Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Children Day Guests

Evening Guests

Our Wedding

A modern love story filled with laughter, adventure, and a few questionable medical calls… Like many great modern love stories, ours began with two swipes to the right. Girl downloads Bumble, boy downloads Bumble… they match — and just like that, a new chapter begins. Fate? Timing? Really good app design? Who’s to say! We met for the first time in February 2021, just as the world started to recover from all the chaos of lockdowns and loo roll shortages. Life was finally beginning to feel normal again, and so was dating. Jake, playing it cool, kept things under wraps in the beginning — telling his parents he was “just seeing friends” (nice try, Jake). He wanted to make sure this Bumble match was the real deal before going public. Meanwhile, Jodie had her own private investigator — her best friend Darren, who was not messing around. With her location shared and a secret code system in place, Darren was ready to spring into action if needed. The code? Jodie would get a call mid-date and be asked a very serious question: “What’s your favourite sweet?” If she answered incorrectly, well… it was rescue mission time. Fortunately, the answer was right, the date went well, and no sweet-based emergencies occurred. Fast forward a year... Jake turned 30! To celebrate his big heart (and the big milestone), Jodie planned a surprise trip — which was already a victory in itself, considering how much she usually loves to spill surprises early.With the help of her mum, Tracy, and a car ride full of clues, Jake found himself headed to... the airport! In the passenger seat, he opened a mysterious box filled with creative (and slightly confusing) hints. One clue? “Iceland” spelled out in Nordic runes. Another? A bag of basil labelled as catnip, because Iceland is a cat-lover’s paradise. Despite the top-tier clues, it took Jake a little while (and a few extra hints — Jodie’s generous like that), but he eventually cracked the code.They had an unforgettable trip, soaking in the magic of Iceland — the hot springs and Lava caves, with plenty of cold toes and warm memories. One year later, it was Jodie’s turn to hit the big 3-0. And what did she want? A stunning cruise through the Nordic fjords! But this time, she was in charge — no surprises allowed. If there’s one thing Jodie loves as much as Jake, it’s a good itinerary.As they stepped onto the beautiful cruise ship, Jake took one look at the grand piano and chandelier and declared, “I could get used to this life.” They explored Norway, took in the breathtaking scenery, and even braved the local cheese (jury’s still out on that one). Then came the next adventure — house hunting! Fresh off the cruise, they started the search for their first home. After viewing quite a few houses, only one felt just right — their very own Goldilocks moment. They moved in quickly, wasting no time turning it from house to home.Jodie, ever the romantic (and a bit impatient), insisted they sleep there on night one — no bed, no WiFi, no furniture. Just them and Jake’s parents' spare sofa bed plonked in the living room. A rough night for Jake, especially with the mystery fridge noises (spoiler: it was the freezer defrosting). Jodie sat bolt upright every time, asking “What was that?!” while Jake slowly lost the will to care by the fifth time.Still, they made it theirs. The finishing touch? A painting from Jodie’s Grandad that just so happened to match the dining room walls — a sign, if ever there was one.They celebrated birthdays, hosted Christmases, and filled their home with laughter, love, and far too many snacks. Enter 2024… and one broken caveman bone. One night, in a move of pure grace, Jake kicked the bedroom wall getting into bed. He groaned, cursed, but got under the covers like a trooper. When he mentioned seeing a doctor, Jodie assured him he was fine. “Of course it hurts, you kicked a wall!”Jake soldiered through work for a week until his foot swelled up like a balloon. Jodie finally relented and took him to the GP, all the while muttering, “It’s just a toe…” The GP immediately sent them to A&amp;E.Before heading in, Jodie made a pit stop for snacks — because let’s face it, nobody gets seen quickly with a sore foot. Between waiting rooms and X-rays, Jodie kept Jake entertained with her top-tier humour. He laughed the whole way through, because — whether she was being intentionally funny or not — Jodie’s a riot.The verdict? A broken Sesamoid bone — aka a caveman bone. Jake now had an excuse to debut a new fashion line: with either one black sack or one slipper. Paris Fashion Week, take notes. Christmas 2024 brought the biggest surprise yet. With the house decorated and hearts full, Jake decided it was time. He'd already done the important things — asked Jodie’s dad, Keith, for his blessing (who responded with, “Are you sure?”) and got permission from Tracy, who handed over her great nan’s beautiful ring.He even had to take a detour to avoid being spotted by Jodie’s brother Martin, because this was still strictly top secret.Christmas morning came. Just the two of them, opening presents in their cosy home. Jake disappeared for a moment and returned with one last gift. A box. Inside — a sweet bear in a tuxedo, a ribbon around his waist, and a card that read: “Will you marry me?”Jodie, completely oblivious, read the card… then saw the ring… then cried.And while she’s yet to officially say “yes,” she did put the ring on — and let’s be honest, that says it all. After all, what girl says no to diamonds? The next chapter begins… Just a few days into the New Year, Jodie and Tracy were off to a wedding show on January 3rd, wasting no time getting into full planning mode. Because while our story might not be written in a book (yet), it’s full of belly laughs, big adventures, inside jokes, and sweet, silly moments that we’ll remember forever.Our love language is laughter.Our soundtrack is giggles, inside jokes, and Jake’s hilarious dad jokes.And our future? It’s full of promise, love, and plenty more fridge-related mysteries. We can’t wait to keep building this life together — with all of you by our side — as we step into the next adventure as Mr &amp; Mrs Hammond.

