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 premium lager brand.
Scots Jonny Coe and Jess Menon tied the knot in front of more than 120 guests in a dream ceremony at the Log Cabin at Ravensheugh in Tyninghame, East Lothian, on Saturday, 20 July 20.
Their former employers made The occasion extra special, with Innis & Gunn donating a bar, decorations, and even personalised beer mats in honour of the pair’s touching origin 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 barmen working and join Jonny on the shift.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
Why? Free to subscribe, no paywall, daily business news digest.
And whilst it wasn’t ‘love at first sight’, the pair quickly clicked, leading to a fairytale summer romance that flourished despite the couple living at opposite ends of the M8.
It could have been so different, however, had the manager sent Jonny home early instead of the other barman, James.
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 and 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 that 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 guests.
In addition to the bar, outdoor enthusiasts Jonny and Jess filled an inflatable kayak with bottles of beer gifted by Innis & Gunn, creating a centrepiece in honour of two important parts of their lives.
The incredible gesture is even more notable, given how much Jonny and Jess love the beer. Their pals often bring cans down to their southwest London home, where the premium lager is harder to find.
Originally from Blairgowrie, Jonny 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!”
Innis & Gunn is this year’s official beer partner for The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the couple, who will take their kayak to Loch Lomond and then the Lake District on a ‘minimoon’ as they return to London, hope to return to Edinburgh again this August to drink in the atmosphere.
And they also have a word of advice for other potential lovebirds who may be pulling Innis & Gunn pints side by side this year.
The couple added: “Don’t hold back. Ask for their number, Instagram, or whatever.
“Expect the unexpected and just have fun. We are so lucky – we have gained so many special friendships from working at The Fringe, and then of course the most important one of all.”
Keep in the loop with Innis & Gunn and its Fringe related activities on all socials this August @innisandgunn.
