Romance HQ true life wedding stories

There must be something special in the water at Romance HQ, because this year no fewer than SIX PEOPLE got married – so appropriate! To celebrate the year of weddings (the Royal Family have nothing on us!), some of our happily wedded Romance HQers offered to share their own experiences of walking down the aisle…

‘After my suspicions were raised that my boyfriend was going to propose at Christmas 2009, I began looking around my flat for a small velvet box… (Terrible, I know, but I couldn’t help myself!) After hours of fruitless searching I couldn’t find anything. I was then later thrown off the scent by my boyfriend dropping into the conversation that he’d ordered my present online and hoped it would arrive in time for Christmas. I immediately thought (with a stab of disappointment) that it must be a DVD from Amazon (like last year). I then stupidly joked that I’d thought he was going to propose this Christmas! Next thing I knew he’d put the Xbox controller down and was holding a different kind of box…a small velvet box…

Turned out he had been planning to propose on Christmas Day, but after my silly quip he thought, Why wait? and popped the question there and then! I was in my jogging bottoms, an old hoody, with hair desperately in need of a wash (so really I’m quite lucky he took me on!), making a cup of tea and suddenly I was being asked to make the biggest decision of my life… I was speechless and couldn’t stop crying. Two hours, a cup of tea (me), and 10 cigarettes (him) later, I finally managed to stop crying enough to say… ‘YES!’

Although my proposal wasn’t as romantic as it is in the movies, it was very us! We’re getting married in December 2011 and I can’t wait!’
Carly, Editor

‘We’d been together for eight and a half years, and both of us had agreed we wouldn’t get married. However, one night while watching a particularly rubbish episode of Don’t Tell the Bride, where the groom got everything wrong, I asked my other half if he thought he would know what to arrange if we were ever to get married. This then became the basis for a proposal, as he tripped up and fell across the rug at my feet. This was January, and in order to get married on our ninth anniversary in June a whirlwind of organising began.

I had never thought of my OH as particularly romantic, until in passing I mentioned I would love to arrive in a horse and carriage. Next thing I knew, lo and behold, my wonderful husband-to-be had booked a black Victorian carriage, complete with black horses. My engagement ring is also Victorian, and I am a little alternative and wouldn’t have looked right in white – and so the theme for our wedding was born. We became obsessed with Victoriana! (Him more than me, really – the search for a Victorian walking cane was epic!)

On the day itself the rain was steadily falling, but it really didn’t matter. I was getting married to the man of my dreams. He looked handsome, I felt like a Victorian princess, and the day itself seemed to go past in the blink of an eye. I just remember the most amazing feeling of happiness. (Even when the carriage got lost three times on the way to the ceremony I didn’t panic – well, not THAT much anyway!)

The thing I am most looking forward to about married life is spending the rest of my life with my best friend and soul mate. Two halves, one soul.’
Sam, Managing Editor

‘When I was a little girl, I dreamt that one day I would be a princess and get married in a castle. Well, I was lucky enough, on June 2nd, to have my very own fairytale- come-true when I married my Prince Charming (of eight and a half years!) in a Welsh castle!

The day was absolutely perfect from beginning to end – starting with breakfast with the entire Welsh rugby team (I’ve never seen my anxious dad more excited!) and every bride’s wish of brilliant blue sky and sunshine. The icing on the cake was having everyone I loved in the world in the same place. From the ‘I Do’s to the speeches, right through to the dancing and the hog roast, I don’t think I stopped smiling! Partly because on the day everything fell into place, and partly because I knew that it was only a matter of hours before I jet-setted off on my honeymoon… My American Adventure was calling!

As I look back through the thousands of photos (and I am not exaggerating!) I’m reminded of a beautifully happy day which made all the hard work, the occasional panics and meltdowns, and the many cups of camomile tea (placed on my desk by my very caring friend to calm me down!) worth every single second!’
Megan, editor

Here are our stories – anyone else feeling a bit teary, having read them…? What about yours? We’re sure you must have some good ones to share…!