Sandhole Oak Barn - Katie & Pete

We met 6 years ago, I (Pete) had just moved back to Manchester after 2 years studying in Birmingham. Katie had been in Manchester studying and was then working in a school. We met online, and I think we were both a bit anxious about actually meeting in person, however I persevered after Katie bailed on our first meeting because being the awesome lady she is she was comforting her friend who had just ended a relationship. We hit it off right away and had great night, I saw her again 2 days later and she has never left my side since.

2/3 years later I decided it was the right time to lock Katie down and proposed to her. My plan was to propose before her 30th Birthday, I was just about to start a new job so I had the perfect excuse to take us out for a nice meal and a night out…little did she know I was going to ask her to marry me (she might have known but if she did she didn’t let on). I decided I was going to ask her to marry me at the Christmas Markets in Manchester, in front of the town hall, somewhere we go every year. However my plans didn’t quite go to plan as the whole place was heaving and there was a huge queue for the cash machine, so I had to think on my feet and find somewhere else to go. Luckily shortly down the road there was a popup Christmas bar that had live music and was quite close to the restaurant we were eating at later on. My plan was to take Katie for a walk around the building in Spinningfields that was lit up, however I couldn’t convince Katie we needed to go so early to the restaurant without giving it away that I was going to propose, we had a another drink (possibly one to many for me) and I ended up almost shouting will you marry me in front of the huge Christmas tree outside the bar we were in… I got a ring, just a cheap one to use to propose as I wanted her to pick the ring she wanted…. what I didn’t realise was it was massive and would never have stayed on her finger, after I apologised for the terrible ring choice she said yes!!

There are many things I love about Katie; she is kind, caring, super smart, far smarter than me (she has 2 degrees!!). She’s incredibly funny, often without knowing it. She makes me laugh at least once a day, She’s hard working and amazing at her job, something I couldn’t do as she works with vulnerable children which is just one example of the compassion she has. She’s incredibly beautiful. We do loads of amazing things together but I truly realise how much I love her when we are just sat doing nothing, having a drink at home, listening to music or watching Tv and chatting sh*t as these are some of my favourite memories of our time together.

How to follow that?! Pete is definitely the more articulate out of the pair of us and I guess that is why we work well together. Where I can be quite shy (until I’ve had liquid courage), he is the life of the party and where I often fuss about small details, Pete looks at the bigger picture and tells me to stop worrying! I like to think we complement each other. I love that Pete brings me out of my comfort zones and makes me try new things – sometimes I regret this!! *insert pictures of before and after I went on the tower of terror ride at Disney and when he taught me to drive on the motorway and I nearly went straight over a roundabout* What I love most is that I can truly be “me” with Pete and that he’s not only my fiancé but he’s my best friend.