When Maddison took Zach’s coffee order while working at Strictly Coffee four years ago, neither of them could have imagined they would one day tie the knot in the same little coffee shop where they first met.
The unlikely venue wasn’t what the couple had planned. But when COVID-19 restrictions meant their August wedding date was in limbo, they decided to bring the date forward.
“We didn’t want to put our lives on hold when there was no clear end in sight to when restrictions would lift,” Maddison said.
“We had our legal paperwork sorted, so we thought, why should we wait?”
Due to the restrictions on the size of gatherings in April, the wedding party was made up of just five people: the happy couple, their celebrant and the two people who introduced them, Maddison’s former manager, Strictly Coffee owner Amanda Green, and Zach’s colleague, council worker Diana Lewis.
“It was really special, Amanda organised a little picnic inside and we popped some champagne, and got some photos out the back,” Maddison said.
“We told our parents and our bridal party before we did it, but no one else.
“It was really special to get married in the place where it all started, and at the end of the day, it’s something cool we can one day tell our kids about.”
It’s also helped ease the nerves ahead of their celebration with a bigger group of family and friends on August 1, the date they had originally planned to get married.
“I’m a bit nervous at the best of times, so it’s definitely taken a bit of the pressure off,” Zach said.
Still a regular Strictly customer, Zach admits he didn’t even like coffee four years ago, but would order a flat white so he had an excuse to chat to his now-wife.
“I drink coffee every day now,” Zach laughs.
Following their Strictly wedding, the newlyweds celebrated at home with take-away from Memories of India.
“I think it’s really important to back local businesses right now,” Maddison said.
“I think if everyone can do a little thing, like buy a coffee or takeaway meal, it helps keeps them alive.”
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Congratulations Zach and Maddison! A wonderful ‘good news’ story. All the best for the future.