Real Weddings from Your North West Wedding

Meant To Be

Katie and Mark met in 2014 on Grand National Day. "I was working at Claire's Accessories, and Mark worked at the William Hill across the street," says Katie. "I went across to the bookies to put a horse bet on, and Mark started making small talk with me. A few minutes after I'd left and gone back to work, Mark came in looking for a gift for his mum's birthday. We were chatting for a while, and he eventually asked me out on a date. Mark said he thought I was beautiful the moment he saw me, and I thought he was really funny and cute."

In The Country

Emma and Mark first met on a dating website. "We were attracted to each other's smiles and had a mutual love for food, travelling, and running," says Emma. "Mark proposed on Lytham St. Anne Beach in the middle of a rainstorm. It was a complete surprise. I was chasing around the dog we were looking after at the time, hopping over puddles on the beach in the downpour! To celebrate, we got a chippy tea."

Life's Better With You By My Side

Leanne and Jonathan met through friends on a night out. "We didn't have mobile phones at the time, so we had to message each other through MSN at first," laughs Leanne. "After 14 years together, Jonathan proposed on holiday in San Diego on a gondola at sunset. It was a surprise, as after so many years together, I didn't think it was actually going to happen."

Childhood sweethearts

Jenna and Rob met 20 years ago when they were just 14. "We were at a social club and got chatting about a bracelet he had on that I really liked, "says Jenna. "He said I could borrow it, and I had it for two years until we met again at his cousin's 18th birthday party. As soon as I saw him, I knew straight away I wanted to be with him. I rung him several times that night asking to meet up again. Rob took me out on our first date, and almost 18 years and two children later, we're still together." Rob popped the question on Christmas Day. "He hung my engagement ring on the Christmas tree at home," shares the bride. "I took it off the tree, and our daughters asked: 'will you marry dad?', to which I, of course, said yes!"

Love at first bite

Jenni and Mike met in their local fast-food restaurant. "We exchanged numbers, and the rest is history," says Jenni. "It really was love at first sight, and that was 17 years ago! We were lying in bed when Mike asked me to be his wife. We're not traditional, so he didn't get down onone knee and we went shopping for the ring the day after."

Carla and Paul: The one for me

Carla and Paul met in 2016 at a Manchester City vs Aston Villa football game. "We vaguely knew of each other as we are from the same area but had never spoken," says Carla. "We started talking as the day went on and hit it off. The next day Paul asked me out on a date which we went on a couple of weeks later.

After that, we were inseparable and moved in together nine months later." Paul popped the question at the couple's wedding venue, Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort. "We were getting ready for dinner when all of a sudden Paul was down on one knee asking me to marry him," shares the bride. "It was a complete surprise! We had dinner and champagne and were on cloud nine."

The one for me

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."

Snow stopper

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!"

A never-ending love

Naomi and Darryl met in Guernsey in 2010. "We were working in a hospital, and our offices were a couple of doors apart," says Naomi. "When we married at Oakham School Chapel in 2011, we promised each other that we'd make our vows again when we reached our 10 year anniversary. Little did we know what those 10 years would throw at us: trauma, loss, a miracle baby, long-distance working, two degrees, eight house moves, moving to another country and the pandemic!"

Sara and Luke drink it all in

Sara and Luke met in 2012 on Twitter. "Following our online friendship, we started writing letters to each other, and one day, we decided to meet up," says Sara. "We didn't live near each other, so we never thought anything of our relationship other than a friendship. However, once we met, we were inseparable, and Luke asked me to be his girlfriend. From 2012 until 2018, we had a long-distance relationship whilst we completed our studies. We would travel by train to see each other, spending our weekends and school holidays together. Once we started our careers, we moved in with my parents while we saved for our house, which we bought in 2019. Over the years, we have grown together as a couple and become a team. A lot has changed in the past 10 years, but our friendship and love for each other has been consistent and grown stronger."

Luke proposed in April 2020. "It was a spontaneous moment," shares the bride. "He said that he had been thinking about it for a while, and one day he just went for it. He proposed during the first national lockdown at home. We were in bed, and he just randomly asked me. I was shocked, and it was a complete surprise! We had a Zoom party that evening with our family, and we shared the news with them and celebrated virtually. Because of COVID-19, we were reluctant to start wedding plans, however, in May 2021, we started the search and booked our wedding for later in the year."

A modern fairytale

Lisa and Paul met through a mutual friend. "I was 16 and Paul was 19," says Lisa. "We got on really well and have done ever since. We've been together for 17 years and have two beautiful children together."

Paul popped the question after 16 years together. "It was a complete surprise," shares the bride. "He asked me at my 30th birthday party in front of all our friends and family. He put the ring in a gorgeous balloon, and I had to pop it and find it beneath rose gold feathers."

In the meadow

Jen and Jack met in high school. "We were in the same classes and became good friends when we both started attending a badminton club," says Jen. "Over the next year, we grew closer, and that summer whilst on a family holiday, I used my one hour of internet allowance a day to message Jack. One day he confided in me that he liked someone and didn't know what to do. I asked who it was, but he wouldn't say. I went through all the girls in our year until he finally said 'it's you.' That was when my internet time ran out! When we next spoke we agreed that we weren't going to do anything about it as we didn't want to ruin our friendship, so that was that. Six months later, Jack spontaneously held my hand, and I got butterflies. I didn't know he still liked me as we'd not spoken about it since summer, nor had I told him that I'd developed feelings for him too. That night we spoke, and I said 'let's give it a go, and if it goes wrong, then we'll pretend it never happened and stay friends.' Well, it never went wrong, and 10 years on, we're finally married."

The light of my life with Charlotte and Steve

Charlotte and Steve met at work. "He came in for a job interview at the insurance broker I worked for," says Charlotte. "Steve said that I was the first thing he saw when he walked into the office. He successfully joined the company, and we hit it off straight away."

Steve proposed during a Caribbean cruise. "We booked it for January 2019 to celebrate our 10th anniversary," shares the bride. "We'd docked in St Thomas on the morning of our anniversary and had gone to get some breakfast whilst we sat on the deck enjoying the view.