See how other couples celebrated their big day with wedding stories and ideas from County Wedding Magazines' Real Weddings features.
Simone met Jade while out walking their dogs. "Jade had two foxhounds, Marley and Cruiser, and I have two jackhuahuas, Rupert and Hugo," says the bride. "We often stopped to talk to each other, but it was a few years before we found ourselves single at the same time, arranging to take a walk along the beach for our first date.
Rebecca and David met in a local bar on Christmas Eve, so a seasonal wedding was always on the cards for them. "Linking our day to that time of the year was very special to us," Rebecca says. "David was like no man I'd met before. We took the time to get to know each other and found that we were both attracted to what we wanted from life and how we were going to get there, and we share the same sense of humour, which helps!" she says.
Chloe and Jamie were 16 and 17 respectively when they met, having been introduced by a mutual friend. Chloe found Jamie funny despite his shyness and the fact he only managed to give her one-word answers during the entirety of their first conversation. However, by their second meeting he'd come out of his shell and that's when they really hit it off. "Even to this day, almost nine years later, no one makes me laugh like he does," Chloe shares.
Sean and Kirstie's adventure began more than 10 years ago after their friendship blossomed into something beautiful. The pair became inseparable and created many amazing memories together over the years, which led Sean to ask a very important question. Back in 2019, Sean originally planned to take Kirstie for a picnic in Burley at sunset but the motorway was closed. Kirstie says, "He had told me we were going out and to get ready but didn't say where. I was getting ready when he said we must go now as the motorway had opened much earlier than expected.
Helen Jayne Parkin, 31, married Phillip Arthur Daniels, 50, on 16th July 2022 at the Church of St John the Baptist, East Down in North Devon. This was followed by a marquee reception held at their home farm in Combe Martin.
Victoria and Christopher met on a blind date at the Manchester Christmas markets, having been set up by their friends. Three years later, and now a couple, they moved to Dubai and that's where they still live, happily ever after.
Christopher proposed at Pier Chic in Dubai. He'd taken Victoria to brunch there and afterwards surprised her with all of her closest friends looking on. They chose Mottram Hall to host their big day. The location,stunning grounds and new Champneys Spa sealed the deal for them.The day after the wedding, they enjoyed massages in the Spa with their close family and friends. The gents in the wedding party even got to make the most of it the night before.
Here, the bride shares her memories of the wedding day, New Year's Eve, 2021...
Louise met Dewar at an Annie Mac gig when they were there with mutual friends.
"My dad owned a motorbike shop, and after chatting we realised Dewar had bought his first bike there before we even knew each other!" says Louise.
"I loved that Dewar was confident, but not cocky, and he made me laugh all the time – plus he's very easy on the eye! He says it was my hairstyle at the time that attracted him to me –which was red and shaved down one side! – as well as my quirky personality."
Jessica and Hayden met at university. "Even though we are both from the Telford area, we actually met whilst at Leeds university," says Jessica. "I was working in a nightclub when Hayden came in for a night out and a colleague of mine introduced us. We got talking and hit it off right away. After we fi nished university, we moved home together and are best friends, we get on really well and are always laughing and being silly."
Karen and Danny met in the waiting room of a car garage. "Danny was waiting for a tyre to be changed, and I was there having a puncture repaired," says Karen. "Our eyes met across the room, and I gave Danny a cheeky grin, and it was fireworks from there. It was his unshaven, rugged look and the glint in his eyes that attracted me to him. For Danny, it was the cheeky but innocent look that I gave him."
Having moved with his family down to Sussex from London, Harry joined the local sixth form, which Zoe already attended. He was soon cajoled into a night out by his new friend Duncan, and that's where he met Zoe. "One thing lead to another and now, 10 years later, we're married," she says. "We've always just enjoyed each other's company and we often say to each other that we just love doing life together."
Natasha first met Eric at Wattisham Airfield in Suffolk after she decided to take up gliding and he was the instructor. They quickly became friends before becoming inseparable. After two years Natasha started to think that perhaps they could be more than friends, even though Eric told her they should be together sooner and are meant for one another – the rest is history! Eric proposed on Natasha's 28th birthday in London with Tower Bridge in the background. She says, "I certainly had my suspicions on the day when he put my 'present' in my handbag and told me I could have it later on in the day. We'd talked about getting married before, but I didn't know when the proposal would come." Here Natasha shares details about their special day...
Chris and Angela met online. "Not very exciting, but I guess it's the modern way of dating," Angela laughs. Perhaps so, but there is nevertheless a funny story behind how they were matched. While Chris was on holiday in Sweden he'd accidentally set his Tinder account to Singapore, where Angela was working as a nurse at the time! Three months after they started talking, Chris decided to travel to Singapore to meet Angela. "It definitely wasn't love at first sight," she says. "Chris and I are totally different apart from our love of travel. We don't have any common interests at all, but we enjoyed learning a lot from each other. I think that's what excites us, there's never a boring day."
Childhood sweethearts Ella and Ben met at school and became best friends, hanging out together and chatting online most evenings. By the age of 14, they were boyfriend and girlfriend and have been together ever since. "Ben has always made me laugh and I adore him for that," says Ella.
