then I left with the other man. After a swift 24 hours and enlisting the help of my maid-of-hour, I hunted for this mystery bar man via the pub's Facebook page, scrolling through hundreds of photos until I found him. I immediately added him on Facebook and the rest is history."
Jess and Jonny met overseas through work. He was in the military, while she was on a diplomatic posting. "I convinced myself for several months that our friendship would be purely platonic, as I didn't want to fulfil the cliche of falling for a man in uniform," Jess says. "Oh, if only I knew!" The two instantly clicked and became the very best of friends, they were in fact completely inseparable.
Natasha and Cameron met on the number 12 Arriva bus to school when they were just 12 years old. Cameron sat behind Natasha but was too scared to speak to her as she was in the year above him. He'd go home and tell his mum all about this beautiful long-haired red head from the bus though, and eventually, thanks to his mum's advice, he did pluck up the courage to sit next to her and ask her out. They remained extremely close throughout their teenage years, even living together at university.
Harriet and Bernie met at young farmers and connected over their shared sense of humour. After their relationship blossomed, Bernie proposed to Harriet on Christmas Eve at Waxham Beach. "It was a complete surprise and he had picked out a beautiful opal and diamond ring," says Harriet. "It was lovely getting to visit our friends over Christmas to share our exciting news."
Joe was in the year below Sian at school, but we formally met in their early 20s through a mutual friend named Laura and hit it off. Little did the pair know that Laura would end up as one of the bridesmaids and do a reading during their ceremony years later!During a weekend in Devon in 2020, Joe proposed in a spot called Thatchers Point on the coast. Sian says, "It was a lovely surprise! It was good that he chose to do it on the first day as I accidentally left all but one of my outfits at home, so I spent the rest of the weekend wearing Joe's clothes, which would have ruined the pictures."
These lovebirds worked at the same company for a few years before noticing each other and becoming a couple. Ross used to leave Gem tea and toast on her desk before she got to work – making tea is his love language! After being together for several years and having a daughter in 2020, the couple decided to marry. Ross suggested ring shopping one Saturday in October, and they set off to the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham to shop at Hockley Jewellers. Gem says, "It was the best day! I thoroughly recommend picking your own ring ladies! I went for an emerald-cut diamond on a slim gold band. We also got our wedding rings from the same jeweller."
These lovebirds met through Tinder and never looked back! Ellie had just moved back home after living in Paris for a year and wanted to meet new people. Besides his good looks, Steve was extremely kind and proactive with arranging dates and remembered little details about her. He comments, "Ellie was great fun to be around from the start; we just made each other laugh all the time. As she had just returned from Paris and wasn't working yet, she would come and meet me during my lunch break, which I really enjoyed!"
It was the 24th of August 2017, the sun was shining, the number one song at the time was New Rules by Dua Lipa, Usain Bolt had just lost his first 100m race, West Ham had just finished a typically mediocre season, scientists had witnessed two Neutron Stars colliding for the first time and Nic found herself patiently waiting outside the station at Tottenham Court Road wondering if the stars would ever align for her.
These lovebirds were first-year flatmates when they started at the University of Lincoln and have lived together ever since! For Verity, she loved Scott's sense of humour and immediately felt a spark! Unfortunately for her, Scott had a girlfriend back home and she didn't think it was meant to be. Scott loved Verity's personality and her intellect; they shared many interests and always had something to discuss. Over time, they fell in love and started a new relationship together.
Olivia and Jamie met at work. "Jamie was my section leader and I remember thinking he was arrogant and I didn't understand why everyone else liked him!" Olivia tells us. "After a few months, we started talking and I saw a softer side of him once he started talking about Patch, his rescue dog.
Holly and James met through their young children who were at nursery together. "James would read a book out loud in the reception area while waiting to take the children into the nursery, thinking it would impress me," Holly tells us. "It made me laugh, so I guess it worked!"
Tilly and Jordan met when they were teenagers. "We got along really well and had lots in common," says Tilly. "Jordan proposed in 2017 at Centre Parcs. He bought our daughter a babygrow that said, "mummy, will you marry daddy?" It was a complete surprise and I was very shocked."
Jodie and Scott met at work when Jodie was Scott's manager. "We connected instantly, mainly because of our sense of humour," Jodie tells us. "Scott was forever doing goofy things to make me laugh."
Emma and Marwen met while on holiday. "It was your typical holiday romance that turned into a life together here in the UK," says Emma. "Marwen proposed to me during a holiday to Istanbul with our friends. He bought me flowers and a beautiful gold ring with a diamond and asked if I would marry him."
These lovebirds met through mutual friends and instantly clicked! Seven years later, Joe proposed in their first home together shortly after moving in. Hannah says, "Our first home was a labour of love and we spent months renovating it together, so the home proposal was perfect and a complete surprise."Here, she shares details about their special day...
As soon as Charlotte and Aaron met, they hit it off right away. Aaron says, "Charlotte was energetic, full of life, intelligent, funny and kind – I knew we were a good match from the start. Charlotte adds, "From the moment we met, Aaron made me feel calm and completely at ease. Our joint love for food, sport and enjoying life to the fullest meant that we clicked straight away."
Samantha and Alex met at school and were friends for years before they started dating in 2014. "Alex proposed during a trip to Croatia while we were watching the sunset on the 26th of August 2021," Samantha tells us. "It was a beautiful evening and he asked a stranger to take a photo of us in front of the sunset and suddenly proposed to me!
Issy and Adam met at secondary school. "We knew of each other for years and I agreed to go on a coffee date with him when I was in college," Issy tells us. Adam adds, "I just knew she was the one. I told my mum there was a girl I knew I was going to marry but we were so young so I waited until the right time. Luckily for us, the wait was worth it."
Beth and Chris met online and when they got together for a first date #IRL shortly afterwards at a local restaurant they immediately hit it off. "There were no awkward silences and we chatted for a couple of hours as though we'd known each other for years," Beth remembers. So, two weeks and five dates later, they made it official!
Georgie and Matt were introduced to each other by a mutual friend who'd been trying to get them together for a while! The matchmaking was a resounding success and Matt proposed to Georgie while on a dog walk one Christmas Day.
Harriet met Sam at the hairdressers where she worked as a Saturday assistant. "I tried to give him by number but then his mum walked in to pay for the haircut!" Harriet remembers. She was 16 and he was 15 at the time. Their paths didn't cross again until almost a decade later when Harriet was living in London after studying journalism at Kingston University. Sam had just moved there himself after studying at Manchester University. So, she dropped him a message on Facebook, they met for a drink and love blossomed from there.
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