How Do You Know You’ve Found "The One"? 3 London-Based Couples Tell Us Their Meet-Cutes

It's easy to get carried away with wedding planning, focusing on the minute details like the specific floral arrangements, the exact font of your matrimonial stationery or the precise playlist to provide the sonic backdrop for the evening; not to mention the bigger decisions like the dress and rings, meticulously picked out months prior. But ultimately, the most significant part, and the one which should enthral us most, is the person you’ll meet at the end of the aisle.

In an issue centred around the beauty of tying the knot, we felt it apt to turn a spotlight on what’s really the heart of a marriage. Indeed, witnessing the outpouring of love between two people committing to one another—an act usually kept so intimate and private through the everyday minutiae of a partnership—is the most moving element of a wedding, and it warrants a moment of its own.

But how do you know when you've met "The One", really? Is it a feeling of butterflies in your stomach when you see their name flash up on your phone when you first start connecting? The small but uncontrollable smile that breaks out across your face when you see them after a long day, even after you've lived together for a while? Or, is it the deep contentment that washes over you at night, just before you fall asleep, knowing that you get to do it all again, together, tomorrow?

The answer depends on who you ask, which is why we lined up three creative couples living in London to share their real-life experiences of meeting, falling in love, getting married and knowing it was meant to be. Because as Lana Del Rey croons in her ballad "Margaret", when you know, you know…

Real Life Couples on How They Met "The One"

Alex Thomas-Smith and Ciaran Thomas-Smith

• Occupations: Actors
• Star Signs: Cancer and Taurus
• Time Married: 7 months
• First-Dance Song: "We didn’t have a first dance, but we walked down the aisle to 'I Say A Little Prayer' by Aretha Franklin."
• Film or TV Couple They Identify With: "We are definitely Fitz and Olivia from Scandal (without the affair, obviously). The loving puppy dog and the bad b****."

It’s a sure sign that things are meant to be when you know this is your forever person from your first date, let alone from the moment you first lock eyes. For Alex Thomas-Smith, they knew that now-husband Ciaran was "The One" from the outset, even though they met on social media. "It was love at first sight; I definitely felt the spark when I first saw him," they note.

"I met Ciaran after he slid into my direct messages, replying to a story I put up about Princess Diana (that’s how I knew he had good taste). I saw his gorgeous face in his thumbnail, and we ended up speaking every day for a couple of weeks before we actually met. He had, and still has, this magnetic energy that just lights up [my] life. I was quite cynical when it came to love at [that] point in my life, so I tried not to get carried away, but our first date turned into a weekend that turned into two weeks. From the moment we met, all we wanted to do was be together."

So, that’s exactly what they did, proposing the idea of making this a forever thing on their one-month anniversary. "Ciaran, of course, said no, but told me to ask again in a few years," says Alex. "It was like we both knew that this was going somewhere. I knew even then that he was the only person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. When I was with him, everything felt easy, and I wanted to keep that forever and build a life together."

This concept of feeling at peace with one another stands out for Ciaran, too. "There’s a sense of calm that I feel around Alex that I have never felt with anyone else before, an instant feeling of comfort that allows me not only to be myself, but to have the confidence to be the best version of myself," he explains.

"The love Alex and I have for each other goes beyond flowers or chocolates, although [those] are still expected. It’s a love where you know that person will be your biggest champion in whatever you do; Alex is and will always be my biggest supporter in life, and I try every day to show Alex that I will love them, whatever path they take in their life, as long as they are happy. It was deeper than just being 'partners', so it only felt right to get married."

"For me, it’s also so important that queer people get married," Alex adds. "We fought for the right to do so, and it’s something that isn’t lost on me. Our love is just as valid as anyone else’s, and our marriage isn’t just a celebration of our love, but it’s also an act of protest and resilience. Queer love isn’t going anywhere."

Iona Judd and Elliot Mason

• Occupations: Creative director and tailor
• Star Signs: Cancer and Taurus
• Time Married: 11 months
• First-Dance Song: "Set U Free" by N-Trance
• Film or TV Couple They Identify With: She says Seth and Summer from The O.C., he says Woody and Jessie from Toy Story.

