Buzzapp Master 
“Congratulations on your engagement,” the tour guides cheerfully greeted Lucie Coates and her partner Elliott Burgess as they arrived at a stunning countryside wedding venue. Nestled amidst verdant greenery, with Georgian elegance and history at every turn, Lucie and Elliott could instantly envision themselves exchanging vows in front of their loved ones. It was simply perfect.
However, there was one thing missing, and it had nothing to do with the venue – it was the engagement ring. Lucie, 32, shares with us: “We’d discussed getting married prior to visiting the venue, but I feel like it was never an actual conversation. We’d both been in serious relationships before and when we got together we both knew the other one was our person. We used to say things like, ‘I can’t wait to marry you’, but we never actually spoke about getting married properly.
‘I’ve got no doubt booking our wedding before even getting engaged is a good idea’, Lucie says
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“Then one day I saw this wedding venue near my parents’ house where I really wanted to get married and I was just like, ‘Can we go and look?’. My mum always says that in the two years we’ve been together, we’ve gone through what most couples go through in 10 years. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love Elliott, so I’ve got no doubt booking our wedding before even getting engaged is a good idea.”
When they first crossed paths at a work do four years ago, Elliott was based in London while Lucie was living in Bournemouth. With over 100 miles separating them and both being in relationships at the time, it took another year before their paths crossed again. This happened when Lucie relocated to London for work and found herself sitting next to Elliott on her first day.
“I feel like we had a couple of first dates because after Lucie moved to London we were friends before we were in a relationship. We’re massive lovers of karaoke, so it was one of the things we used to do. Every Wednesday, we’d go out for drinks with some guys from work and we’d always end up in a karaoke bar. We used to do that together quite a lot. It was our thing,” explains Elliott, 33.
Their romance blossomed and they both knew they’d found “their person” in each other, so it was only natural for Lucie and Elliott to consider moving forward. But instead of marking their love with a proposal like most couples, they bypassed this step completely and headed straight to their dream wedding venue earlier this year – a grand house set in thousands of acres of parkland – where it was love at first sight, albeit of a different kind.
Elliott eagerly shared, “I was more than happy to go along,” as he reflected on their unconventional journey to booking their wedding venue before even getting engaged. “I didn’t question it because I knew we were going to get married at some point, so it wasn’t a massive shock. I knew we weren’t going there for a day out, a bit of coffee and some cake – we were there because Lucie wanted to book it.”
He further expressed his enthusiasm, noting, “If Lucie wanted to persuade me to get married, taking me to this place was definitely the way to do it. I’ve always wanted to marry her, but going to this enchanting venue, seeing what it was like and having a tour guide take us through what each part of the wedding would be like in each room had us sold.”
Despite not yet getting engaged, the pair have locked in a date and have booked various elements for their big day
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Even though an official proposal hasn’t taken place, the smitten couple has already set a date for their nuptials in spring 2027, revealing they’ve made the necessary payments to secure their spot. “I am desperate to send out save-the dates and I’ve texted all my best friends the date because they are so busy,” Lucie laughs.
“But I think it’s bad luck to send out a save-the-date when you’re not engaged. Also, I think that would make me look absolutely crazy. So they’re all designed and ready to go, but they haven’t been sent.
“The only thing holding me back right now about getting a dress is how much trends change over the years. A classic wedding venue will always be classic, but fashion trends change a lot, so I’m holding out on that front.”
Lucie and Elliott, who both work in events, are no strangers to the complexities of planning a special occasion. They’re well aware of the eye-watering costs that can be associated with organising a wedding. However, they’ve managed to sidestep some of these expenses by getting ahead of the game.
“Right now, I feel chilled because the suppliers I’m reaching out to haven’t opened their 2027 diaries yet, so they can fit me in,” Lucie explains. “Some are even giving me 2025 and 2026 rates because they’ve not decided their 2027 rates yet, so it’s saving money. I could definitely be a bridezilla, but because everything is going very smoothly, I would actually advise other brides to do the same.”
Some of the conversations do come with an element of awkwardness, though. “I’ve booked a photographer, a videographer, a pianist, a make-up artist, and a firework display,” Lucie says. “I’ve reached out to florists, caterers and bars. In all of their emails, and when we walked into the venue, everybody says, ‘Congratulations on your engagement,’ and I don’t have the heart to reply,’ Oh, I’m actually not engaged,’ so I just say thank you.
“It’s something I do find really embarrassing. During the whole venue tour, I was trying to hide my left hand in my pocket because I was like, ‘I really don’t want her to ask to see the ring that doesn’t exist.'”
Lucie has sparked quite the conversation since opening up on her It’s A Girl Thing podcast about her unconventional approach to wedding planning. While some listeners reckon she’s a bit “nuts”, most have rallied around her decision, with a few even confessing they’ve done the same.
“My friends aren’t surprised, but they’ve asked me what’s going on. This is taking it far even for me,” Lucie admits. Yet, her family didn’t even flinch at the news.
‘My friends aren’t surprised, but they’ve asked me what’s going on’
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Lucie says, “But my mum, dad and brother didn’t bat an eyelid. They were like, ‘Oh yes, love, just what we expected.’ I’ve had some colleagues message me on Microsoft Teams saying, ‘Don’t worry babe, I booked my wedding before I got engaged too.'” was the nonchalant reaction from her mum, dad and brother. She’s even had colleagues reach out via Microsoft Teams, offering reassurance with messages like, ‘Don’t worry babe, I booked my wedding before I got engaged too.’.
“Every wedding is different and every relationship is different. If I were in a rocky relationship and doing things behind my boyfriend’s back, it would look crazy. But I am in such a solid relationship, it isn’t as bad as it sounds. Also, sometimes you’ve just got to be organised.”
Meanwhile, Elliott is all about the long game, meticulously planning the proposal and hunting down the ideal ring, though he’s keeping schtum on the details. “I know exactly how I’m going to do it and when I’m going to do it,” he reveals, insisting there’s no rush.
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