After seven years, more than 300 benches and thousands of followers, Sam Wilmot has finally found a bench worthy of a perfect score.
The Bristol man, who runs the Instagram account Rate This Bench, had never awarded a 10/10 since launching the page in 2019. That changed on his wedding day, when he returned to a bench at St John the Baptist Church in Old Sodbury, South Gloucestershire.
This time, the view was more than enough to earn full marks — especially because Wilmot had just married the woman he loves.
From a Joke to a Global Instagram Account
Wilmot originally started rating benches as a joke while walking with friends. One of them suggested turning his unusual hobby into an Instagram account, and Rate This Bench was born.
Since then, the page has grown to almost 18,000 followers, with Wilmot reviewing benches across England, Wales and even Dubai.
His reviews consider much more than whether a bench is comfortable. The design, surroundings, view and even small details such as plaques or dedications all contribute to the final score.
And despite reviewing hundreds of benches, he had always kept one thing off the table: a perfect 10.
The Bench That Finally Got 10/10
The bench at St John the Baptist Church had already come close. Wilmot previously gave it a respectable 9/10, but returning to it after his wedding changed everything.
The bench overlooks the countryside towards Bristol and Wales, providing what was already an impressive setting.
But on this visit, Wilmot and his wife Sophie were sitting there just moments after their wedding ceremony.
The emotional significance of the moment finally delivered the missing point.
Wilmot had previously joked that people constantly asked why he had never given a bench a 10. After marrying Sophie, he decided that this particular bench deserved to break the rule.
Sophie Has Been Part of the Journey
Sophie has also played an important role in the Instagram project, taking photographs for the page since the couple first met.
For her, the bench became meaningful long before their wedding day.
She recalled discovering the location with Sam early in their relationship and realizing that it could eventually become a special place for them.
When they chose the church for their wedding, returning to the bench afterwards felt like the perfect way to mark the occasion.
And this time, Sophie wasn't behind the camera. She was sitting beside her new husband.
What Makes a Perfect Bench?
Wilmot takes his unusual rating system surprisingly seriously.
A good bench should ideally have both armrests and a backrest, while a curved seat and wooden construction can earn extra appreciation. The base, location, view and any interesting dedication or plaque also count toward the score.
The final point, however, is reserved for something harder to measure: the wow factor.
So far, the lowest score Wilmot has given a bench is just 1/10.
For him, the perfect bench isn't necessarily the fanciest one. It's the one that creates a feeling — and after his wedding day, it seems unlikely that any bench will ever mean quite as much as this one.
For Sam and Sophie, the winning formula was simple: the best view, on the best day, sitting on the best bench.
Keywords: Sam Wilmot, Rate This Bench, bench reviews, Instagram, wedding story, viral story, human interest, lifestyle news, unusual hobbies, social media, wedding day, South Gloucestershire, Bristol