See how other couples celebrated their big day with wedding stories and ideas from County Wedding Magazines' Real Weddings features.
Soon after they met online Katie and Kieron set up their first date. When they met at a local pub there was an instant attraction, neither could stop smiling and both knew this felt different.
Hannah and Andrew were friends before becoming a couple. "We started secondary school together where we were in the same tutor group," Hannah tells us. "We both went off to different colleges and then universities but when we moved home, we started hanging out again. We finally became a couple in 2013 and our new adventure began. We went travelling together, came back and purchased our first house and then our beautiful puppy, Rio, came along at the end of 2020. Having our long friendship as our beginning means we have seen each other for who we are."
Lydia and Damien met at university and quickly became great friends, bonding over laughter, silliness and a shared love of festivals and animals. It wasn't until six years later though that their loyal friendship turned into something more and they began dating.
Daisy and Chris met via Instagram. "It transpired that our paths had nearly crossed at various stages of our lives," Daisy tells us. "At one point, our parents lived one street away from one another; we attended the same high school (although Chris had finished before I joined) and we almost both ended up at the same university! We bonded over our love of the television sitcom Friends, our family values and our passion for travel. We also both quickly discovered how particular we both are — a useful trait when you want to be super organised planning a wedding!"
Kimberley and Charles met when Kimberley was based in Cheltenham and Charles was located in Birmingham. "We shared a similar sense of humour and Charles' confidence and charisma attracted me to him," Kimberley tells us. "Kimberley's kind nature and thoughtfulness drew me to her," Charles adds.
These lovebirds initially met while working together on a ward at a local NHS hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic. They started dating as restrictions subsided and restaurants opened again. They were both attracted to the fact they were hard-working and intelligent while also being caring and compassionate in their work.
These lovebirds met through a mutual friend and hit it off immediately one evening at a bar – the rest is history! Paddy proposed in December 2022 while putting the Christmas decorations up in their first home together. Vicky comments, "It was perfect as he knows I didn't like a fuss; this was so intimate and very much a surprise!"
These lovebirds would always see each other around but started talking during sixth form, where Alice was instantly attracted to Ryan's humour. She officially became his girlfriend in 2012 after he came back from his first year at university – the rest is history! Alice has been going on family holidays to Cornwall since childhood! So naturally, Ryan joined these special trips over the years. On 17th April 2021, Ryan proposed on Porthminster Beach in St Ives, which was a complete surprise! Alice comments, "We'd already been together for nine years, so all of our friends and family asked when he would pop the question, but I was never expecting it. He asked the question the evening before my parents arrived so that we could enjoy the rest of the trip celebrating with my family."Here, the bride shares details about their special day...
These lovebirds met at ASOS in 2017, a few months after Chloe had started at the company. Two of her friends spotted Jack, who had just completed his induction, and they knew he would be her type! Chloe says, "It wasn't long before they acted as our dating gurus, and we shortly exchanged numbers. A week later, Jack organised a brilliant date night at Cote in St Albans, and it was clear after our first date we were attracted to one another. We had lots in common with the same life values."
These lovebirds met on their first day of university! Hannah says, "We wouldn't say it was love at first sight, but it was friends at first sight! We were extremely close throughout this time, and our relationship blossomed!" Jay proposed on Barricane Beach in September 2021 – a complete surprise for Hannah. It was his third attempt in the four days they were away.
Gem and Matt met at university and soon discovered a lot in common both in terms of interests and values. They became friends, and even now, after their relationship blossomed into something much more, Matt still says that Gem is his best mate. During lockdown the couple converted an old school mini bus into a campervan and planned a four-week trip around the UK for when it was completed in the summer of '21, taking them from Durdle Door to the NC 500 in Scotland. When they arrived at the campsite at their first stop and finished setting up, they headed down to the beach at Durdle Door for a sunset walk. It was at this romantic spot right on the shoreline, that Matt proposed. "I was completely shocked and so happy," Gem tells us.
