When Maggie Borders first met Andrew Waite on Bumble in the summer of 2018, she thought he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. She was interning in fashion on Canal Street, spending her first summer in New York City. And, although their summer romance was cut off by her return to school, Maggie had a feeling their story wasn’t over.
A year later, their paths crossed again in Tokyo. Both were traveling separately, but their itineraries overlapped for one evening at the New York Bar. In 2020, they officially started dating.
Five years later, Andrew proposed at Maggie’s family’s beach house in Sea Island, Georgia, with an elaborate ruse involving a fake Twitter account tracking horseshoe crabs along the coast. “It was peak summer in Georgia, so I should have suspected something was up when Andrew insisted we take a walk while dressed in a full suit and loafers,” Maggie remembers. Once they reached the beach, he got down on one knee. Back at the house, their families and a few close friends were waiting to surprise her with a celebratory dinner.
When it came time to plan the wedding, Maggie had long imagined getting married abroad. Andrew had lived in London briefly as a child, and England had become one of their favorite places to visit together. On her first trip to the Cotswolds, Maggie knew she’d found the setting.
Working with OTM Directory planner Augusta Cole of Augusta Cole Events, the couple envisioned a quintessentially English weekend, equal parts Jane Austen and country-house party. “I wanted the weekend to feel straight out of Emma, with delights and surprises for the guests each day,” Maggie explains.
They chose two properties: Thyme, a beautifully restored collection of historic buildings in the village of Southrop, and Cornwell Manor, the grand country estate that appeared in The Holiday. Thyme and Cornwell Manor quickly became a very special place to Maggie and Andrew, who spent many weekends throughout their wedding year basking in the gardens and grounds. Together, they offered the perfect combination of village charm and manor-house grandeur. Transporting guests to the manor house on wedding day after a full weekend of country pursuits was a highlight of the weekend.
The festivities began on Thursday evening at The Swan, Thyme’s charming village pub, where guests gathered for a rehearsal dinner followed by a spirited pub night. Warm Cotswolds pie, sausage rolls, and Pimm’s were served, and the property’s owner presided over a pub quiz.
For the occasion, Maggie wore a demi-custom Coleen Allen dress selected with the help of stylist Anny Choi, who had also worked with Maggie’s sister Savannah on her 2023 wedding. The vintage-inspired bias-cut silhouette and delicate frayed detailing felt perfectly suited to the historic surroundings. She accessorized with Manolo Blahnik sandals and earrings borrowed from her mother.
On Friday morning, Maggie and Andrew pulled on their wellies and slipped away into the fields at Thyme to exchange their vows privately. The property team surprised them with an English picnic and Champagne, and as the couple read their vows, a flock of Welsh black sheep wandered nearby. “We read our vows, popped Champagne, and cried many happy tears,” Maggie remembers. “It was a fairytale moment made just for us.”
Afterward, everyone gathered for a summer picnic and lawn games. When the skies opened, guests retreated into the farmhouse, where fires were lit and berries and cream were served. Once the rain cleared, a particularly competitive game of croquet ensued, courtesy of Andrew’s family.
That evening, the celebration continued with a field feast in Thyme’s walled gardens. Guests wandered among the espaliered trees and flowering borders before enjoying English oysters, the property’s famous martinis, and music from a roaming band. The dress code was “Countryside Cocktail,” and everyone embraced it wholeheartedly.
For her second look, Maggie drew inspiration from the voluminous ball skirts worn by models on the runways of the 1990s. Patricia Voto of One/Of sourced a brushed silk gingham fabric for a bespoke ball skirt, which Maggie paired with a custom halter top by Lein, Of Rare Origin earrings, and Dior T-strap sandals.
On the morning of August 29th, heavy rain fell over the Cotswolds as Maggie got ready for the ceremony at Cornwell Manor. She began the morning in a vintage nightgown sourced from Illisa’s Vintage in New York, and pulled on a pair of wellies for the journey to the venue. “My mom said it was her favorite look of the weekend, and I can’t disagree,” Maggie laughs. Once the bridal party arrived at the manor, Maggie slipped into her look for the day.
The wedding dress itself was an Oscar de la Renta design from the house’s 2020 collection, a coincidence Maggie loved given that 2020 was also the year she and Andrew began dating. Although she’d initially considered commissioning something custom, convinced that her particular tastes would make finding the right dress nearly impossible, the moment she tried it on, everything changed.
“When I slipped the dress on for the first time, I truly felt transformed,” she says. “The gown is what my mom and sister call ‘a Maggie dress.’ It was so intricate, so classic, and so very me.”
