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We first met eight years ago at school, yes "High School Sweetheart". Definitely love at first sight!! We knew we both had feelings for each other and we were best friends for two years prior to getting together. We've been together for over six years and it only feels like six weeks. We are best friends and have so much fun together.
Brad proposed to me on Friday 23 August 2002. He rang me after work and said "don't ask any questions, just pack an over night bag, including an evening dress, and be ready in 30 minutes". I didn't know what to expect and had convinced myself he wasn't going to propose. We had just spoken with the jeweller and the ring was not going to be ready for 4 to 6 weeks. I was so certain he was not going to propose that I didn't pack his engagement ring. You see, it was my birthday in four days so I thought Brad was taking me out for a romantic night to celebrate. I had no idea!!!
Brad picked me up and took me to a beautiful hotel, walked me up to the room and asked me to stand outside the front door with my eyes closed. I was standing out the front for around 5 minutes, the door opened and Brad led me through the room, asked me to sit down and then open my eyes. When I opened my eyes Brad was kneeling on one knee next to me, the room was full of red roses, candles and champagne. He asked me to marry him and of course I said, "YES"... We then spent the rest of the night at a beautiful restaurant were Brad wined and dined me all night long.
Regarding Brad's engagement ring, I rang his sister and asked her to pick it up from my parent's house and bring it into the hotel. God bless her, she was there within 20 minutes and was so excited for us ...
We were engaged on 23 August 2002 and we booked our reception on 11 January 2003, which gave us 14 months to plan the wedding. We delayed the wedding for 14 months because we brought our first home just before the Christmas of 2002. I Project Manage for a living, so co-ordinating our wedding was a dream come true. We juggled buying a house, working full time with long hours, organising a wedding, still managing to keep sane and having fun with family and friends. I loved every minute of it and would not have changed a thing. Brad and I battled through the challenges together and we became stronger for doing so.
Some challenging areas were choosing our invitations, flowers, cake and hairstyles. I found there were too many options to choose from!!! I had a picture in my head of what we wanted our wedding to be and every time I saw something beautiful, I doubted what we were trying to achieve. When we finally decided on a formal black and white theme, inspired by Audrey Hepburn, my idol, things all fell into place and became a lot easier.
Our wedding day had arrived. It was a beautiful sunny day without a cloud in the sky. My day started with my best friend waking me up at 7am singing "You are my Sun Shine" and then proceed to sing "We're going to the Chapel" and pushing me out of bed. I slept like a baby the night before our wedding. All my worries had gone, I knew everything had been done and nothing could be changed, 'it was out of my control'. I had a great morning with my three bridesmaids. We spent the morning at my best friends salon and my sister and I did the makeup. Upon retuning from the salon, two-dozen long stem red roses arrived. When I saw the roses being walked up my parent's driveway, I cried for the first time. The tears didn't stop there...
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Our ceremony was held at the Royal Military College St Paul's Chapel. The church was full including the people standing at the back. I walked down the aisle to "Canon in D" played by Mainly Mozart String Quartet. I wore a beautiful white delusted satin A-line gown with over 3,000 swarovski crystals designed and made by Chris Stott Designs and my bridesmaids wore Black A-Line gowns. I hand made black and white "Order of Service", the church was full of white oriental lilies and everything was very "Audrey" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's". The ceremony was beautiful and very emotional. I don't think there was a dry eye in the Church.
We arrived at our reception of 90 guests at The Lobby Restaurant, which was lit up with over 300 candles surrounding the tables and around the glass restaurant. The Black and White theme was carried through to our three-tiered square white wedding cake with black ribbon, covered in fresh white oriental lilies and black berries. The table centrepieces were glass vases filled with moss, oriental lilies, dotta vine and black berries, which matched the bridle bouquets. To top it all off, our bonbonnieres were jars of black berry jam, which were of course tied with black ribbon.
We had the night of our lives and farewelled our guests to "Come Fly With Me" by Frank Sanatra. We then flew to the Cook Islands for two weeks for our Honeymoon. We had the time of our lives...
We would like to thank everyone who contributed to our wedding both the months leading up to the big day, the day its self and the weeks after. We have such wonderful people in our lives, all of who help make things so much easier.
"Thank you"
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