Frances and Tom met when they both worked for Jack Wills in Marlow. "A few years later, I liked Tom's new profile picture on Facebook and we reconnected instantly and it was the start of our love story!" Frances tells us. "We went on our first date later that week and for our second date, Tom took me for drinks at Aqua in The Shard - he was trying to impress me! We didn't stop talking and laughing all night - I knew he was someone very special."
Joanna and Dan met at school. "I went to his sixth form and we were best friends and started dating after we finished school," Joanna tells us. "We went travelling around South America before moving to London from Reading. To propose, Dan took me to Hampstead Heath one Sunday and asked me to marry him. We enjoyed a pub dinner afterwards and as a surprise, he had pre-arranged for my friends and family to be there!"
Lucy and Harvey met at a friend's wedding in 2016 when Lucy was a bridesmaid and Harvey was a groomsman. "We met the day before the wedding and immediately hit it off," Lucy tells us. Harvey adds, "I spent the morning of the wedding wondering if it was ok to ask the groom if Lucy was single! She looked stunning as a bridesmaid and it soon became clear that there was something special between us."
Nicola and Andrew originally met in college, but went their separate ways after graduation. The two became friends again in 2001 and by 2012 their relationship had blossomed into something much more. Andrew popped the question at the couple's home over a Bonfire Night weekend. Having tried on numerous occasions to find the right time on 5th November, it eventually happened after cooking dinner for the two of them on the 6th!
Rosie and Jordi met through mutual friends at Glastonbury Festival back in 2013, and their wedding day took place 10 years later to the day, which couldn't have been more poignant for them. During a tense time for the country, in December 2021, while we were in lockdown but permitted a day to mix with one other household, Jordi proposed in front of Rosie's family at her home. "Safe to say, everyone needed a reason to celebrate at that time and we definitely did that," Rosie says.
Chloe and Matt met at a mutual friend's birthday party when they were 18. There was an initial attraction but they didn't exchange numbers until the following year after bumping into each other again at a club in Bristol. After some texting back and forth they went on their first date and the rest is history.
Laura and Danny met, like most modern couples, online. "We spoke by text for a few weeks before meeting for a drink," says Laura. "We've been together ever since."
Katie and Darren first laid eyes on each other when they became next-door neighbours. "We always got along well whenever we bumped into each other, but Darren moved to another house and soon after, so did I," says Katie. "A few years later, we met at work after I started a new job at the same place as Darren. We were put on the same team during a period of 12-hour shifts and instantly hit it off. There was a mutual attraction and an instant spark between us.
Sam and Jen first laid eyes on each other in 2018. "I remember that day like it was yesterday," says Jen. "We met at work, although I use the term 'met' loosely because, at first, she seemed to have no idea that I existed. I walked into the office kitchen and there she was, sitting at the table, engrossed in a book. Sam was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and I couldn't help but feel an instant connection, even though we hadn't exchanged a word.
Melisa and Josh met in 2018 at Valley Church. "Josh had been going there for years, but I had just joined," says Melisa. "I saw him playing bass with the worship team and I was attracted to him right away. I loved how funny he is and that he lights up a room."
Sam and Iain met through a mutual friend and instantly hit it off. "We really enjoyed each other's company and shared a similar sense of humour," says Sam. "It felt so easy and natural talking to one another."
Izzy and Ryan were brought together through unusual circumstances. "The first time I met Ryan, we were introduced by my previous partner in a nightclub, as he was one of his friends," says Izzy. "I met him a couple of times after that, but we didn't really speak much. A few years later, we found out that our partners were seeing each other behind our backs! Ryan and I started to message each other about it and the more we chatted, the more we realised we had lots in common and very similar values. Once I got to know Ryan, I discovered we went to the same high school and knew a lot of the same people."
Daniel went to a summer camp with Camp America in 2016, which is quite popular while studying at university in the UK. He travelled to San Diego after his summer in Pennsylvania with some mutual friends of Laura, who grew up in California, which led to the pair meeting and hitting it off. They had a longdistance relationship for four years before Laura moved to London – they've lived together ever since.
Although Claire and Jack knew of each other from school, it wasn't until they were a bit older that their paths regularly started to cross during nights out in town. "We started talking on my birthday one year and that's when Jack finally asked me out on a date," Claire tells us.
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