Our story

So it all started on a sketchy app back in May 2014 and Ryan pestered me to meet him in the Kings Arms in Colchester. As per usual, I was late (by all of 5 mins)  because my shirt ripped as I was getting ready, so a little parcel tape held it together, He’s never let me forget I was late since!  I gave Ryan a lift home and he didn’t even give me a peck on the cheek!  

Later that month we went on a typical first date at a bowling alley, and after 30 mins he left because “I have to go see my friend” and literally just left me there. I have never let him forget that either!

A few days later, undeterred, he let me know he was in Ipswich so I stalked him to Vodka Revs and we danced the night away.

We may have assaulted a statue and fell in to a hedge on the way home.

OK,  now I have to reel him in,  so flowers delivered to his work on his birthday and that did the trick!

Our first proper date was at the SaltHouse Harbour in Ipswich. Apparently I am pretentious for having pigeon! But he was hooked and so was I!

So on August 13th 2014 I asked him to make him my official boyfriend.

In the September we went on our first holiday together to Tenerife. I made the mistake of letting Ryan choose the hotel. That’s not happening again. Up the top of a hill, which almost killed me and cockroaches and common people everywhere but we did see a Shirley Bassey tribute act who insisted on telling everyone about her ‘gimp knee’.

Later that year Ryan moved out of his family home to share a flat with his friend. It was there I met his lovely but very shy sister Daisy, who thought I was marvellous for giving Ryan a wobbly Ikea mirror for his flat.

It took over a year before I was introduced to my future mother in-law. I was invited round for dinner and she was all dolled up in make up and pretty clothes. Oh how times have changed Abi! I assume I made a half decent impression as I was invited back.

Soon after we decided now was the right time to move in together. Ryan was going to move to Ipswich with me, on my stipulation that he would get a job in Ipswich as he didn’t drive at the time.

That job lasted all of 3 weeks, then he left his job and work mates that ate boiled potatoes for lunch and loved roller coasters, and got his old job back in Essex. One of the many, many job changes Ryan loves to do. That meant he had to get a train and commute for an hour each way. But I was worth it!

After a year or so we (Ryan) decided we wanted to live in Colchester nearer his Mummy. So we sold up and moved to Longridge (Greenstead adjacent).

In July 2021 we headed off to Santorini for a little break. Ryan had been hinting for a while about what his ideal wedding would be like. Do you know how difficult it is to find our someone’s ring size with out them knowing?  Neither did I! So we both went in to a jewellers in the town of Thea and Ryan found a ring he liked so I asked the price, and after I picked myself up off the floor, we chose a different one!  That evening I asked him ‘ Do you want to take a non-suspicious walk on the beach?’  He agreed and I proposed to him on the moonlit beach at Kamari. That moon actually was a plane coming in, but still… fortunately he said yes!

 We had a lovely little engagement party on our return and I thought that was that for a few years.

But no, In July 2022 Ryan asked if we could go and see a wedding venue at Leez Priory. It couldn’t hurt I thought.  So long story short, wedding is on Sunday 3rd Sept 2023.

And this is where you come in to join us as we celebrate our wedding day.