Real Weddings

Chloe and Luke.

If a personable young man comes to fix the boiler, and your daughter happens to be single, what’s a mother to do? Turn amateur detective and matchmaker, of course…

“I first met Luke in June 2011, when he was working for the local council housing association and I was living with my parents,” says Chloe.

“He came to carry out a boiler service one day while I was at work. When I got home, my mum told me how handsome and ‘alright’ he was; but to be honest, I didn’t think any more about it.

“When he was carrying out some work on a neighbour’s property the next day, we caught a glimpse of each other, and my mum was quick to inform me that it was ‘him – the young man that came yesterday!’ Later that afternoon my mum messaged me to say that his name was Luke Carter (she’d found it on the paperwork he’d signed), he was on Facebook, and I should get in touch with him; so I sent him a private Facebook message…”

Proving that mums are always right, Luke and Chloe now live together in Trowbridge with their three-year-old daughter Sofia.

“Luke proposed in May 2016, in a London restaurant. We’d planned a night away as it was close to Luke’s birthday. Unknown to me, he had a ring stashed in his pocket all day, waiting for the right moment. A short while later, we found out I was pregnant with our daughter, so wedding plans had to go on hold until she came along.”

Luke and Chloe got married at Holy Trinity, a grand riverside church in Bradford on Avon. “It’s my hometown, so the place has huge sentimental value to me. After the ceremony we and our 80 guests made our way to Guyers House hotel in Corsham – a beautiful country estate, with gardens, orchards and lakes – the perfect backdrop for wedding photos.”

Several moments stand out for Chloe: “Small glimpses of my daughter throughout the day kept making me smile; but I also remember Luke and I taking a moment together to look out at everyone enjoying themselves, with a drink in their hand, the sun shining, and the beautiful sound of our violinist playing in the background.

“We’d always wanted a marquee, and Guyers House had the perfect setup to attach one to the orangery. I loved it; it was the best way of sitting everyone together, and the outside space at the front and back before we sat for our meal was ideal. I made all the decorations and stationery myself, and was proud to see them being appreciated; it also kept the cost down.

“There was nothing I would change about our day, I just wish we could do it all over again; but we both now wish we’d paid for a videographer. We had hardly had any videos taken, and no record of the speeches, so I think if you can afford one, or even if you have a family member who’s able to record it, then do it!”

Images supplied thanks to Joanna Brooks Photography