Our Story

Photos

What can I say about Darren ... he is the best friend every girl wishes they had! He has been there through thick and thin with me and knows me so well that he knows how to finish my sarcastic comments!

Darren

These two crazy ones are the reason I had so much fun growing up. The amount of Friday chocolate nights, holidays and dance routines we had was enough to drive any parent crazy! But I have to say all parents in the audience for said dance routines had a pretty spectacular show to watch! I love you girls!

Charlotte & Harriet

Karl — my brother and best friend. We’ve shared so many fun memories growing up, and being by my side on this day will be another I’ll cherish forever. Thank you for being my best man.

Karl

Jordan - my brother from another mother. You have always been a part of trio growing up. I look forward to this adventure with you as part of my grooms party.

Jordan

My brothers, Richard and Martin. Double trouble growing up, and now two of the people I’m most grateful to have with me on this day.

Richard & Martin

The boy who made me an auntie, our eldest nephew Bobby, will be standing with us as a junior groomsman on our wedding day. His big heart makes our celebration even more special, and we couldn’t be prouder of him.

Bobby

Our younger nephews, James and Archie, will be joining us as page boys. With their big personalities and extra-cool dance moves, they’re sure to bring smiles—and maybe a little mischief—to our wedding day.

James & Archie

Wedding Party

The George Hotel - Surya Hotels

Delta Hotels Colchester

The Rivenhall Hotel

Premier Inn Colchester Town Centre (Castle) hotel

Holiday Inn Colchester by IHG

The White Hart Hotel

Travel

Colchester Castle

Tiptree Jam Museum

Colchester Zoological Society

Natural History Museum

AirHop Adventure & Trampoline Park Colchester

Cressing Temple Barns

Things to Do

registry

We feel incredibly lucky to have so many wonderful people in our lives, and being able to celebrate our wedding day with you is honestly the greatest gift we could ask for. That said, if you’re thinking of giving a little something to mark the occasion, we’d be so grateful for a contribution toward our future together. Whether it goes toward our honeymoon, fixing something we’ll probably break in the house, or just adding to our “grown-up life” fund — it’ll be so appreciated. But truly, there’s no expectation. Your love, support, and presence on the day mean the world to us (and if you bring your best dance moves too, even better!).

Gifts

Here are some local taxi services for your convenience. Please make sure all taxis are booked to pick up from Layer Marney Towers by 12 midnight. Thank You!

Lucky 6 Taxis

ColchesterTelephone Number01206 666666

A B Taxis

Colchester Taxi CompanyTelephone Number01206 701701

Five Eights

ColchesterTelephone Number01206 588888

Uber

Uber in ColchesterWebsite<a href="https://www.uber.com/gb/en/r/cities/taxi/colchester-eng-gb/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Colchester Taxis Near Me | Book 24/7 Rides with Uber</a>

Jodie & Jake

Jodie & Jake

Taxis

Lucky 6 Taxis

A B Taxis

Five Eights

Uber