There’s this belief that whatever is meant for you will find its way to you, irrespective of the circumstances. Such is the case for Iona Judd and Elliot Mason. It was a third-time's-the-charm affair, after previously meeting twice in passing at various events; the first on the dance floor at a rave in Ibiza super club Privilege (which neither of them says they recall), and the second at a mutual friend’s birthday party (he remembers, she does not) before finally connecting the modern way: Bumble. "Both of us remember that one!" Elliot says of the Sliding Doors-esque scenario.

"Elliot pointed out that we had met a handful of times before on our first date," Iona acknowledges, adding. "I hadn’t put two and two together. Fuelled by nerves, I ended up having one too many negronis and dashed off Cinderella style at the end of the evening, leaving Elliot on the side of the road. I didn’t leave a glass slipper, but I did have to send a damage control text the following day. Elliot had to be persuaded by friends to go on a second date, but the rest, as they say, is history."

Both admit there’s a cosmic feel around their relationship; not star-crossed lovers per se, though certainly something kismet at play. As Elliot says, "It’s no coincidence that the universe kept putting us together. It was meant to be!"

Still, there was a precise moment Iona realised Eliot was The One, during the latter half of their reception. "I think I had an idea quite early on; I finally felt comfortable being my true self, and that’s not something I had felt before," she notes. "Funnily, though, I think the moment I truly knew I’d married the right person was at the end of our wedding."

"We had to be forced off the dance floor at the end of the night, along with a few other stragglers who didn’t want [it] to end. Two of my bridesmaids had missed their taxi, and Elliot, being the extraordinarily generous-spirited person that he is, got in his car (he doesn’t drink) and drove them back to their cottage in the neighbouring village.

"It made for such a silly and special moment. It was the most perfect end to the night and just felt like a sign that I had chosen a man who was kind, open and always has a sense of humour—all the qualities you want in a life partner."

Rose Pilkington and Bryony Llewellyn

• Occupations: Digital artist and consultant
• Star Signs: Gemini and Scorpio
• Time Married: 9 months
• First-Dance Song: "Inner Smile" by Texas

When it comes to describing the process of falling in love with one another, Rose Pilkington and Bryony Llewellyn like to say it was a "can’t stay away from you" kind of thing. "We met in true modern-love-story fashion through online dating, and the amazing thing about it is that we ran in completely different circles and otherwise would have never met," Rose says. "Despite both of our friends' urging us to slow down, we immediately knew [differently].

"We sent voice notes to each other from the first day we matched, and there was immediately something so familiar about her voice. It was like I knew her, and she said the same about me. I think that must mean we knew instantly that we were meant to be together, like we already knew each other, despite only just speaking," explains Rose.

"When we finally met in London Fields on a freezing March day, it was everything we hoped it would be. As I was getting off the bus, it pulled away [to reveal] her standing behind it. I was flustered, thinking how perfect, tall and beautiful she looked." Briony remembers their first meeting with the same fondness. "I saw her running across the road towards me, and I thought, 'jackpot’. She was so endearing, she was flapping and flustered, and I loved it."

The couple say they were on the same page in knowing they were each other's "One" from the beginning. "From the very start, we would talk about marriage and being with each other forever. It’s a really amazing thing to feel so sure of something, and more sure of it every day. We were craving commitment; being girlfriends didn’t feel like enough. We needed to be more to each other and to be a family."

Of the specifics, they say it came down to the little things. "Every experience together felt like doing something new for the first time in our lives, even something like going to a pub or restaurant. Everything was a novelty, so we started doing weird dates just to experience [things].”

"We have been together for five years, but getting married has made it feel like we’re just beginning. Our relationship and the dynamic between us haven’t really changed, but there’s this new sense of excitement in our lives, like everything ahead of us is just getting started. It’s such a special feeling because we genuinely can’t wait to experience more of life together, and even the everyday moments still feel new. We often talk about the different phases of life we’ll go through together, and that shared anticipation makes every day so exciting."