Life can change in an instant’: Jill and Neil’s path to their rustic wedding

Jill and Neil, both aged 34, were high-school sweethearts and spent seven years together.

But they were on different paths; Neil wanted to keep travelling and Jill wanted to settle back home. They decided to separate. Jill moved on with another man and had two beautiful boys.

But in a devastating turn of events, Jill discovered her partner was having an affair and their relationship came to an end. “I was beyond shattered. My world crumbled,” recalls Jill. “I woke up daily purely for my boys. Every day was a struggle. Then one day Neil got back in touch, we met up and the rest is history.”

Neil said “I lost you once, I refuse to lose you again”, and so consequently proposed 10 months after they reconnected. Two months later they found out they were expecting their first child together.

“We had been saving for a mortgage but decided we wanted to get married first so our mortgage money went on the wedding. Thirty-three is my lucky number — we got married at 13:33,” says Jill of the May 18, 2019 day. “It was the most perfect day, the ceremony was held at our church followed by a short walk to the after do which was held at my parents’ house in a marquee that Neil’s brother owns.”

Photos courtesy of Joe Gardner Photography.

“It’s a little intimate church in the heart of my mum and dad’s village where they live and where I grew up,” Jill says of St Nicholas church in Burton Village.

“It’s funny how life can change in an instant. Sometimes our lives have to be completely shaken up, changed and rearranged in order to relocate us to where we are meant to be,” smiles Jill.

“Me and Neil did it all,” Jill says of the planning. “I’m really fussy plus I had a tight budget.”

“We let the kids decide the desserts; they opted for a donut wall! I bought 100 donuts the day before and not a singe one was left,” recalls the bride.