Her bespoke Monvieve veil had originally been made for Savannah’s wedding three years earlier, with the understanding that Maggie would one day wear it, too. She also borrowed her mother’s wedding earrings, which Savannah had worn for her own ceremony. Markarian x Larroudé kitten heels completed the look.
Meanwhile, Andrew wore a classic Ralph Lauren tuxedo, accessorized with vintage Tiffany & Co. Elsa Peretti bean studs and cufflinks Maggie had given him as a playful reference to one of his many nicknames. The bridesmaids wore a carefully considered mix of Etro, Alexander McQueen, vintage Ralph Lauren, and Emilia Wickstead, with each dress chosen to reflect its wearer’s personal style.
As the afternoon progressed, the rain showed little sign of letting up. Augusta and her team worked tirelessly to prepare the outdoor ceremony, eventually deciding to delay the proceedings by 15 minutes. While Maggie was being escorted to the car beneath a small army of umbrellas, a member of the Thyme team offered a bit of English wisdom: “A wet knot is harder to untie.”
Then, almost miraculously, the skies cleared.
The ceremony took place in the gardens in front of Cornwell Manor, with lush flowers by Lucy Vail framing the aisle and altar. The bridal party processed to Hans Zimmer’s “Maestro” from The Holiday, before the strings transitioned to Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” for Maggie’s entrance.
As she walked down the aisle on her father's arm, the sun emerged from behind the clouds. “A beam of light hit me and flowed through my veil,” Maggie recalls. “I felt so warm and so completely happy.”
Andrew later told her that she had looked like an angel. “Not to fully expose him,” Maggie adds, “but photos later revealed him shedding a tear.”
The newlyweds recessed to “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by The Verve before climbing into an Aston Martin DB5 waiting in the driveway. Andrew, a devoted James Bond fan, was particularly delighted by the getaway car.
The reception unfolded beneath a spectacular marquee set in the fields of Cornwell Manor, with rolling hills stretching beyond the tent. Augusta and her team created an English garden fantasy, with two long tables beneath sweeping arches of greenery and flowers. Cut-crystal bell hurricanes hung delicately overhead, casting a soft glow over the room.
For the tables, the planning team collaborated with Maison Margaux on a custom pattern inspired by Maggie’s love of English chintz textiles. Rich summer colors and bold prints were balanced with a restrained floral palette, silver candlesticks, and seasonal touches of pears and figs. Rosehip branches added drama, while a painted landscape and striped drapery provided a theatrical backdrop for the band.
“Walking into the tent felt exhilarating,” Maggie remembers. “Augusta and her team executed the vision beyond my wildest dreams.”
The band, Superfly, welcomed the newlyweds into the tent with “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” setting the tone for an evening that would involve very little sitting down. For their first dance, Maggie and Andrew chose Sam Cooke’s “That's Where It’s At.” Dinner featured summer squash and fig salad, Cotswolds chicken, and a steak-and-chip entrée that became something of a legend among the guests.
Maggie’s father delivered an emotional speech, declaring the newlyweds the prince and princess of the evening, while Andrew later toasted their “never-ending summer.” During dinner, guests who had stepped outside returned with news that a full moon had risen over the marquee.
Once the dancing resumed, it barely stopped. Maggie, whose family has Louisiana roots, had requested “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” and the very English band gamely delivered, complete with a little do-si-do. The reception concluded with a medley of “New York, New York” and “Empire State of Mind,” a tribute to Andrew's hometown and the city where the couple’s story began.
But the evening was far from over.
Guests received the couple’s interpretation of vintage flirt cards, inviting them into the manor for the after-party. Inside, historic tapestries surrounded the dance floor, while outside, cigarettes and martinis circulated. Bubble cigarettes were also passed in honor of Andrew’s beloved West Ham United football club. A collection of playful accessories—including barrister wigs, Harry Potter glasses, and English paper crowns—quickly became a highlight.
For the final chapter of the night, Maggie changed into a black beaded Wiederhoeft dress inspired by the early 2000s, styled with Georgian-set earrings and snakeskin Khaite heels. “I wanted to slip into something a little less bridal and a little more party girl,” she explains.
The celebrations continued until the confetti cannons went off. One of Maggie’s favorite photographs from the weekend captures Andrew in his pajamas, brushing his teeth while popping a bottle of Pol Roger. “We were so exhausted, but the weekend was so incredible, we didn’t want to waste any moment!”
