How did you meet?

We met in 2015 by a mutual friend who was destined to play cupid!  As I was leaving for Vietnam the week we were introduced our first date wasn’t for another 3 weeks and at that time Josh was a finalist for K-Rock’s bachelor of the year so I really didn’t see it going anywhere, but surprising to me, we spoke continuously while I was away and when I returned Josh had withdrawn himself from the competition and from that point on we were inseparable.

How did Josh propose?

Josh decided we needed a quiet weekend away to recharge our batteries so he booked a villa at the Hepburn Springs Bathhouse and Spa which was absolutely stunning! Josh had arranged a full day of pampering at Hepburn Springs Bathhouse which was amazing I felt ridiculously spoilt!  That night we had dinner at the Perfect Drop in Daylesford then went back to the villa for dessert.  I was on the balcony and Josh had called me inside, as soon as I turned around I saw him on his knee with the ring in hand. All I can say is that I am so grateful he asked me to marry him privately because I was purely stunned and blown away by his words and I could not control my tears!

Tell us about the search for the dress

I had been in Instagram for months following every bridal boutique there was when I came across this gorgeous pearl silver wedding gown which was a very classic style ball gown from Raffaele Ciuca Bridal. It was a full family affair at the fitting with my bridal party, my mum, mother-in-law and grandmother all there.  When I was asked to select 6 dresses in all different styles I advised the assistant I was only here for one dress which I pointed out.  She advised me to select another 4 and she will select one for me.  The one she selected was a style I wanted to stay clear of and I was destined for the one I had seen online. In true Goldilocks style we started with my first choice which did not work for my body type it was horrible on! I was a little devastated as my heart was set on it. We worked through each dress all getting better as they progressed until the last dress was tried on.  It was perfect for my body type and the colour was ivory which was better for my skin tone.  It was perfect!! All I can say is the shop assistant knew her stuff! Just from one look at me she knew the exact dress that would suit.  I loved it I felt like an absolute princess and is there a better way to feel on your wedding day?

When and where was the ceremony and the reception?

Ceremony: Wesley Uniting Church Geelong

Reception: Ballroom at RACV Torquay (who were fabulous!!!)

How many guests did you have?

120

What song did you walk down the aisle to?

We were completely traditional and as the church had the most beautiful pipe organ I walked down the aisle to “Bridal Chorus” by Wagner.

Who was in the support team?

Maid of honour was my sister Amanda and my bridesmaid was my youngest sister Venessa.

Best man was Josh’s best friend Josh and his groomsman was another very close friend Tim.

How did you add your personal touch to the day?

Josh and I love black and gold therefore our decor was black and gold which set the theme for our entire wedding.  We used our own classic car and Josh’s grandfather’s classic car as our wedding cars to make it feel family orientated and personal.

 My father and grandmother have both passed away and I really wanted to commemorate them in some way.  My father was a Collingwood supported so I had black and white table runners which tied in perfectly. I also walked into the reception to “I’m Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves which is a song he used to always play for me when I was younger.  My grandmother never missed giving me a gift which always included a box of Ferrero Rocher’s as they are my absolutely favourite, so I include one on each charge plate for our guests.  

Any quirky/funny/unexpected stories you can share?

Josh and I are extremely punctual! I never once anticipated to be late to the church, I was planning on being there right on time! I had everything running 100% and just as I was walking out of my family home I had my adorable flower girl run up to me with a glass of champagne she picked up to give to me.  Rather than giving it me she accidentally tipped it all down the front of my dress! So this meant we were in the bathroom frantically drying my dress in hysterics of laughter…even when you try to get to the church on time, brides are just meant to be late!

What is your favourite memory from your wedding day?

Apart from marrying the love of my life I would have to say the time out we took for just us.  We drove ourselves from the church to the photo shoot and to the reception.  This gave us time to fully appreciate the day and be in the moment just the two of us.  We were able to really connect and spend quality time together before the reception commenced.  Most people say the spend their wedding day apart because they get caught up talking to people and going through all the formalities and so we wanted to make sure we had time to really appreciate the experience and each other.

What’s your advice for brides to be?

Embrace the day, try to stay relaxed and just focus on the one person you need to and everything else will fall in place.  Don’t overwhelm yourself with trying to talk to every guest and do what you want…and make sure you dance with the girls! To ensure we spoke with everyone but also got to enjoy our night, we personally presented each table with their bonbonniere. This gave our guests a chance to speak with us and share a photo which made the rest of the night less formal and enjoyable.

SUPPLIER LIST

Photography: Stefani Driscoll Photography | Dress: Maggie Sottero at Raffaele Ciuca Bridal | Hair & Make-up: Blush make-up and hair Artistry | Cake: Loveit Cakes | Flowers: Jacinta’s Flower Studio | Bridesmaids Dresses: Forever New Suits: Eddie Elias & Bossini | Rings: Body & Soul Jewellery | Entertainment: Fiction – 5 piece band booked through Geelong Entertainment Services. | Stationery: Wedding Paper Divas | Prop hire: Harbourside Decorators | Reception: RACV Torquay Resort | Honeymoon Destination: Singapore and Vietnam | Other people to mention: Shutter Hub Photo Booths