“We had our first kiss… and it was like slow-motion, stop-traffic kind of stuff.”

Following a first date straight out of a film, Sarah and Mindy knew almost instantly that they had found someone who was about to change everything. With a life together that centres around family and lots of laughter, they chatted with us about their favourite memories and the importance of queer representation in the wedding industry.

How did you both meet?

Sarah: We met through an app!

Mindy: Modern day romance… Our first date was at the National Portrait Gallery, in late July—I remember!—on a balmy Thursday evening after work. I remember walking down Shaftesbury Avenue and I saw you down the road and you turned around. It was like a movie, the sun was low and the way your hair was catching the light is burned into my memory. 

What was the moment where you both knew that each other were the one?

S: This sounds so corny, but on our first date when we had our first kiss. I’m not kidding, it was like slow-motion, stop-traffic kind of stuff. I knew this person was unlike anyone I’d ever met. And I still think you’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met.

M: We were outside Tottenham Court Road tube station and still whenever we pass by that station we have to give each other a little kiss. We even have a street sign up on our wall because it was a pivotal moment for us.

You have a favourite memory of a time that you shared together?

S: Mindy’s from Australia which meant I didn’t meet her parents for over a year after we started dating. Going over there to meet her family was pretty momentous. When we were in the airport and your parents were dropping us off, your mum gave me a hug and said, ‘thank you for making Mindy so happy’. I was blown away by that. I’m getting tears in my eyes just now.

M: My favourite memory was our first Christmas together. We were at Sarah’s parents’ house making fresh pasta all together with a Motown record on. We were dancing around to [‘Jimmy Mack’ by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas] and it was so fun. It really cemented how great her family is and how our families are so similar. I felt like I was home for Christmas even when I wasn’t.

Do you have a song that reminds you of each other?

M: ‘Fight Sleep’ by Dagny. It was only within the first month of us knowing each other but Sarah sent it to me on Whatsapp and she sort of panicked because she realised the lyric says ‘So we can be together forever?’– bit intense for early days. But you know when you first start dating someone, you don’t want to miss a single second when you’re with them. 

What is it about your partner that makes you smile?

S: Mindy puts a feel-good spin on anything that’s happening. Literally. She’ll point at a bird on a fence and say, ‘isn’t that amazing?’ And then there’s the way she delivers that point of view. There’s something about the way she speaks that is so intoxicating. You get drawn in to whatever she’s saying.

M: Sarah is so homey and such a cozy person. When we’re at home she’s always got her dressing robe on with the hood up. It makes me smile because it makes me feel comfy inside. She also has this little jig that she does when she’s happy. It’s infectious.

What made you want to get involved with the Love Is Now campaign?

S: We wanted to be visible as a same sex couple. When we were originally looking around for rings, it’s obviously mainly straight white couples that get represented. Taylor & Hart was the only place that had studies about same sex couples shown on their website. So we knew we wouldn’t have to fear contacting the business because they already know it’s no big deal. It’s crap that that has to be a concern for us at all, but it is.

M: We definitely wanted to provide representation for all people who get married. When we were planning our wedding, we couldn’t find any cards that were appropriate for two women getting married unless you were in a niche card shop—and there were none for two men, trans people or non-binary people, or people of colour in a same sex relationship. So representation was the key reason we wanted to get involved– all love should be celebrated, and it has been such a great experience.

Sarah, you proposed to Mindy first. How did you propose?

S: With great difficulty at first! She had told me way back in the beginning that her ideal proposal would be at home and, in a perfect world, there would be a dog who ran into the room with the ring on its collar. So planning the proposal, I spent a very long time trying to get a dog! I had this whole surprise planned, but [in the end] we had to cancel the dog. Instead, I had a book made which kind of told our love story. It had little memories and a cartoon version of us. It had all the reasons why I love her. So I gave her the book and then I gave her a toy dog that was holding the ring box.

M: And I had been out in the rain all day helping my friend move house. I was soaked and I couldn’t wait to have a hot shower and settle in for the night. When I got home I think Sarah was on high alert, thinking I was suspicious– but I wasn’t at all actually, a very big suprise! She gave me a book and I was reading all the reasons– multiple times as it was all a haze, and I got to the last page where it says, ‘for all these reasons and so many more…’ Then she turned around and presented the ring and I just kept saying “oh my god!” about a million times and then finally said yes! 

Then, it was my turn and I proposed to her two months later. It was a Saturday morning and I got all the best breakfast bits. It was simple, but it’s reflective of us. I asked if she wanted a cup of tea then ran to the kitchen and surprised her with the box in her teacup (sans tea of course). I even got on my knee, it was great! It was intimate and beautiful and then I made you the most bangin’ breakfast ever.

What are the dreams you share together for the future?

M: The number one thing for us was having our wedding and having our family together for that. But the pandemic has put things into perspective.

S: The wedding feels less urgent.

M: Yes, it’s more important for us to be married as opposed to the wedding day itself. Then we want to start a family, that’s our dream.

S: We want to get settled together and focus on those bigger things we want from life. We talk about getting married and having kids all the time, but now we’re going to be doing it!