December 2014
A Cumbrian couple have cause for a double celebration this Christmas after moving into their brand-new Story Home – and getting engaged.
The couple are delighted to be moving into their new home at Story Homes Crindledyke Farm development in Carlisle in time for Christmas – and the happy occasion prompted George Graham to go down on one knee and propose to girlfriend Aimee Taylor.
George, a mechanical engineer, and Aimee, who works at Cumberland Building Society, both 24, are childhood sweethearts who met in Year 7 at St Aidan’s School, Carlisle, in 2002.
George said: “I’ve planned to propose ever since we put a deposit down for the house in April.
“I’d had the ring for a month but I did it on the first day we moved in, last Friday. I waited for 30 minutes and got my courage up and then I proposed in the living room when it was totally bare – not even any furniture.
“Aimee was surprised – she always thought I’d take her somewhere and do it somewhere fancy. But I thought it was one of those things when there’s never a good time or a bad time to do it – so I chose to do it when we were making a brand new start in our first home together.”
Aimee said: “I wasn’t expecting George to propose at all – it was a complete surprise!
“We’d got the keys half an hour earlier and I was standing in the living room when he came in and gave me a cuddle. Then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was crying and shaking.
“We’d been together for more than six years so I knew it he was going to ask me at some point – but I wasn’t expecting it quite so soon.”
The couple’s family and friends were thrilled by the news. George said: “Only Aimee’s dad knew, because I’d asked his permission the night before.
“None of my family and friends knew but they were all delighted. Aimee’s mum and my mum were crying. Even our dads and my three younger brothers were all holding their tears back.”
The couple haven’t yet made arrangements for their wedding. Instead, they’re concentrating on moving and getting their brand new home ready for Christmas.
Aimee said: “It’s lovely to be in – at the moment I feel like we’re still floating a little bit; we’ve a lovely home and now we’re engaged.
“We’ve just got bits and bobs to do now. We’ve got a sofa and a washing machine, we’ve got the essentials and we’re saving the pennies, but we’re settled in.
“When we first got it we weren’t sure if it was going to be before or after Christmas so it’s great to get in and get the Christmas tree up!
“We’re going to have people around for New Year – have a New Year engagement and house party all in one.
“The house is great, really good. We’ve got a three bedroom house so that’s room for children but I’d say they are definitely a couple of years in the future.
“We chose a Story Home because of their reputation for quality – a couple of our friends’ parents live in Story Homes as well so we knew we’d be making an investment in our life together.”
Story Homes’ Crindledyke Farm development is set in idyllic surroundings, close to the M6 and Carlisle city centre.
Properties are built in a distinct and stylish architecture that makes full use of the area’s love of traditional red sandstone. The red stone, brick and slate roofs all add to the character of this new development.
Story Homes Sales Manager Susan Pollard said: “We were thrilled when we heard about George and Aimee’s engagement. They’re a lovely couple and it is wonderful that they’ve chosen to begin their life together at Crindledyke Farm.”
