A barstaff romance which began behind an Innis & Gunn bar at the Edinburgh Fringe has culminated in a wedding where the Scottish brewer played fairy godmother by gifting 400 bottles and cans for the party.
Scots Jonny Coe and Jess Menon first 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. It could all have been so different, however, had Jonny been sent home early by the manager instead of the other barman, James.
This fairytale summer romance flourished – despite the couple living at opposite ends of the M8 – and they finally tied the knot in front of more than 120 guests at the Log Cabin at Ravensheugh in Tyninghame, East Lothian last Saturday, July 20.
Ahead of the wedding, they had 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.
Jess, who grew up in Edinburgh and is now a tennis data engineer for the LTA in London, 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!”
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.”
Brewery founder Dougal Sharp 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!”
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’, hope to return to Edinburgh again this August to drink in the atmosphere.
They also have a word of advice for other potential lovebirds who may be pulling Innis & Gunn pints side by side this year: “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.”
