Oli and I first met in 2012 at King Edward’s School, Witley (KES) when we were both 17 studying the International Baccalaureate. He had just moved from Germany to the UK for sixth form, while I had already been at the school for five years. Our first real conversation happened at the festive and bustling school Christmas dinner in 2012, where we were seated next to each other (first photo in the photo gallery above). I initially assumed he wasn’t interested—he barely said a word! Little did I know, he was completely mesmerised and smitten by me (his words, not mine!) and simply too shy to speak. A classic, endearing Oli move!

A few months later, we started talking more, and our first adventure together was a memorable and exciting trip to Edinburgh to visit my sister who was there at university. On the journey back, above the clouds at 36 thousand feet, Oli, ever the romantic, asked me to officially be his girlfriend—an offer I happily accepted.

With Oli boarding at KES, weekends in West Sussex quickly became our cherished little escape. One of the most unforgettable and magical surprises came when Oli, with the help of my sister Charlotte, secretly planned a trip to St. Tropez for my 18th birthday in 2013 (second and third photo in the photo gallery above). I had no idea he would be there—until I saw him. Completely stunned, overwhelmed, and overjoyed, I knew then that this was something truly special.

The following year, university took us to different cities—Oli to Exeter and me to Bristol. Despite the distance, we made visiting each other a top priority, balancing studies with treasured weekends together. After I graduated, I started working in the City at CFC Underwriting, while Oli took a placement at IBM in Stuttgart. Another chapter of long-distance began, but by then, we had mastered the art of making it work with flexible schedules, heartfelt messages, and countless FaceTime calls.

In 2019, after years of travel and time apart, we were finally in the same city again. Oli moved to London to join me, while he pursued his Master’s at London Business School. We made a home in beautiful, charming Primrose Hill—until Covid-19 changed everything. What was supposed to be a brief stay with my parents before lockdown turned into six months, bringing us all even closer in the most unexpected yet wonderful way.

After the pandemic, Oli moved to Berlin for an exciting and ambitious job opportunity at Trade Republic, which meant another period of long-distance. By then, we were pros, and with me working remotely from Berlin for a few months, the distance felt easier and more manageable. I even had the chance to improve my German—though, by my own admission, fluency remains a work in progress!

Then, in 2022, everything came full circle. Oli’s new employer, Moss, announced plans to open a London office and asked him to lead the account management team. Finally, our long-distance days were behind us. We moved to picturesque, charming Richmond, just a stone’s throw from Charlotte and Riccardo, ready to start our next exciting chapter together.

In March 2023, while I was busy doing what I do best—shopping enthusiastically with my mum and Charlotte—Oli seized the moment to ask my dad, Roger, for his blessing to propose. Keeping the secret was no easy task, but dad managed to hold onto it until July.

Then, to celebrate our incredible 10-year anniversary, Oli got down on one knee at the stunning South Lodge Hotel. I was completely caught off guard, overwhelmed with joy, but without hesitation, I said the easiest “yes” of my life.

And now, we’re ready for the next beautiful and thrilling adventure—married life! We can’t wait to celebrate with all our wonderful, loving, and supportive family and friends and are so grateful and overjoyed to have you all by our side.

See you at the Church!