The Details
How did you and your partner meet?
We met online. We lived down the road from each other, shared several mutual friends and had even been to the same parties at university, but it took the internet to get us together! It wasn’t an easy start, however, with Nick needing to move to Vancouver for a year 2 months after we met. A long-distance relationship can make or break you, luckily in our case it just brought us closer together.
How did he propose?
In Córdoba, Spain. Three days earlier, we arrived in Madrid. Nick planned to propose after a romantic dinner on the restaurant balcony, but it was absolutely freezing so he went to plan B – a rowboat proposal the next day. Plan B was a total washout and we drove south to Córdoba the next day. After nearly getting our hire car stuck in an impossibly narrow village road (without having a single cross word with each other!) we headed out to dinner. Upon returning to our hotel, Nick said he wanted to check out the view from the balcony and led me upstairs. Looking down upon the beautifully lit up walled city, I noticed Nick was acting a little strange and the next thing I know there was a ring in front of me and he’s asking me to marry him. He’d been carrying it around in his pocket for the past 4 days and somehow managed to hide it from me (and not get pick pocketed!). Of course I said yes, and the rest is history!
What’s your most important piece of advice for creating and maintaining a strong relationship?
Communication! Having begun our relationship long distance, Nick and I developed a solid foundation through honest and open communication. Sometimes it can be difficult to raise or discuss things that you’d rather ignore, but we believe in sorting things out as they occur, respecting each other’s differences and always coming from a place of compassion and empathy to further strengthen our bond and help each other grown over time.
Tell us about your wedding gown and how you chose it:
I have always enjoyed designing my own dresses but with a 5-month engagement I didn’t have much time. In the end, I found a beautiful dress at L’Amour Bridal Boutique, but worked with the super talented Reingard to recreate the top. Her attention to detail and dedication was amazing, even staying up all hours to hand sew hundreds of Swarovski crystals onto the lace. It fit like a glove and I couldn’t have been happier with the end result!
What sort of style did you envision for your wedding day?
We wanted the day to have a mixture of classic and formal elements, but a relaxed and warm feel with neutral tones and elements of nature. We’re both animals lovers and I am a vet so it was really important for our dog Mia to be part of the ceremony. The Yarra Valley was an easy choice as we visited this area when Nick visited from Vancouver and it held many significant memories. Coombe was our top pick, it’s history and glorious big Oak tree was perfect for the ceremony. The reception venue with its large windows and modern yet classic décor fit our style perfectly. The gorgeous grounds also provided the perfect backdrop for our photos.
What was your favorite moment from the day?
I have two! Walking up the aisle with my dad, seeing Nick’s face. He was trying to hide his tears, but I could see them. We just locked eyes and everything else just disappeared for that moment. It was magical. The second was when Mia delivered our rings – she just sprinted down the white carpet straight to us with her little flower-adorned collar, completely oblivious to the meaning of her entrance or the event. All she wanted to do was lick our faces and tell us how happy she was to see us! It was very grounding and made everyone relax and have a good laugh.
If you could do it all over again, what would you change?
In all the excitement, we completely forgot to get our dog Mia to join us for the photos. She was busy stealing hors d’oeuvres off our guests so I don’t think she minded!
Any tips that you can give to future brides?
Enjoy each moment of the day, it really does go by so quickly. Don’t worry about the weather or any mishaps, they make for a memorable day and remember why you’re there – to marry the love of your life so as long as that happens then nothing else really matters!
Wedding Invitations: BWedding Invitations www.bweddinginvitations.com
Dress: L’Amour Bridal Boutique www.lamourbridalboutique.com.au
Makeup: Maria Gullace
Hair: D’Artanian Dior – Hairdressing www.dartaniandior.com
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Accessories: Paspaley
Rings: Larsen Jewellers
Bridesmaids Dresses:
Only 1 member of bridal party, the ring bearer (Mia the dog), who wore a custom-made collar by Willow dog designs that was hand engraved and dressed with fresh flowers to match my bouquet.
Menus and Place Cards: Adorn Invitations www.adorninvitations.co.uk
Grooms Suit: Oscar Hunt
Photographer: Milk photography www.milkphotography.com.au
Guest gifts: Emmelle Home and Body personalized candles
Cake: Splendid Servings
Food: Coombe – The Melba Estate
Flowers: Jumping Jonquils
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Coombe – The Melba Estate www.coombeyarravalley.com.au
Entertainment: Darcy String Quartet & DJ Mimi: Top Dog
