Talk about starting your big day in style! Love was mostly certainly in the air for one Bradford-on Avon couple who started married life on a high when they ventured on one of our Bath balloon rides before getting hitched.
Leanne and Ruben Olivier were up bright and early on Friday 7th April to go up, up, and away at sunrise from Royal Victoria Park.
Dressed in their full wedding attire, the couple donned their wellies and floated on air for approximately one hour, before heading to the Guildhall in Bath City Centre to share their vows.
Speaking about the sky-high start to their wedding day, the couple said:
“It was magical. We had astonishing views of the city and the Somerset countryside like we had never seen before. It was such a smooth ride, and remarkably quiet at 3000ft.
“The weather was beautiful and crisp with a warm sunrise showing its head over the Bath skyline. It was a cloudless morning with a little layer of frost covering the grass.”
Going on a hot air balloon ride has been on both Leanne and Ruben’s bucket lists for a while, but they never got as far as booking the experience.
Ruben proposed to Leanne on Christmas Day and added the balloon ride as a special accompanying gift.
Telling us how they floated down to enjoy the rest of their day, Ruben said:
“Our landing was like a butterfly on a leaf, soft and gracious. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stick around for the champagne toast after landing as we were against the clock and didn’t want to be late for our big day!”
Opting for a small ceremony with six friends and the couple’s daughter Tabitha, the wedding reception began at The Pump Room for cream teas overlooking the Roman Baths before completing a treasure hunt around the city.
With such glorious sunshine for their unique wedding day, the party enjoyed drinks on the rooftop at the Hall and Woodhouse bar.
Leanne and Ruben ended their evening much how their special day began, amongst the rolling countryside, this time at The Pig, rural restaurant in Pensford just outside of Bath.
The couple met in 2005 whilst in a queue for a London nightclub. Like most relationships, Leanne and Ruben’s journey together has had bumps along the way and for various reasons, the couple grew apart and separated in 2012, but reconnected a few years later.
Speaking about their journey, Ruben shared:
“The love, which has always been there, stood true and shone through. Love never fails.”