Thank you!
Okay, the right answer is YES. YES, you should prep them. You should, beyond a shadow of a doubt, prime them before you start painting. How do I know this? Because we DIDN'T prime them: we just lightly sanded them and then slapped two coats of paint straight on. Honestly, I don't know what we were thinking: we just wanted to get it done, I guess. But it was totally the wrong call: the paint has started chipping here and there, which probably wouldn't have happened if we primed. So yes: PRIME THEM. It's an extra step but it'll be so worth it.
It's so beautiful! Well done!
Question: we have horrible cabinets made of 1980's-style oak and I want to paint them, did you have to prep your cabinets in any way or just paint away?