A last ditch attempt at love saw Rebecca Louise and Anthony Thorpe swipe right to each other on Tinder.
Within 12 months of dating, Becky, 34, and Ant, 40, had moved in together. Then, when they’d been an item for 16 months, on Becky’s 34th birthday, Ant nervously got down on one knee and popped the question.
The pair wasted no time in getting organised. “Within an hour, we had booked an appointment at our dream venue – The Ashes Barns in Endon. We purchased my vintage engagement ring the next day from Dagfields Market, and nine months later we were married,” says Becky.
To match her engagement ring, Becky and Ant decided on a vintage wedding theme. The pair said ‘I do’ on February 15, 2017 among 60 day guests, and 100 evening guests at The Ashes Barns in Endon, Staffordshire.
“It was a fun filled and relaxed day full of good food, drinks, dancing, and good company with friends and family,” recalls Becky. “Ant and I have both made each other better people.”
Photos courtesy of Philip Dignum Photography.
Becky had her wedding gown handmade in a 1940s style to honour her grandmother. “For as long as I can remember, I’d always loved my nana’s wedding dress,” says Becky, “So I knew I wanted one from that era for my own wedding.”
Ant’s Ted Baker suit was matched with blue slim fit ones from Next for his groomsmen.
Panic ensued when Becky realised their wedding date was the day after Valentine’s Day! While many florists could not commit to that date due to being so busy, the pair eventually found one that saved the day.
“We laughed all the way through the ceremony and could not stop looking at each other,” says Becky. “Our faces ached from all the smiling and laughing!”
“Ant and I both believe we have finally found that piece that has been missing all our lives,” says Becky. “We both share the same sense of humour and don’t take things too seriously. We complement each other perfectly.”
Becky found inspiration for her wedding cupcakes on Instagram, and had them iced in pastel colours to match the vintage theme.
As wedding favours, each guest was gifted a vintage Ladybird book chosen for its meaning to them personally. “It took hours to order them all from Ebay and Amazon,” says Becky, “But it was worth it to see the look on everyone’s faces when they opened them.”
“We loved every part of the planning and the lead up to the wedding,” says Becky. “Everyone said it was a very relaxed happy wedding, which is exactly what we wanted.”