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The results are in…
2023 was our busiest year yet! We moved into a new office, expanded our team and launched several new set designs… all of which we could not have done without the support of the brilliant clients, venues and suppliers we have collaborated with over the years.
We knew we wanted to celebrate all of those we work with, as well as recognise our own exciting milestones, so we decided to launch The Proposal Awards! This blog shares the story of each of our wonderful winners for 2023, many of which were decided by you over on our Instagram stories. If, instead, you’re looking for a brief overview of the winners, as well as the awards’ Terms & Conditions, check out the page here.
Category 1: Kudos to our Clients
Vision of the Year – Myles
We worked with some brilliant clients in 2023 who had crystal clear visions for their proposals – all we had to do was bring them to life! Whilst many clients came to mind when we were narrowing down the nominees for this award, Myles, without a doubt, deserves to take the win! He was determined to incorporate Nandita’s favourite animal, elephants, into his proposal. Given that we are based in the Cotswolds, this was no ordinary task but, with the help of his proposal planner, Beth, he made it happen! Beth sourced the perfect venue for the occasion, Sezincote House, and the rest is history. It is safe to say Myles had an extremely unique idea and made sure to pull out all the stops!
Romantic Gesture of the Year – Julia
Winning with a huge majority, Julia’s proposal film is undeniably the most romantic gesture of the year! We are still in awe of the amount of love that went into the beautiful Netflix-style movie she used as her means to pop the question during her stay with Madison at Charingworth Manor. Not only was this gesture incredibly personal and creative, but it was also executed seamlessly. On top of creating the film, she had also put together a beautiful book for Madison and requested we order a custom neon sign with a lyric from their favourite song. Oh, and did we mention that the couple flew all the way from the USA for their proposal? We think that alone makes Julia a worthy award winner!
Reaction of the Year – Jay and Jamie
Whilst all of our clients deserve a pat on the back for keeping their proposal plans under wraps (we know it can be really stressful!), several stood out to us this year for taking their partner’s completely and utterly by surprise. The Reaction of the Year award brings us our first tie and we have to agree with our followers on this one – both Jay and Jamie elicited heart-warming reactions from their now-fiancés! Having been together for over 10 years, Jay’s partner Priya was stunned to come across their proposal set up during a stroll through The White Garden at Birtsmorton Court. Meanwhile, Jamie’s partner, Talia, was brought to tears of joy as he popped the question in front of the gorgeous Temple at Stancombe Park. There’s no denying that both Jay and Jamie excelled in catching their loved ones off guard… a huge well done to you boys!
Category 2: Our Vital Venues
New Proposal Venue of the Year – The Frogmill
We are always on the lookout for new locations where our clients can get down on one knee and, when we first came across The Frogmill, we knew straight away it would be a popular choice. The versatility of the Mill Room, which makes the perfect spot for a grand proposal set up, along with the lovely outdoor terrace makes this venue a great choice for many of our clients. You can enjoy private dining here, which our clients love, and we can wholeheartedly say that every member of the team at The Frogmill is a delight to work with. Congratulations to The Frogmill for taking home the win!
Overall Proposal Venue of the Year – Barnsley House
Barnsley House is our most popular venue by far, with a whopping 9 proposals having taken place there this year! We have to admit, this comes as no surprise to us. After all, the location fulfils the vision many have of proposing in a secret garden. Whilst not an exclusive use venue, the Temple is tucked away and offers a great deal of privacy. With a pond situated in front of the structure and a stunning laburnum arch nearby, Barnsley House provides a perfectly picturesque spot to ask your loved one to marry you. The Temple even has built in heaters, making it a suitable choice year-round, and the private dining experience is unrivalled. It’s safe to say we don’t expect the popularity of Barnsley House to slow down any time soon and anticipate we’ll be here even more in 2024.
Category 3: Our Spectacular Suppliers
Photographer of the Year – Ozzy James
With a photographer being a non-negotiable for so many of our clients, we work with a vast network in the Cotswolds to ensure every couple has the proposal photoshoot of their dreams. We truly wish we could give this award to all of the photographers we have worked with but there can only be one winner… the wonderful and talented Ozzy James! Upon meeting Ozzy, it is instantly apparent that she is an incredibly passionate photographer. She is dedicated to making sure our clients’ personalities shine through in their photos and we have always been blown away by the outstanding quality of her work. Although we sadly only worked with Ozzy a handful of times in 2023, we look forward to working with her lots more this year and beyond!
Musician of the Year – Jill Reynolds and Matt Bee
Nothing says romance quite like live music! Both Jill and Matt’s incredible performances were beyond deserving of this award… and so here we are with our second tie! Jill Reynolds is an exceptional harpist who loves love almost as much as we do! We adore working with Jill as she is always so happy to be a part of our proposals and will go above and beyond to make the moment special for our clients. Similarly, Matt – known as The Cotswold Wedding Guitarist – is an extraordinary performer who brought boundless enthusiasm and energy to Amrik and Joey’s proposal at Parish’s House. He sang the couple’s favourite songs so beautifully, bringing an air of magic to their woodland engagement. We look forward to working with both Jill and Matt again in the future!
Supplier of the Year – Alana’s Love
We couldn’t round up the suppliers category without mentioning the fabulous Charlotte from Alana’s Love! When deciding upon this year’s categories and shortlisting nominees, we found that Alana’s Love didn’t quite fit into any other award… so we decided we simply must give the business one of its own! The large “Marry Me” letters that we regularly hire from Charlotte have been a staple part of the proposal décor for many of our clients in 2023. They transform any venue and are a must-have for those wanting a grand set up! Charlotte has supported us from the very beginning and we can’t wait to work with her much more in 2024.
Category 4: Stunning Set Designs
Set Design of the Year – Fresh Flowers
Not only are we proud of the work of our clients, venues and suppliers - we are also proud of our part in so many successful proposals this year. We are especially pleased that, based upon your votes, we are celebrating our wonderful in-house florist, Debbie, as the winner of this award! She creates elaborate, bespoke floral displays, making every set design she works on completely unique. Her work proves that sometimes less is more; she takes settings that are already lovely and simply enhances them with her elegant floristry. Well done Debbie! We are beyond lucky to have you as part of our team.
And with that, we wrap up all of the 2023 winners! We can’t wait to continue with The Proposal Awards for years to come, hopefully expanding the award categories as we continue to grow and work on even more exciting proposals! If you were even a small part of our journey in 2023, thank you! Stay tuned to see what 2024 has in store for us…