The Romance
Dylan and I have know each other from catching the bus in primary school, we went to two different schools but caught the same bus. We went on to the same high school and he then moved away to New Zealand. He moved back to Australia and we saw a lot of each other and it all went from there. Who knew that in year 6 when he asked me to sit at the back of the bus with him that 14 years later we would be getting married!
The Proposal
Dylan and I had gone to Bali for two and a half weeks and travelled around to a lot of different places, we were on Gilli island where he chose to propose. The day before I had been hassling him to get a photo of the well know swing in the water at sunset. He said no, no let’s do it tomorrow. The next day we went down to the beach to have some drinks and watch the sun go down and he told me he had organised a 5 course dinner for the sunset. Didn’t think anything of it, even when he said a professional photographer was included so we could get photos on the swing that he knew I wanted so badly.
We were waiting for out turn when he said “I love you so so much and I couldn’t think of a better time to do this” and got down on one knee. I was freaking out with no idea what was happening, but it clicked straight away and I became an absolute blubbering mess. The photographers captured every moment of it. Very well thought out!! Couldn’t have been more perfect!
The Planning
Planning the big day was a lot more stressful than I had ever thought as it was an overseas wedding. We used Leanne at "I was married in Fiji" and she was a life saver. I also had my beautiful bridesmaids and husband to be by my side helping me with every hard decision and thing I had to plan.
The Wedding Day
Our wedding day could not have been anymore perfect. I was nervous the whole time about the weather not being right, as we had arrived in Fiji three days before the wedding and the weather was temperamental. We didn't know if we would wake up to a beautiful sunny day that would turn cloudy after lunch or wake up to a cloudy day that would open up to a beautiful afternoon.
The morning of the wedding I was staying on a room at the top of the outrigger and had full view of the beach and palm trees right where we were told the ceremony would be so I kept checking how much the trees were moving to make sure it wasn’t too windy. The weather was literally the sunniest (not one cloud in the sky) most still day possible!
Dylan stayed at the next resort over with the groomsmen and a lot of our family attending. I spent the night with my beautiful maid of honour Shilo who calmed me before bed. Dylan and I parted the night before with a kiss before meeting the next day at the aisle. We did not see each other, but he sent me the most heart felt message the morning of our wedding bringing all the girls and I to tears.
I was surprisingly calm, if something wasn’t going the way I had planned I kept thinking to myself it is what it is and no point stressing about it. I had my three bridesmaids with me and my mum and photographer the morning of, as did Dylan with his groomsmen and his family were also at the same resort.
The Ceremony
The ceremony was held on the beach front in front of the outrigger resort in Fiji. We had 3 Fijians singing and playing guitars as the guests waited for me to walk down the aisle. Then Tenereif Sea by Ed Sheeran was played and it was my time. At this time the nerves had kicked in as I was ready to walk down the aisle with my Dad. Could not have done it without him! The atmosphere and mood that day will never be forgotten, the smiles and happy tears on everyone’s faces I will never forget. Seeing Dylan at the end of the aisle with THE biggest smile on his face will stay in my heart forever.
The Reception
Our reception was not far from the ceremony but up on a grassed area, that we had planned for a beautiful outdoor reception. The weather kept up all afternoon and the clouds and wind stayed away. We had lanterns hung everywhere, round tables so everyone could communicate better. Lots of laughs and happy tears shared before we all got on the dance floor and danced the night away.
The Honeymoon
We continued on in Fiji for another week and a half, seeing some of the Yasawa Islands, Dylan took me scuba diving for the first time, we went and swam with mantaray, and snorkeling with reef sharks. We had beach front bungalows that were so private with our own hammocks, what more could you ask for!
Wedding Advice ...
Plan ahead and don’t leave things too late. You don’t have to have a huge wedding to make a memorable day. Don’t invite people for the sake of it, invite people who matter. DONT STRESS!!! No point :)
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