Two Innis & Gunn superfans whose romance blossomed following a sliding doors moment working for the brewer at the Edinburgh Festival celebrated their marriage at the weekend with a party kitted out by the lager brand.
Scots Jonny Coe and Jess Menon tied the knot in front of more than 120 guests in a ceremony at the Log Cabin, at Ravensheugh in Tyninghame, East Lothian. Their former employer donated a bar, decorations, and even personalised beer mats in honour of the pair’s touching story.
The couple met in 2015 when working at an Innis & Gunn bar in St Andrew’s Square during the Fringe. Jess was asked to relieve one of the bar staff and join Jonny on the shift. And while it wasn’t ‘love at first sight’, the pair quickly clicked, leading to a romance that flourished despite the couple living at opposite ends of the M8.
Jess, who grew up in Edinburgh and is now a tennis data engineer for the LTA, said: “It’s wild how it’s all worked out, and nine years later we are married.
“It was an unbelievable day, made extra special by the Innis & Gunn bar. It’s mad to think what might have happened had Jonny been sent home instead. Talk about a sliding doors moment!”
The duo, both 31, who now live in London, really wanted to include a nod to the place where they met, and contacted Innis & Gunn to ask for some decorations to help turn their wedding bar — a repurposed horsebox — into a recreation of the St Andrew’s Square bar where they met.
However, the Innis & Gunn team loved their story so much they went further, providing personalised branding, including messages in honour of their story, and around 400 bottles and cans of Innis & Gunn to enjoy and share with their guests.
As well as the bar, outdoor enthusiasts Jonny and Jess also filled an inflatable kayak with bottles of beer gifted by Innis & Gunn, creating a centrepiece in honour of two important parts of their lives.
Jonny, originally from Blairgowrie, said: “A lot of very special moments in our lives have involved Innis & Gunn, and now we can safely say the most special day has, too. The bar was the icing on the cake, and we can’t thank the team at Innis & Gunn enough. We were blown away by the gesture.”
Dougal Sharp, founder of Innis & Gunn, said: “We can’t help but feel partly responsible for Jonny and Jess tying the knot, so it felt only right we ply them with free beer to help make the big day run smoothly. They both looked resplendent with a glass of Innis & Gunn in hand, and we’re glad to see a boatload of beer was enough to get the party started. Congratulations to the hoppy couple!
“We’re getting a taste for playing cupid, so who knows, maybe you should keep your eyes peeled for the Innis & Gunn dating app!”
The beer garden at the Young’s-owned Double Locks pub, in Exeter, will be transformed this weekend for its Cider and Sausage Festival. The event runs from noon to 9pm and will feature more than 40 ciders. Tickets are free and can be picked up via DesignMyNight.
Watch out — there’s a new Shark about! Even Sharks Need Water is a long-time favourite with Verdant drinkers, and double IPA version Whale Sharks came along in 2022. Now the Cornwall brewer has released Baby Sharks. “Naturally, Citra and Galaxy are the hops used, and the ABV comes in at 4.8%, which makes it okay for a school night in our opinion,” says the brewer.
