Bride of the Year 2006 - Winner

Our Winner

I first discovered True Bride whilst Googling on the web. It is a fantastic resource for planning a wedding, I used to log in nearly everyday. I didn’t go and buy all the magazines as all I needed was online. Tips, advice, places to go, everything was there at my finger tips and I especially thought the Bride of the Year Competition was a wonderful idea. Then one of my friends at work told me that she had voted for someone in True Bride's Bride of the Year Competition and suggested that I should enter – so I did!

I work at a school in Queensland as a Primary Music Specialist and Primary Choir Director, so I received a fabulous amount of support from all my students in voting for me. But I was really keen to give it a good shot so I made up some cards with my photo on it and took it to my hairdresser’s salon (the one who did my hair and makeup on the day) and she asked all her customers to vote. Friends and relies also did lots of voting. They loved the photos on the website and kept telling me how amazing I looked. Everyone was so supportive and keen to vote. They all thought I had a good chance at becoming the 2006 Bride of the Year.

When I received the phone call from True Bride I hoped it was good news, and secretly believed it was – and I was right! It was so exciting. I couldn’t wait to tell everyone. I called my husband straight away, he was so excited, just as excited as I was, then I told all my work friends at lunch time.

In 2008, we are planning on a holiday to New York. We have never been overseas before so the prize money will be a great contribution to our trip.

The Romance

We met a few years before we started going out. My Dad had been trying to set me up with someone that he worked with but once I met him it was a no go. Then the next day I visited dad at work and he introduced me to Michael. It was attraction at first sight most definitely. When dad came home that afternoon I asked him to ask Michael around for a BBQ on the weekend. He did and we hit it off immediately. Even my brother, who was 19 at the time, said that we were getting along rather well.

The next morning, his car was still at my parent’s house so I left him my business card with a message on the back saying give me a call sometime. At that stage of our friendship I lived in Brisbane and he was in Mackay, 12 hour drive away.

As it turned out, a couple of weeks later Michael called me and we talked on the phone for hours. We had many late night conversations on the phone and became good friends. Every time I went up to Mackay to see my family we met up and had a great time.

We were friends for a long time and then I got a call from Michael saying that he was coming down for a week to the Sunshine Coast and would I like to catch up. So we caught up and had a night out dancing and partying. That night, we shared our first kiss and then spent the week together. We knew then, that we were meant to be together and we decided to give the long distance thing a go. Every chance that I got, I flew to Mackay to be with him and vice versa. This all happened in August 2003 and then in January 2004 Michael moved to Brisbane with me and we have been together ever since.

Michael and I have always had an unbelievable connection. We knew very early that we were meant to be together. Life seemed to work better for us when we were together.

The Planning

We had around 15 months to organise our wedding. We had decided on a simple, but elegant style, somewhere between formal & casual. I am an ultra organised person, so I enjoyed every minute of planning our special day together with Michael, we did everything together and had a blast planning. Everything went according to plan.

All my wedding suppliers were so professional and helpful, nothing that was too much trouble, my dress, flowers, the decorators, my hair and makeup.

The only thing that was a little challenging was planning a wedding in Mackay when I live in Brisbane. If you are getting married in a different place to where you live, make sure you have someone there who can help you. My Mum and sister were the best help ever. They did much of the ground work for me, it was fantastic.

One more word of advice before I go on - make sure you take the week off before your wedding because there are so many little things that need to be done, you do not want to be thinking about work as well.

I wouldn’t have changed a thing. In fact I would do it again any day.

Our Wedding Day

I had heard many horror stories of wedding days gone wrong - believe me! But my special day was ‘The Best Day of my Life’. When my husband and I arrived at our honeymoon suite all I could say is, “Can we do that again? That was the most amazing time ever.” So, never believe all the stories you hear.

The day before, my bridesmaids, Mum and I went to a day spa for a luxurious three hours of pampering. That was my gift to my three lovely bridesmaids for being by my side on my day and it was just divine.

On the morning of our BIG DAY, I woke at 6am and the weather was perfect. We had a relaxing morning, starting with breakfast followed by my hair and make-up artist arriving at 6:30am getting stuck into my hair. After around an hour and a half it the girls had their turn. Next flowers arrived, followed by the flower girl, dresses were pressed and make up done. Hours seemed to have just disappeared and then lunch was served. My photographer, Sue, arrived at 12:30pm and once the photos were done, it was time to head off to the church, oh my gosh, I was feeling just a little nervous.

The cars arrived and it was time to go, the Nerves really settled in and I had butterflies in the tummy. As soon as I got into the car, the tears started. I was really nervous now. My driver took us on a lovely ride and he and Dad were cracking jokes and laughing which settled me a little.

We arrived at the local church in Mackay and more happy snaps were taken. The girls started walking down the aisle and everything was fine until I got to the door of the church. The flood gates had opened and I cried all the way down the aisle, managing a small smile at our guests as I walked through with my Dad. I cried through the service, through our vows, it was uncontrollable. The worst thing was that I didn’t have enough tissues and so I was continuously asking my bridesmaids for tissues.

With the Ceremony over and the family photos taken outside the church, we went on to have our photos taken down by the beach which was just the best fun. We had drinks and nibbles for everyone it was very relaxing and we managed some amazing shots close to sunset.

By the time we arrived at the reception I was a little weary so ordered a red bull and freshened up for the next stage of our big day. My brother (our MC) announced our arrival. I have never felt so much love and joy before. All our family and friends that we treasured the most were there to share our first meal as husband and wife. It was the most incredible feeling, sitting at the bridal table and looking out to all our special guests and realising that this was the day I had been planning for, for so long.

During the main meal we mingled and chatted to all our guests. Everyone commented on my exquisite dress and how beautiful I looked. We broke up the speeches a bit. My Dad, mum and father in law said their speeches after the main meal, followed by my sister and brother in law. We waited until after dessert for Michael and I to make our speeches.

With meals finished and speeches done, cutting of the cake and bridal waltz over, it was time to get on the dance floor and have a blast, which is what we did. Before we knew it, my sister (matron of honor) came over and said it was time to go. The guests formed an arch for us to walk through and then we went off to our honeymoon suite where the spa was full and champagne was on ice. It was such a memorable day, fun, no stress, everything went smoothly. I will never forget it.

The next day we went around to my mum and dad’s for a BBQ lunch with all the relies who had travelled up for the wedding and then we went back to our hotel room and spent the night relaxing and ordering room service. On the Monday we set of for our honeymoon. We went to Hamilton Island for 5 glorious nights. It was so relaxing and enjoyable.

I would like to thank true bride for the amazing opportunity of making my special day that little bit more special and memorable. The directory is an amazing resource and it was a great place to go to for information.

Bride of the Year 2006 - Wedding Suppliers