Sophie and Will were both living in London when they first met on Tinder and happened to only be a five-minute walk from each other. After they both swiped right and had a brief chat on the app, they decided to meet up and go on a date – the rest is history!
Will proposed to Sophie while on a trip travelling through Belize and Mexico for two weeks. She says, "It was the last day of our holiday when he popped the question on the balcony at our hotel in Tulum. He'd been trying to do it the whole trip but could never find the right moment or pluck up the courage!"
Emily and Will met at Bath Spa University but it wasn't until years later that they came across each other on a dating app and decided to go from a drink. "Will proposed on the evening of 17th September 2020, on a pier at the Liberty Lara resort in Antalya, Turkey," Emily tells us. "We visited the pier to take some photos and everyone seemed to be leaving so we had it to ourselves. Will told me that he had an accessory to add to our photographs and got down on one knee before presenting me with a stunning solitaire ring that he had designed himself and had made which was a wonderful surprise - I didn't even see the ring for the first few minutes because I was crying happy tears!"
Amy and John met through work and became best friends. "The rest, as they say, is history!" Amy tells us. The couple became engaged during a few days away in Kent. "We were staying in a beautiful woodland cottage cabin, the Woodcutters Cottage at Swallowtail Hill which Amy had booked as a surprise," John says. "She didn't expect me to propose by the campfire!" Amy adds, "John had set up his iPhone for what he told me was a timed photograph but actually it was a video and at the last minute, he got down on one knee so the moment was captured perfectly!"
Charlotte and Ryan met at university and soon became inseparable. "Despite being very different people with many different interests, it just worked," Charlotte says, "Being at uni could be stressful and Ryan was always there, being a calming influence, which I definitely needed as I was the opposite. He never failed to make me laugh and became, not only my boyfriend, but my best friend." The couple decided to move in together during their last year of studying and have lived together ever since.
Kathryn and Mike met online in 2015. "Mike was genuine and kind, and he liked that I was intelligent and funny," says Kathryn. "He proposed on Christmas morning in 2019. We were at home and had come downstairs to open presents with our daughter. They both disappeared upstairs and came downstairs with a small wrapped gift. I opened it and saw a sparkling diamond ring! Mike said: 'well, will you?' and I told him: 'only if you get down on one knee.' He did, and I said yes. Our daughter was ecstatic!
Sam and Victoria met at work. Victoria tells us, "We realised we had a lot in common, liked the same things and found ourselves eating pizza and drinking wine at the local restaurant shortly after." During lockdown, on Christmas morning Sam proposed. Of course, Victoria said yes, and wedding planning began! On 28th May 2022, at Ripley Castle, Harrogate, the pair said their vows. Here, Victoria tells us more about their day...
Orlane and Adam met through a dating website in 2018. "I'm not sure how we matched as I lived in London and he was in Dorking, but I think it was a sign that we were meant to be," says Orlane. "We went crazy golfing and had dinner in London, which was the best date ever. Adam and I texted for two months before we met, and we would send massive messages to each other and never get bored of talking. I found out later through his family that he is usually bad at replying to people!"
Wendy and Andy met at a Blondie tribute night. "I had a run of personal losses, including my best friend, partner and dad," says Wendy. "I had left nursing and wanted to focus on taking over my bridal shop when I went to the tribute night. Andy and I turned out to have mutual friends and hit it off immediately. He was so understanding and compassionate, and I have never felt more cherished. After only a matter of weeks, he never went home. When you know, you know!"
Jordan and Craig met through a mutual friend during a night out in Cardiff. "There was an initial spark, but we only met briefly, so we didn't know each other's names," says Jordan. "A few days later, I received a friend request on Facebook from Craig. We were attracted to each other, but the beginning of our relationship was not what we had planned as I had just gone on holiday and ended up stranded in Gran Canaria as a result of the Ash Cloud.
Caroline met Danny in the last place she ever expected to meet anyone – at work! "We worked on different floors and never crossed paths, until one day I was asked to take notes for a senior manager in a disciplinary meeting," she says. "When I walked onto their floor, I saw a gorgeous man walking towards me – then he opened his mouth and his Yorkshire accent finished me off! After the meeting Danny asked what my plans were for the weekend, and I got so flustered I waffled a lot of drivel. It couldn't have been that bad, though, as he asked me out the following week."
Leah immediately knew that Lee was someone she wanted to be friends with when she met him while working in the restaurant at Brandshatch Place Hotel & Spa. The friendship grew through mutual support and in time blossomed into a relationship.
The couple went to Nerja in Spain on holiday with best friends Riley and Ilona in September 2019 and while visiting The Balcon De Europa, which looks out onto the Med, Lee popped the question. "I had an inkling it might happen, but I was still overwhelmed when it did and I didn't answer him for a really long time!" Leah remembers.
Mariam and Charlie are both solicitors and have worked at the same firm since 2014. "We were great friends but that turned into something far more fantastic," say Mariam. So fantastic that eventually Charlie proposed. "He asked me to marry him on Tower Bridge on our anniversary," she says. "I wasn't too surprised to be honest. The first proposal attempt was aborted – Charlie thought he covered it well, but he didn't!" she recalls. "It was supposed to be by St Paul's Cathedral where we had our first kiss, but the filming for a DC movie made it impossible."
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