Editor loves and inspiration

Like many of us in this modern world, Angharad and Lewis met online through a dating app. Angharad recalls, “As I'm a teacher, I thought I would add a humorous part to my bio and said that there were perks to dating a teacher, one of those being unlimited milk and cookies. Of course, that's what made Lewis swipe right!”. Angharad goes onto add, “We all know that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach (he now has diabetes, so there's obviously such a thing as too many cookies)”. Their time getting to know each other highlighted their shared interests in ice hockey, Formula 1 and spending time outside. These mutual hobbies enabled the conversation to blossom and grow, to a point where their connection was nothing short of natural.

Connection turned to love and in turn, turned into marriage; but how did Lewis pop the question? Angharad answers, “Lewis bought a couple's card game called 'You've Been Served'. We were each allowed to serve one another cards that contained challenges. I served a card that required him to arrange a surprise day trip, which led us to Margam Park. During our day out, Lewis suggested we head to some church ruins to get a picture (Lewis is an avid photographer, so knows a good shot when he sees one). Begrudgingly I obliged, despite the bogged down grass we had to cross; Lewis gets the picture and to my surprise, gets down on one knee. He had written the question on a Post-it note and sacrificed his best card from the card game in the process. Of course, the answer was an easy yes.”

Read more about their special day online in Issue 103

Jessica and Adam met at the University of Reading, in the student union nightclub and it was love at first sight. Within a week of dating, they became official, and they knew they'd found their soulmate. The bond between this couple grew quickly and the 'L-word' was used within a few weeks. Whilst the beginning felt like a whirlwind, the couple felt that they had built a strong friendship and saw Themselves being life partners. Jessica recalls, “What attracted me to Adam was his kindness, compassion and empathy. He always puts me first and cares for me, better than I could have ever wished for!” Adam adds, “what attracted me to Jess was her motivation and determination in life. She is kind, caring, and beautiful and the most wonderful life partner I could have dreamed of!”

Adam popped the question in August 2022, on what was seemingly any regular day. Jessica explains, “I walked in from being out shopping to a trail of rose petals from the front door to our living room. Adam had set the whole room up with balloons, fairylights and rose petals. After a lovely speech on one knee, I immediately said yes, and we celebrated with some champagne and calls to friends and family. We rounded off a perfect night by going out to an Italian restaurant, a favourite of ours and now a cherished location.”

See how they celebrated their specuial day in Issue 103 - available for download online.

Aisling and Liam met during their first week at dance school. “Liam was in his first year of the course and I was doing the foundation year,” says Aisling. “We met at a house party and were friends for about eight months before starting a relationship.”

Liam popped the question at home after the couple had been together just over 10 years. “It was a huge surprise,” shares the bride. “I’d been away for the weekend and then went straight to work, but when I got home I found Liam had decorated our flat with candles, lights, rose petals and Polaroids of us throughout our relationship. I looked at all of them, and when I got to the last one, he kneeled down behind me with a ring.”

See more from their wedding in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yoursouthwales.wedding/free-download

Rebecca Burt is a jewellery designer based out of her studio in Canton, Cardiff, where she creates textural organic jewellery from silver, gold and gemstones. Working on one-off pieces, small stock collections, commissions and remodels, her jewellery aesthetic features carefully selected gemstones with playful colour gradients.

“My pieces are all influenced by having a directional quality that captures movement and a sense of flow, using mark-making and building up silver grains to create wearable pieces of jewellery,” says Rebecca. “Everything is made and crafted by my hands, allowing for no two pieces to be exactly the same, giving each piece its own individual personality!”

Meet more local suppliers in our Handmade in South Wales feature in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yoursouthwales.wedding/free-download

Jayne Nevins from Camille Accessories shares her trend predictions for 2025.

"As an accessories designer, I follow the trends with a passion because my work serves to complement wedding gown styles. My predictions for 2025 are:

"Individuality and bespoke designs. Unique pieces that add a personal touch to a wedding and emphasise the bride’s individuality.

