Our Story
How we got here – from Sarah’s perspective at least!
2016
James and I met on the 5th of July 2016, just three months after he arrived from Coventry to give Australia a try. We started at BrandWorks on the same day, both confused, underprepared, and immediately bonded by the thought of “What on earth is happening here?”
A few months later, I bravely asked James to a Collingwood game, thinking this was a subtle way to make rejection not too awkward. Unfortunately, it was far too subtle and he said no – because he already had plans. To the Rooftop cinema. Alone.
He likes to say this was a blessing in disguise, because if our first date had been the football and he’d seen my behaviour… well, you may not be reading this.
2017
Fast forward to March 2017 – a colleague’s birthday party, a promise of rum (still sitting in our cupboard), and a shared Uber. James insisted they don’t do double drop-offs (despite it being an option in the app), so it became a single one…
The next step was how to lock in the next opportunity/date. Turns out it wasn’t really a date, as the very next day my laundry tap fell apart and cut my hand, so I messaged James who came to my aid – as I’ve since learnt he always does!
2017
Just a month later, everything was almost derailed when James revealed his visa was about to run out – a minor detail. After scrambling to apply for another, we went to Mount Dandenong to celebrate the anniversary of his arrival.
On the way there, he insisted we detour to Moorabbin, which made no sense. Turns out his mum was born there before she moved back to the UK, and James – the most thorough researcher – had somehow missed the fact he was entitled to Australian citizenship.
A few months later, he was officially Australian. Crisis averted. But not without a lot of stress and wasted money on unnecessary visas.
2018
We kept our relationship secret at work for about six months despite arriving in the same car most days – as if that was very subtle. Slowly colleagues started to put two and two together and our secret was out.
In 2018, my lease was up and I kept waiting for James to ask me to move in, until finally I asked him myself. Shocked, he looked back and said ‘I assumed you were’ as if I was a mindreader and this wasn’t a huge move. Typical!
He also revealed how much he hated my old place. He spent many nights next to the draughty window in my room and even bought a carbon monoxide monitor because of the old gas heater.
2020
James and I continued simultaneously living and working together until early 2020.
I took what felt like a big, brave leap into a new job with James’ support – which very quickly became a much smaller leap when COVID arrived a month later and we suddenly found ourselves both working full-time from our one-bedroom apartment for the next two years. Different companies, same space, still constantly helping each other… and still enjoying it.
2022
Just as everyone else was emerging from working from home and heading back into offices, I was heading off on maternity leave.
Nathan arrived in March 2022, a few months after we moved into our first home, and just a few days after us both recovering from COVID. So more time at home together and with a brand new baby and we carried on loving it.
2022
In June we finally made it back to Mallacoota, my parents’ coast house for the first time since escaping the bushfires in 2020.
James asked me to step onto the balcony after putting Nathan down for a nap. With the lake behind us, in my happiest place, he proposed in the most perfect spot with a beautiful speech. I said yes – obviously.
2026
Fast-forward to today and we now have two beautiful sons – Nathan, and Theo who arrived September 2025 – and we’re finally getting married ten years after we met. We’re planning this wedding while I’m on maternity leave, when you have the least amount of time. Very on brand for us.
This wedding isn’t about starting our lives together – that happened years ago. It’s about celebrating a decade of adventures, chaos, travel, lockdowns, children, and a truly impressive amount of shared Google calendars, to-do lists and spreadsheets.
2026
We’ve travelled the world, explored Australia by plane, car and boat, eaten and drunk our way around Melbourne, cheered on Collingwood and Coventry together, and somehow managed to raise two amazing little boys along the way.
We’re incredibly lucky to be surrounded by all of you – our family and friends – who have supported us, helped us survive, and are probably just relieved we finally picked a date.
So thank you for being here to celebrate with us. This isn’t the beginning – it’s a very happy highlight – and we can’t wait to continue our life together.
2016
James and I met on the 5th of July 2016, just three months after he arrived from Coventry to give Australia a try. We started at BrandWorks on the same day, both confused, underprepared, and immediately bonded by the thought of “What on earth is happening here?”
A few months later, I bravely asked James to a Collingwood game, thinking this was a subtle way to make rejection not too awkward. Unfortunately, it was far too subtle and he said no – because he already had plans. To the Rooftop cinema. Alone.
He likes to say this was a blessing in disguise, because if our first date had been the football and he’d seen my behaviour… well, you may not be reading this.
2017
Fast forward to March 2017 – a colleague’s birthday party, a promise of rum (still sitting in our cupboard), and a shared Uber. James insisted they don’t do double drop-offs (despite it being an option in the app), so it became a single one…
The next step was how to lock in the next opportunity/date. Turns out it wasn’t really a date, as the very next day my laundry tap fell apart and cut my hand, so I messaged James who came to my aid – as I’ve since learnt he always does!
2017
Just a month later, everything was almost derailed when James revealed his visa was about to run out – a minor detail. After scrambling to apply for another, we went to Mount Dandenong to celebrate the anniversary of his arrival.
On the way there, he insisted we detour to Moorabbin, which made no sense. Turns out his mum was born there before she moved back to the UK, and James – the most thorough researcher – had somehow missed the fact he was entitled to Australian citizenship.
A few months later, he was officially Australian. Crisis averted. But not without a lot of stress and wasted money on unnecessary visas.
2018
We kept our relationship secret at work for about six months despite arriving in the same car most days – as if that was very subtle. Slowly colleagues started to put two and two together and our secret was out.
In 2018, my lease was up and I kept waiting for James to ask me to move in, until finally I asked him myself. Shocked, he looked back and said ‘I assumed you were’ as if I was a mindreader and this wasn’t a huge move. Typical!
He also revealed how much he hated my old place. He spent many nights next to the draughty window in my room and even bought a carbon monoxide monitor because of the old gas heater.
2020
James and I continued simultaneously living and working together until early 2020.
I took what felt like a big, brave leap into a new job with James’ support – which very quickly became a much smaller leap when COVID arrived a month later and we suddenly found ourselves both working full-time from our one-bedroom apartment for the next two years. Different companies, same space, still constantly helping each other… and still enjoying it.
2022
Just as everyone else was emerging from working from home and heading back into offices, I was heading off on maternity leave.
Nathan arrived in March 2022, a few months after we moved into our first home, and just a few days after us both recovering from COVID. So more time at home together and with a brand new baby and we carried on loving it.
2022
In June we finally made it back to Mallacoota, my parents’ coast house for the first time since escaping the bushfires in 2020.
James asked me to step onto the balcony after putting Nathan down for a nap. With the lake behind us, in my happiest place, he proposed in the most perfect spot with a beautiful speech. I said yes – obviously.
2026
Fast-forward to today and we now have two beautiful sons – Nathan, and Theo who arrived September 2025 – and we’re finally getting married ten years after we met. We’re planning this wedding while I’m on maternity leave, when you have the least amount of time. Very on brand for us.
This wedding isn’t about starting our lives together – that happened years ago. It’s about celebrating a decade of adventures, chaos, travel, lockdowns, children, and a truly impressive amount of shared Google calendars, to-do lists and spreadsheets.
2026
We’ve travelled the world, explored Australia by plane, car and boat, eaten and drunk our way around Melbourne, cheered on Collingwood and Coventry together, and somehow managed to raise two amazing little boys along the way.
We’re incredibly lucky to be surrounded by all of you – our family and friends – who have supported us, helped us survive, and are probably just relieved we finally picked a date.
So thank you for being here to celebrate with us. This isn’t the beginning – it’s a very happy highlight – and we can’t wait to continue our life together.
