Real Weddings from Your South Wales Wedding

Festival of Love

Rob caught Saz's eye while she was out at a bar with her friends. "We exchanged a few words and ended up matching on Tinder a couple of months later," says Saz. "We bonded over our love of festivals, music and rugby. We are both very outdoorsy people. We go hiking and camping quite a lot and have attended lots of festivals and concerts together.

Fall In Love With You

Haley and Kristian met while Haley was working at a pub in Neath. "I became friends with a regular called Ryan," says Haley. "I didn't know at the time that Ryan had a brother, so when Ryan walked into the bar one day and I asked him about his trip away to Butlins and he told me he'd just returned from Egypt with his girlfriend, I was confused! Later on, Ryan came in again and was dressed in a different outfi t! It turned out Ryan and Kristian are brothers and looked exactly the same to me. It was then that Ryan introduced me to Kristian, and well, that was when our story began. We were both in relationships, so we just enjoyed being friends. Kristian was so nice to me and he became my best friend.

A Never-Ending Love

Bethan and Sam met through mutual friends. "We messaged each other for a few months and eventually went on a date," says Bethan. "We went to Winter Wonderland in Cardiff and instantly clicked with each other. After we met, Sam went back to his local pub and met up with his friends, and when they asked how it went, his response was, 'I'm going to marry her.' We went on several dates after this; however, lockdown then happened in March and we made the decision to move in together rather than not see each other."

Where The Wildflowers Grow

Rachael and Sam met through social media. "Sam had not been in New Zealand long and we instantly struck up a friendship," says Rachael. "We chatted for a few months before we finally organised a date. It was truly love at first sight. All though our connection was instant, our relationship was a slow burn, as I have two daughters who were six and ten at the time. I had to make sure Sam was a keeper before he met Ava and Amelia, but he had me at hello, and his morals, ethics and loyalty would last me a lifetime."

At One With Nature

Beth and Alex met on a dating website. "We have both been married before and gone through difficult separations and divorces," says Beth. "Alex was incredibly charming and to this day, I still call him my Charming Mr Alex. We had a lot in common, as we both love the outdoors and enjoy walking, paddleboarding, the beach and coastal areas. Our love for life was what really shone through. We had an immediate connection and I know it may sound cheesy, but I know that we were meant to meet. He is what I had been waiting for my entire life! He treated me like an absolute lady from the start and spoilt me rotten in every way and still does. He completely swept me off my feet and the first year was a total dream come true. It is incredible to meet someone who respects you so much for who you are and who will love you unconditionally. I feel so lucky to have met Alex and to now have the family that I do with him."

Making Waves

Sarah and James met at a bar in 2015. "I'd decided to have a spontaneous drink with one of my good friends, Jess, after work," says Sarah. "It's fair to say that Jess had a few too many to drink by the time we met James. I was ordering drinks and when I turned around, I saw an overly sociable Jess had started chatting with James' friends. One of his friends pointed James out to me and asked if I was single. I'd sworn off men at that point and Jess was engaged, but we continued to chat and eventually I got talking to James. I could tell he was a very kind, interesting and intelligent soul and we got on well immediately."

Woodland Roamnce

Jess and Sam met nine years ago via a dating app. "I moved to Oxford after meeting Sam and we started a long-distance relationship with him in Pembrokeshire and me in Oxford," says Jess. "I would get the train to Pembrokeshire after my night shifts and he would drive up every Friday night after work and drive back every Sunday. We travelled long distances for three years before Sam moved to Oxford."

Love Is In The Air

Verity and Ed met for coffee and instantly hit off. "I thought Ed was very handsome with a lovely, warm personality," says Verity. "In the first month or so, we were only able to meet up on weekdays as Ed was working night shifts. When Ed had a day off in the week, he would make and bring lunch to my workplace."

Out Of The Blue

Abbie and James met on Tinder and quickly became friends. The couple spoke for three months before going on their first date. "We are both family-oriented and have the same interests," says Abbie. "We were able to talk for hours and get to know each other well before starting to date. We became a couple in March 2017 and have been together for more than six years."James popped the question at Rhossili Sunflower Arch in August 2020. "We had spoken about getting engaged for over a year prior to this," shares the bride. "Despite this, it was a total surprise on the day when he proposed."

A Day To Remeber

Lisa and Nigel met each other online. "I was attracted to his devilish good looks," says Lisa. "We have similar personalities and the same goals in life. Our relationship grew, and Nigel asked me to marry him during a family holiday to Tenerife. Everyone knew he was going to ask except for me, so it was a big surprise!"

Childhood Sweethearts

Hannah and Lee met online in 2014, when they were 16 and 17 years old. "We arranged to have our first date in Bristol," says Hannah. "We had a long-distance relationship, as Lee was from Somerset and I lived in South Wales. Over the years, our relationship blossomed and we bought our first house together in April 2020."