"Layered pearl necklaces that will work perfectly with the new corseted basque waist ballgown style dresses that we’ve already seen on many runways.

"Oversized earrings are still en vogue and can make a statement on their own without the need for any other accessories.

"Pearls galore! They’re still everywhere, on veils, bags and shoes. Pearls of every size and description, from the larger baroque pearls to the traditional classic string of pearls, remain as the accessory must-have for brides-to-be."

See more top tips in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yoursouthwales.wedding/free-download

Ellie and Ricky met in 2012 at Broad Haven Beach in Haverfordwest. “He was a popular boy who I thought was attractive, but nothing ever happened as he was too old for me at the time,” says Ellie. “Fast forward to 2014, when he took me to a fancy party dressed up as a bobsleigher and we’ve been together ever since.”

Ricky popped the question in 2022. “It was a complete surprise,” shares the bride. “We were visiting Musselwick Beach when he asked me to be his wife.”

See more from their wedding in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yoursouthwales.wedding/free-download

Fall in love with this ethereal styled shoot at Candleston Woods that features a team of talented suppliers.

See more from the shoot in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yoursouthwales.wedding/free-download

Kirsty and Jack met when Jack’s band was playing at Kirsty’s local pub. “I’m not too sure what his first impression of me was, especially as I was quite sarcastic to him,” says Kirsty. “It was only a brief encounter, as my friend and I called it a night after her father was taken ill. It was only after speaking with the landlord of the pub and having a nose on social media that I managed to track Jack down! We spoke on social media and when we did meet, the attraction was there almost instantaneously. We got on really well and still do."

Jack popped the question in August 2022. “He’d been itching to get me to go to New Quay, West Wales, with him for a little while,” shares the bride. “He proposed on the harbour, overlooking the sea. New Quay was where we’d spent our first holiday together and we’d gone back a few years in a row up until we bought our first home together. It was definitely a surprise, even though I’d been dropping numerous hints! It was a perfect day; the sun had been shining and we’d spent the day on a boat trip to see the dolphins.”

See more from their wedding in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yoursouthwales.wedding/free-download

Penarth Pier Pavilion is offering a 25 per cent discount on venue hire for weddings held between January and April 2025. Located on the beautiful esplanade in Penarth, Penarth Pier Pavilion is a romantic venue with spectacular sea views for you and your guests to enjoy. First opening in 1929, Penarth Pier Pavilion is an impressive example of Art Deco architecture, with a vaulted main gallery and several charming wedding spaces to choose from. Hosting a range of events throughout the year, the venue offers live music, art exhibitions and workshops.

The Pavilion is licensed for civil ceremonies, weddings and civil partnerships, seating between 10 and 110 loved ones. Everything can be organised for you, from the room layout and place settings to fabulous food, so that you and your guests can relax and enjoy the day.

See more news in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yoursouthwales.wedding/free-download

If you’ve booked your venue, then the next thing you’ll be thinking about is how to style it. With so many options available, this can seem like a daunting task, but the most important thing to remember is that any space can be transformed with even the simplest of details. To give you some inspiration, we’ve asked Gill from Ambience Venue Styling Cardiff how to style a bright and bold theme.

"As beautiful and popular as they are, not all weddings have to be classic sage green or blush pink. Why not opt for something a little different? Something that reflects you as a couple? A wedding full of colour can be a vibrant and joyful celebration, reflecting your personalities and tastes as a couple. To start, select a few main colours that will form the foundation of your design. We loved the teal, mustard and deep red combination that one of our brides recently chose and it worked so well. Choose flowers like peonies, dahlias or tulips (oh, and don’t forget the classic rose) in bright, fun colours. They look beautiful in your bridal arrangements, but for that added impact, use them in floral arches, backdrops or hanging installations; they can create a stunning focal point."

See more from our Venue Styling feature in the current issue. Download your free copy at www.yoursouthwales.wedding/free-download