Rachael and Tyrone met at work in 2014. “We had our first date at a local pub” says Rachael. “Unfortunately, we were interrupted by Ty’s mum calling to complain that his sister would not make her a drink!”

Popping the question

Tyrone proposed after the couple had been together for four years. “He proposed at home, as he knows I don’t like big social scenes,” says Rachael. “We were about to go on our first date since our three-month-old son was born, and we went out for a lovely dinner afterwards. He asked me to be ready early and proposed at home after a beautiful speech. I was definitely shocked, as he didn’t believe in marriage or finding ‘The One’ when we first met. It made me so happy and emotional, as I knew it was special that he’d even asked. I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life with my best friend and father of my children.”

Shopping for the dress

Rachael discovered WED2B when she visited Bromley Shopping Centre. “I adored the dresses on the website,” she says. “I quickly fell in love with a few of them and visited the Bromley store with my mum and my best friend. There were restrictions due to Covid, but that actually made it more intimate and special. The moment I tried on the third dress I knew it was ‘The One’. I felt like a princess and I cried. My best friend also cried and she didn’t even cry when she tried on her own dress! Shannon was the amazing lady that helped me instore and she made the experience even more special.”

“I chose Violette and it was absolutely perfect for me,” says Rachael. “It made me feel beautiful, confident and just like a princess. I loved the off-the-shoulder look and the detail on the corset, too. I wore it with two underskirts and it looked stunning on the day.” (For similar styles try Kayleigh, Pierette and Florian)

A school wedding venue

The couple married at Carew Academy in Wallington on 26th June 2021. “It’s a school wedding venue with a beautiful rustic interior and exterior, plus acres of gorgeous land,” says Rachael. “We had some of our best wedding photos by the nearby church yard. I used to work for the academy trust that supported the school, which is how we found it.”

The big day

“On the day I got ready with my family at a nearby hotel,” says Rachael. “The weather was beautiful and sunny, considering it had rained all week. My brother walked me down the aisle to Justin Bieber’s ‘All Around Me’, which was a special moment for me. We couldn’t have religious readings, which is a shame as we wanted 1 Corinthians 13 – ‘Love Is’. The most special moment for me was seeing my husband for the first time, as I walked down the aisle. He cried when he saw me.”

Party time!

“After the ceremony we had canapés and music followed by some photos,” says Rachael. “Due to Covid we had a small intimate wedding with just close family, which was so special and it was lovely to see our families bonding. Our first dance song was ‘Looking For You’, from the TV series Empire, which was one of the first series we ever watched together. The lyrics were perfect for us.”

“Our theme was mostly rustic and had a musical vibe, as we both love music so much,” says Rachael. “Lots of the decor was handmade by my amazing Aunty Jane who is very talented. She made our cake and was also our photographer! Our flowers were poppies and lilies in honour of my great grandparents.”

“Our cake was decorated to look like wood bark with fresh flowers on it. We also had personalised wine glass charms for the favours, which were lovely. There was an amazing hot buffet meal for the evening and we couldn’t recommend our caterer enough! As it was such a small wedding, we didn’t really have entertainment but we had music and we danced as much as we could with the restrictions. We also spent most of the time outside in the fields jumping across the school’s gym mats, which was so much fun!”

So many memories...

“The most memorable moments were seeing my husband for the first time and seeing him cry,” says Rachael. “Also, my mum’s face when she had her hair and makeup done. She looked so happy. Lastly, being walked down the aisle by my brother and getting to say, ‘I do’ to my forever man, my best friend!”

My top tips....

“Don’t be a people pleaser, do what makes you happy, it’s your day,” says Rachael. “Enjoy every moment even the planning. Don’t let stress overrule and spoil the best moments of your life.”

Rachael and Tyrone's Dream Team

Photography, cake and decor: Jane Collins

Venue: Carew Academy

Wedding dresses Bromley: WED2B

Caterer: Fresh n Funky

Florist: My aunty Charlotte Young

Hair and make up: Cat and Charlotte in West Wickham,

If you would like your big day to be one of our real weddings like this school wedding, then click here to share your story and photos with us and we’ll be in touch. Or click here for more details about WED2B’s bridal shops Bromley