Ben and I share a love story that feels destined, even though it took time to unfold. We attended the same primary school but never met during those years. When I was eight, my family moved to the United States, and I didn’t return to the UK until I was twenty-one.
We had a few chance encounters—at a local pub and a music festival—but the timing wasn’t right. However, fate intervened in 2019 when we matched online, and that’s where our story truly began.
Our first date wasn’t without its challenges. I stood waiting at the train station, excited for our planned day in Edinburgh. The train came and went, but there was no sign of Ben. Eventually, he called, explaining that he was struggling to find parking, so I waited at The Station Hotel in Larbert. When Ben finally arrived, we had a drink, took the next train to Edinburgh, and had lunch at The Dome. That day, everything just clicked—we got along so well, and I knew there was something special between us.
A few months into dating, we took our first holiday to Greece, followed by a city break in Berlin. During that Berlin trip, Ben asked me if I wanted to move in with him, and of course, I said yes. Not long after, the Covid lockdown began, and we got used to living together very quickly. In October 2020, we discovered I was pregnant with our first child, Charlotte. In March 2021, we bought our family home, and on 27th July 2021, our beautiful daughter Charlotte was born. Life was full of joy and new adventures.
For Ben’s 30th birthday in August 2022, we took a trip to Dublin, and it was there that he proposed. Funny enough, it wasn’t part of his original plan—the ring was at home, and he had intended to propose in St. Andrews, our happy place. But somehow, I managed to get the proposal out of him sooner, with a little help from a letter written by Ben on behalf of Charlotte.
Just a month later, in September 2023, we found out we were expecting again, and on 11th May last year, our son Finn was born, completing our family. Looking back, it feels like an incredible journey, full of love, timing, and a bit of fate.
Our Wedding Weekend
We chose St. Andrews for our wedding because it’s our joint happy place. We’ve spent so much time there with our family and children, and it just felt right. We only ever viewed one venue, the Old Course Hotel, and we booked it that very day. It just felt right. We had two years to plan, and we quickly set out booking our suppliers as time flew by!
The day before our wedding, we drove up to St. Andrews, picking up our marriage documents in Cupar since we were marrying in Fife. Once we arrived at the hotel, we met with Caitlin, our excellent wedding coordinator, to go over the last-minute details and hand over the favours and other special wedding items. Afterward, we headed to the bar to enjoy the golf course views and a few drinks with our family and wedding party. In the late afternoon, Ben headed off to The Dukes Golf Course with his best man, Scott, and his groomsmen, Lewis, Dylan, and Jordan, for a round of golf. The bridal party enjoyed a meal at the hotel, and I stayed in the gorgeous wedding suite overlooking the famous course that night with my little sister and daughter. Finn stayed with his daddy and the groomsmen at an apartment in town.
The morning came quickly as hair and makeup started at 6 am. The sun was shining, and it was set to be the best day of our lives. Everything went smoothly, with all the suppliers arriving early, putting our minds quickly at ease. I enjoyed my time with my mum, Ben’s stepmum Linda, and the bridesmaids, along with my stepsister Chelsea and best friends Alex and Lisa. We enjoyed getting our hair and makeup done, room service breakfast, and champagne.
Once the photographers and videographers arrived, it was time for big smiles, getting dressed, and first looks. Ben, at this time, was with Finn, his best man, groomsmen, and family getting photos at The Jigger Inn, the famous pub that’s part of the hotel.
I was slightly late for our 2 pm wedding, but I didn’t leave Ben waiting long. Charlotte walked down the aisle with her papa Jim, cueing tears from her daddy. She was followed by the bridesmaids, and then my mum walked me down the aisle, giving me away to the love of my life. The ceremony was so special, and the two of us couldn’t stop smiling and holding hands. It was perfect.
Once married, we enjoyed ten minutes together in a private room with champagne. I recommend any couple do this and take it all in. Then came confetti shots and group photos; we managed to get a few delicious hors d’oeuvres before being driven in a gorgeous car to the beach for couple shots. It was so fun and great to spend one-on-one time together. The beach bar even brought us some bubbly—so lovely!
Back at the hotel, it was time for the wedding breakfast. We decided to dance in with our top table to “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” by ABBA, and Craig, our DJ, had everyone upstanding with their napkins in the air. The atmosphere was electric, and that’s where the party started.
My uncle Euan honoured my beloved late daddy, his brother, with a moving speech and touched on one of the favours, which was individual whisky bottles of The Wallace Whisky, curated and bottled by Lady of the Glen Distillery. Then came Scott’s, the best man, and Ben’s speeches; they both did amazingly and had everyone chuckling, with a few happy tears too.
There was dancing throughout dinner, including a love train. We then cut the cake in the gorgeous conservatory where we were married and headed out for more photos on the golf course. Charlotte surprised us at that point, which really touched her daddy—cue the emotions!
We had our first dance to “Joy of My Life” by Chris Stapleton (Ben bought me tickets to see him live in Glasgow in October as a wedding present), then the guests were surprised when the incredible Drums N’ Roses made their entrance. Even my papa was up dancing! The party was in full swing, and then Craig took back over for the rest of the evening. Ben and I had an absolute blast.
Best day ever!
Sophie x