See how other local couples celebrated their big day with wedding stories and ideas from Your East Anglian Wedding Real Weddings features.
Kerry Davis and Marina Withers (Chip) first met on Facebook!" Chip was my first female relationship," shares Kerry. "She spotted me on the Facebook Dating App shortly after it launched, she said 'yes' to my profile and it immediately asked me if I wanted to say 'yes' and pair with her – she has the most beautiful eyes! We talked online and were a couple from the first date!" Kerry popped the question on Christmas Day. "Chip is Estonian and English is her second language. I drew my proposal on paper– I'm a terrible artist – and it took her about 25 mins to guess each word, eventually I thrust the ring at her and said 'Well? Will you?!' oh-so romantic," laughs Kerry.
Kimberley and Phillip met online after Kim relocated for a job from Yorkshire to Essex as a single parent. "We have been together eight-and-a-half years and share a love of music and travelling; we've been to Canada, America, Europe and love new adventures!" shares Kim.
Phil proposed in New York on 31st May, 2019, with a bespoke engagement ring he'd had made. That wasn't there only news at the time, "We had just found out we were pregnant, too!" adds Kim. The big date was set, 23rd July 2022, with Willow Grange Farm, Norfolk, setting the scene.
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.
After meeting online, the first time Joseph set eyes on Francesca, he knew straight away that she was the one. "Joseph says that as soon as I opened the door to him and smiled for the first time, he knew he was going to marry me, however I took a little longer to realise this," admits Francesca.
A shared loved of the countryside and laid-back lifestyle helped cement the bond between Charlotte and James. They'd known each other for years and had been in the same friendship group since going to Kesgrave High School together. They kept in touch through mutual friends and met up socially, but it wasn't until after Charlotte graduated from university and moved back to Suffolk, that they started dating.
Although Ella and Hamish both grew up in Haverhill and knew each other through mutual friends and parties, it wasn't until after Ella moved away to university in Wolverhampton that they actually began talking. "It started with a text from Hamish wishing me a happy New Year," remembers Ella. Romance blossomed and after a year working away, on and off, Hamish booked a sunshine holiday in the Maldives for the two of them. "Despite many of my friends saying that he must be planning to propose, I was in complete denial," says Ella. So, as they headed out for dinner one evening, when Hamish stopped to take a sunset photo and got down on one knee to ask her to marry him, it came as a complete surprise. "We spent the rest of the evening FaceTiming, calling and messaging our friends and family before sitting down and writing out our guest list!"
Growing up in the same town, Ellie and James already knew of each other but it wasn't until Ellie posted a Game of Thrones photo up online that they actually started talking and the spark was lit. "As we were chatting we realised we had both moved back to Norfolk after being away at university so we went for a drink that night and got on so well it just went from there," Ellie reveals.
James proposed to Ellie in New York
Summer love turned into forever after for Alex and Charlie. They met when they were both 19 while working as waiting staff during the summer holidays in the restaurant at Norfolk's Dunston Hall Hotel. "We had lots in common and it felt like our paths should have crossed may times before," says Alex. It was meant to be and after nine years together Charlie asked her to marry him at the same place where they shared their first kiss.
It was fourth time lucky for Becky and Max when they eventually tied the knot at Hintlesham Hall in Suffolk. After having to cancel three previous wedding dates due to Coronavirus, their big day finally came on 17th June this year – and what a day it was! Despite restrictions and disappointments along the way, including having to slash the guest list by almost half, they married in style and celebrated with a cool cocktail of soft pastel colours mixed with a dash of boho and Mediterranean vibes and a good measure of gin!
Julie and Craig didn't let distance get in the way of romance even though, when they first met online, they were living a three-hour drive away from each other. He was based in London and she was in Nottingham and after getting to know each other over the phone they spent the next two years alternating between their homes every weekend before finally settling down together in Grantham.
