Anna and Mike's proposal story
Anna and Mike's first trip together was a winter weekend at the Hay Festival in Hay-on-Wye. Surrounded by bookshops, stories and cosy conversations, they bonded over their shared love of literature, and it was there that Mike first told Anna, "I love you."
Five years later, they returned to the town where their story had truly begun, but this time Mike had a very special surprise planned.
After designing a bespoke rainbow ring with a sapphire centre stone and arranging exclusive access to one of Hay-on-Wye's historic bookshops, Mike spent months perfecting every detail. Wanting the moment to be uniquely personal, he even contacted several of Anna's fellow Sign Language Interpreters to help him incorporate a signed phrase into his proposal speech.
The literary theme continued with a hollowed-out copy of His Dark Materials, the very first book Mike had recommended to Anna, concealing the all-important question inside. As Anna's best friend secretly captured the moment from between the bookshelves, Mike's proposal became a heartfelt celebration of their shared love of books, thoughtful gestures and the place where their journey together began.
Their love of literature also played a starring role on their wedding day. In a beautifully personal touch, Anna carried a bouquet crafted from the pages of books, bringing their shared passion for stories into the celebrations and perfectly reflecting the chapter they were beginning together.
Why did we choose Hampshire for our ceremony?
We live in Basingstoke and love being part of the local community, which has truly become our home. The registration office was the perfect choice for us as it was reasonably priced and incredibly flexible. It was also conveniently close to Cliddesden Village Hall, where we held our reception, giving us plenty of time to capture some beautiful photos around the area, including War Memorial Park and the nearby woods.
Did you include any unique / personal touches in your ceremony?
We had so much fun putting together our ceremony playlist. We wanted to include songs that meant something to us and create an atmosphere that felt joyful, relaxed, and a little bit quirky rather than overly formal.
Our choices were:
- Guests taking their seats: Hey Ya! (The Blanks version from Scrubs)
- Walking down the aisle: Concerning Hobbits from The Lord of the Rings, blended with Pachelbel's Canon
- Signing the schedule: I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers
The ceremony itself was full of laughter and personal touches. To decide who would say their vows first, we played a quick game of rock, paper, scissors. Anna lost, largely because she always chooses scissors! One of our favourite details from the day was Anna's bouquet, which was handcrafted from the pages of old books, carefully dyed and arranged to resemble beautiful sunflowers.
What was your experience of Hampshire Ceremonies on the day?
The whole team were fantastic, especially Registrars Anne, who led the ceremony beautifully, and Linda, who helped keep Anna calm as she was already in tears of excitement before walking down the aisle!
We would highly recommend Hampshire Ceremonies, and particularly the Basingstoke Register Office, to anyone considering an intimate, personal, and fun ceremony. The whole team were very helpful with any questions we had in the lead-up, and there are lots of ways to customise your ceremony, so it feels personal to you.
With thanks to
Photographer: Captured by Crissi
Venue: Basingstoke Registration Office