Samantha & Max's Wedding Story
The Romance
In 2010, I was caring for the first Manly captain Max Whitehead, he sadly passed away and it was at his funeral that Max and I met. We started out just talking and having lunches and eventually we both realised there was something more then friendship. Obviously the age gap meant I needed approval from family and friends but this was not hard to achieve as when you meet Max he is a genuine, down to earth honest, caring guy and my friends and family saw this.
The ProposalWhen our seeing each other was out in the open and we had both met each other's family we decided that our relationship could go to the next level. After 4 years of dating Max proposed to me at a restaurant on the Gold Coast on October 11th 2014. We moved to the Gold Coast from Sydney to have a "sea change" and have started to love living here. We were sitting in the restaurant and Max was about to propose, as he said "I was just wondering will you" the waiter brought out our first entree so Max said "like a piece of bread". Eventually he worked up the courage to propose. I obviously said yes after he had told me he had asked my Dad. Both families were thrilled with the news.
The Planning
In the ten months we had to arrange the wedding each weekday and weekend was spent on the internet sorting out our perfect day. We thank Scotty Sax for playing the bongos and saxophone with the DJ, Trent Cooper & Impression DJ's who are the best in the business for providing our music, Bridal Bling Sydney for our giant Love letters, Nathan & Shallis for our table decorations, Sweet Love Bridal for the final touches (cake topper, name place cards, caricature), Je t'adore wedding photography for capturing our day so perfectly and flying from the Gold Coast, Last Minute Videography for also capturing everything and providing us with forever lasting memories and also flying from the Gold Coast, Grant Goldman from 2SM for being our MC, all the people who read prayers that mean so much to us at our ceremony- Kelly McDonnell, Michael Ward, Benson Burns, Coral McGuiness & Donna Tattersall, those who said speeches at the wedding including my father Steven Green who welcomed Max to the family and Cr Dawn Crichlow (OAM) who welcomed me to her family, without all this support we would not have been able to have an amazing day. I must also mention Amy who was our wedding coordinator- without her I am certain my stress levels would've been through the roof!!
The Wedding DayOur day started early, we were at the hairdressers at 6am with hair and makeup being attended to. Champagne breakfast was on order and plenty of memories. Hairdressers were Kathryn and Liana from the Hair and Beauty Gallery at Maroubra. The amazing work performed by Stacey McPherson our makeup artist was just perfect. Stacey is very busy and is the makeup artist to many celebrities so I was lucky I booked her well in advance and she also tanned us. They all worked magic on us to ensure not a hair was out of place and our lipstick stayed on all day and night.
Once we finished at the hairdresser we headed back to a house on Mosman water where we got ready. The videographer and photographer followed us from midday. We danced around the lounge room, sang out loud, read letters that I had personally written to each of them, cried, laughed and then the moment came that they all assisted me into my stunning dress. I wore a Grace Loves Lace dress. It was the most beautiful dress, soft lace and everything I had dreamed of and more. I wore the Hollie dress with the Gabriela Veil. My bridesmaid wore forever new dresses and my mother was in a gorgeous dress purchased from Heavenly bridal.
The boys got ready at a house in the Rocks. They enjoyed a breakfast, a few drinks and laughs. Max was quite nervous.
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Max and I chose Sydney's Taronga Zoo as our venue. We just loved the Zoo despite looking at many venues. The amazing outlook and view we couldn't go past. September 18th 2015 we married. It was the most wonderful day of my life. We were surrounded by 160 of our closest family and friends. We married in the Harbourview gazebo, I walked down the aisle with my Dad crying to Kodalime - The One, my Bridesmaids to Christina Perri- A thousand years.
Our marriage celebrant was Darlene Ford and our bridal party consisted of family and friends we have both had our whole life. It was a wedding surrounded with love and plenty of family. The ceremony was personalised and the vows written by Max and myself. We walked back up the aisle to Bonfire Heart by James Blunt. The registry was signed by Robbie who is Max's son and my sister Melissa to the wonderful sounds of Adele- Make you feel my love and Ellie Goulding-Love me like you do.
After the ceremony we headed into the Zoo grounds to have photos with the Giraffes.
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The ReceptionOur reception was held in the Harbourview Terrace and our first dance was to Rhianna- Diamonds to which we had a choreographed dance and dry ice to fill the dance floor a long with Scotty sax which made the whole night so special. Our highlight was definitely Scotty Sax who upped the anti on the dance floor.
Max being the former owner of the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles football team and myself being a Souths supporter we thought our contribution to NRL would be when we entered the reception venue. We started out with the Eagle Rock playing to which I then stood with my hands on my hips and then Glory Glory to South Sydney played. Our reception venue was amazing watching the sunset over the harbour while we had a DVD playing which was pre recorded for our guests and speeches that had our guests in stitches.
We must make special thanks to the bridal party:-
Best man- Robbie Delmege, Groomsmen- Brett Delmege, Bob Reilly, Brolin Castellino & Scott Campbell.
The Maid of Honor- Melissa Green, Bridesmaids- Jennifer Knight, Danielle Hickman, Shallis Hurst & Lel Delmege.
Our Paige boys- Harry Delmege & Eddie Delmege
Flower girls- Savannah Delmege & Bo Delmege
Guests travelled from all over to be at our wedding- Perth, Gold Coast, Inverell, Sale, central coast and eastern suburbs of Sydney. We were very thankful.
My dream was to have fresh flowers everywhere. Hayley Austin a girl I went to school with ensured this dream became a reality, adding to this the cake we had was to die for. To top the cake off we had a personalised cake topper.
Everything about our wedding was personalised- the socks, cuff links, letters to all the bridal party, gowns to get us ready in, stickers for the champagne bottles, the caricature that was drawn for us, the cake topper, signs, Instagram giant frame, the page boy signs, a memorial Table with candles, charms on my bouquet, our bonbinerre, handkerchiefs, coat hangers for all the bridal party, the bottom of our shoes... Not a stone was left unturned.
The HoneymoonAfter this amazing day we stayed in Sydney for 3 days before heading off to Manila for 1 night then onto Boracay Island in the Philippines for ten nights. Our honeymoon was pure relaxation, plenty of fresh seafood, great memories and cocktails. Such a Beautiful Island.
I will end on this note; Max and I obviously have an age gap.. We have proved critics wrong, we have been together 6 years now, we love each other more each day, we respect, admire and support each other, we have had our story shared on TV and in the media yet we continue to show that no matter what the age true love can last. Find that perfect person, embrace it, hang onto it because you just never know when that amazing person will pass you by again. Don't listen to society, listen to your heart.
We hope to have children in the future to complete our family along with our gorgeous poodle Pinot.
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