Sixth form sweethearts Harri and Ryan celebrate with eclectic wedding

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This article has been written by team of content creators at Easy Weddings.

Updated on: March 17, 2022

Harriet Batty and Ryan Coughtrey describe their love story as a cliche – but they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Ryan and I met in sixth form and have been together ever since. We have had the privilege of being there to watch and help mold each other into adults,” Harri, 27, says.

Ryan, 26, proposed on the first anniversary of the Thame, Oxfordshire couple buying their first home together.

“He pretended to sneak out to work early to address a ‘work emergency’; whilst I went back to sleep he covered the house in post-it notes, each post-it detailing reasons he loved me, reminiscing over the past or telling me the reasons I should be his wife,” Harri recalls.

“I can’t even remember what he said when he went down on one knee, I was so overwhelmed but I did manage to squeeze out a yes.”

When it came to their eclectic wedding, Harri and Ryan fell in love with The Crazy Bear at Stadhampton.

“The moment I saw the Glass House at the Crazy Bear I knew it was something special, it was quirky, a little bit sassy and all sorts of awesome,” the bride says.

The couple first wed at beautiful medieval church Holy Trinity on July 29, 2016 in front of 54 guests before heading to the Crazy Bear, which art and design teacher Harri helped bring to life with her creative skills.

“Our wedding was simply the very best wedding that we could have asked for, it was a joy to craft it and if we could relive it again and again, we would,” Harri says.

Photos courtesy of Natasha Thompson Photography.

Harri found her veil and dress at Ellie Sanderson. “My 1960-inspired bob sat perfectly with the high neckline and the skirt wasn’t too full, it was finished off with a gorgeous sparkly belt,” she says.