We first met in Richmond in June 2018. It was meant to be nothing more than a drink and a chat, with Helen picking Rory's brain about South Africa. Neither of us knew it then, but that simple meeting would become the beginning of something truly special.
Before our first adventure together, Helen introduced Rory to Ace, a quirky Irish Connemara horse whose favourite tipple is, appropriately enough, "Guinness". With the help of Ace and Sam, another wonderful horse, Rory learned to ride in preparation for fulfilling one of our dreams: riding horses on safari in South Africa.
In March 2019, Rory flew to South Africa to visit his mum. Just a few days later, Helen joined him in Cape Town, where she met his mum before we set off on our first big adventure together.
We travelled from Cape Town to Kruger National Park, exploring the spectacular Garden Route and taking in the beautiful coastline and breathtaking scenery along the way. Somewhere between Cape Town and Kruger, we fell not only in love with South Africa, but even more deeply in love with each other.
Then, during lockdown in 2020, Tara came into our lives. We went to the rescue kennels simply to meet her, but Tara, a hound Labrador cross, had clearly already made up her mind. When it was time for us to leave, she jumped straight into the car as though there had never been any doubt that she was coming home with us.
We have never looked back. Tara quickly stole our hearts and became a huge part of our family. We may have thought that we were going to train her, but all these years later, it is quite clear that she has been training us instead.
Over the years, we have also enjoyed getting to know Helen's wonderful parents, Maureen and Stewart, who are from the Isle of Wight. We have enjoyed some lovely holidays together and made many happy visits to the island, creating memories that we will always treasure.
We have also shared some unforgettable adventures, including cruises to Canada and around the Mediterranean. We returned to South Africa to revisit Cape Town and explore more of the country that holds such a special place in our story. Wherever we have travelled, the best part has always been experiencing it together.
Together, we have built two successful businesses, one in dog grooming and the other in locksmithing and security, and we have now begun a third venture in property investment. Building these businesses has taken hard work, trust and determination, but it has also shown us what a wonderful team we make. Through every challenge, adventure and shared dream, our relationship has continued to grow stronger.
Our family grew again when Helen took on Marley, a rescue horse whose racing name was Mustaqbul. After an international racing career that had taken him around the world, Marley was left in a farmer's field following the death of his owner. Helen stepped in to give him the care, love and new beginning he deserved – another example of the kindness and compassion that make her so special.
Now, as we look forward to our wedding, Tara will, of course, be joining us. What she will make of the occasion is anyone's guess, but knowing Tara, she will undoubtedly make her presence felt.
Through it all, we have been best friends, each other's greatest support, and partners who make every adventure more meaningful. The life we've built together has brought us more love and happiness than we could ever have imagined on that first evening in Richmond.
What began with one drink and a chat has grown into a life filled with love, laughter, family, adventure, shared dreams, two beloved horses and one very determined rescue dog.
We cannot wait to see where our story takes us next.
