World travels lead to Marie and Sam’s classic English wedding

Globetrotting couple Marie Hayes and Sam Grimley met after they both moved to London and, within only weeks of meeting, had jetted off on their first holiday.

“Over the next five years we spent a lot of our free time flying everywhere and anywhere,” Marie, 28, says, “from Barcelona to Cape Town, Amsterdam to California, with an impressive peak of 13 trips in one year.”

It was while the Hither Green pair were enjoying the beauty of Rome that Sam, 29, popped the question. “I was taken completely by surprise… It was so magical and felt like I was watching it all happen in slow motion as he asked me,” Marie says.

Back in London, Sam took the lead in planning the couple’s traditional English wedding. The couple wed at Holy Trinity Church, Church Crookham, Hampshire on November 6, 2015 in front of 100 friends and family.

Celebrations continued at Froyle Park, which the couple had fallen in love with during their planning process.

“We sang our hearts out in the church and tears filled our eyes during our vows, it was just perfect. We arrived at Froyle Park after a lovely scenic drive through the countryside in our vintage car [courtesy of The Classic and Vintage Car Company],” Marie says.

“The rest of the day seemed to last forever, getting to share this wonderful moment with our families and friends was just what we wished for.”

Photos courtesy of James and Kerrie Photography.

Marie’s shoes from Next were her ‘something blue’, while also being her favourite shade – navy.

Petals From Paula provided gorgeous arrangements for the day. “Having undertaken a number of friends and family’s events we knew we could trust Paula,” Marie says.

Marie tried on about 20 dresses before falling in love with her Ronald Joyce wedding gown.

“The day was so much more than we ever could have imagined, every last detail was thought of and when I walked down the aisle to my Sam I just knew I was the luckiest girl in the world,” Marie says.

Statement floral arrangements added to the elegance of the couple’s reception.