Let me tell you a story…. it’s a story fit for the movies.

Once upon a time, back in 1981 the lovely Nicky marries the handsome Jos in Surrey. Nicky orders a dress made in India but when it arrives the week before the wedding, the measurements are all wrong.  With just a few days before they tie the knot, she spots a beautiful peacock embroided gown in Pronuptia. She buys it and is the epitome of elegance and understatement.

A few years later, her gorgeous daughter Anne is born in Sheffield. At the same time in the same city, a boy is born to French parents. His name is Jonathan. A few years later, both families move to France. Jonathan’s mum decides she’d like her young son to continue speaking English so puts an ad in the local newspaper. Anne’s mother spots the ad and calls her. They arrange to meet for lunch and a play date with their now four year olds. The ladies get on like a house on fire. So do their husbands who both strangely work in a very unusual job in engineering. Anne and Jonathan play on the swings, speak both French and English and spend lots of time together.

Then, the English family move to Australia…. but they keep in contact with Jonathan’s family despite the distance. Years later, Anne moves back to France to go to University and is encouraged by her mum and dad to visit Jonathan’s family. The rest, as they say, is history.

Fast forward a few years, Anne and Jonathan decide to get married. The venue is to be England… outdoors… in summer! It’s especially emotional as the place they choose to get married is Whipsnade Tree Cathedral which was created by Anne’s great grandfather. And so Anne plans their nuptials from afar and crosses her fingers for good weather. She thinks about buying wellies. She worries about being cold. She buys flowers in the Alsace  and dries them to bring to England for her and her bridesmaids. A family friend bakes traditional French biscuits for all the guests.

Friends and family from all across the globe buy plane and train tickets and join with Anne and Jonathan for their big day. Anne’s mum Nicky packs her original peacock wedding gown in a bag and brings it to England. Anne tries it on…. it’s a little too long… but that’s ok, she still looks gorgeous in it. A beautiful heirloom passed down for an amazing love story.

We take some pictures of Anne wearing her mum’s vintage dress – and then she changes into the gown she’ll walk down the aisle in…. it’s very different, but very her. Her father Jos beams with pride and escorts Anne up the tree lined avenue to Jonathan. The sun shines and two families finally come together.

The End.

Anne & Jonathan’s wedding at Whipsnade Tree Cathedral will be featured on the blog next week.