ABOUT US
WRITTEN BY CASSANDRA, WITH POETIC INSERTS AND MOMENTS CREATED BY DANNY
In August 2020, I planned an extended vacation from my tiny studio in NYC to flirt with the idea of permanently relocating to London. The flirting extended beyond the city and into Hinge DM’s, when Danny Wills opened our conversation with:
“Please can we discuss a subject that’s very close to my heart? Our favourite Taylor Swift song and why? You go first.”
He was immediately referred to as the ‘Taylor Swift guy’ in my circles, and he seemed so unimaginably perfect that I started musing what his flaws might be: a squeaky voice or skinny legs maybe?
We met up near Kensington Palace in Hyde Park; I arrived late and with an exit plan should any flaws become immediately obvious. Instead, after one bottle of rosé down, I texted my friends confirming no squeaky voice, solid tree trunks for legs, and I wouldn’t need them to help me escape.
I kept extending my stay at the Bailey's Hotel so our meet-ups were consistent; a flirtatious visit to London turned into a journey of permanence.
Several weeks into my extended stay, Danny wrote:
In you fell like Mary Poppins; smiling, laughing, drinking, and dropping
The university you went to [Oxford btw], more often than you hate to queue
All that you touch, you make better; running errands and stealing sweaters
Nothing in you I find is missing; full up with love, laughing, and dissing
The country and place that made you, Good God, I owe a drink or two
A lockdown romance meant we spent a lot of time doing many long walks (Danny calls these hikes, but I'm from Idaho so I call these walks). Before I was headed home for an extended stay, we went on a long walk to Seven Sisters Cliffs, I fell in love with the British countryside while falling deeply in love with Danny.
We’d been apart for several weeks as I officially coordinated my move out of NYC. I dumped designer furniture and umpteen coats in the hallway with a sign saying “take for free!”, jumped on my one-way flight, then raced to meet Danny at Heathrow Terminal 2.
In the airport arrivals hall, Danny whispered “I love you” … after a long pause that made Danny nervous, I said what I so obviously already felt, “I love you too”. I texted everyone: It was just like Love Actually, and actually love, and love actually!!!
Once I officially got my job and cat relocated to London, Danny and I settled into a Harley Street flat. I would often pause as we passed our stairwell window that faced over London townhouses and comment on how lucky I felt / feel to live here.
For my 30th Birthday, Danny wrote / did:
To wake up everyday, the first thing I see
There are good days, better days, great days, high tea
Open borders, closed laptops, right to remain, wrong to stop
Pinch yourself and open your eyes, we get all this
Laps round Regents Park, walk to Saino’s in the dark
Up and down hills, those once in a lifetime chills
I don’t ever want to forget this view, so I had it painted for you
VIEW FROM OUR WINDOWJuly 2023, Danny took me on our annual hike to Seven Sisters Cliffs to pop the question I’d been hoping for since basically that first date in Hyde Park. For months, I’d been treating every holiday or walk in the park like an event where Danny might propose, so it was amazing that he was still able to surprise me when he walked me around the corner to our friends & family ready with outfit changes, Eras signage, cake, and lots of hugs for me to cry my face into.
How special to show everyone in real-time: look how incredibly happy Danny has made me.
From a chance match on Hinge to our wedding in the British countryside, every bit of my life with Danny is as equally grounding as it on cloud nine. As a testament to the significance of our journey, all our engagement photos were captured in the sentimental settings of the Bailey's Hotel and Hyde Park.
We're looking forward to sharing all the things we love about falling in love in the UK with our families and friends who made us who we are.
Thank you for joining us in the celebration - we are counting down the seconds until we can celebrate with you
