Luke proposed to me on Sunday 1st May 2011. At the time I was 5 months pregnant with our first child (Chase). Due to the recent purchase of our very first home, we had both spent our sunday separately, organizing bits and pieces in preparation for our new house. When we arrived home Luke informed me that he was taking me out to dinner that night. So I did what any girl would do, I locked myself inside the bathroom making myself look beautiful for our dinner date. We arrived at Harry O’s restaurant, to a beautifully decorated table covered in candles, in a separate room to other diners. I suspected nothing and I was glad just to be spending time alone with Luke. Suddenly he stood up and removed something from his pocket, he then proceeded to get down on bent knee and asked me to become his wife. Obviously I said yes, and the wedding planning began.

We set the date for our wedding, Wednesday 6th March 2013. This date has special significance to myself, as this is also the same date that my parents were married 31 years ago. I have always admired their relationship, they have always been so close and so in love even after all these years of marriage. They are the inspiration for my relationship and marriage, so what better date to get married than on their wedding anniversary. The image below is one them toasting their anniversary on the day.

I was in heaven planning our wedding. I had recently started studying Floristry at Tafe, so was very excited to make my wedding flowers and table arrangements. I am also very arty and crafty, so the majority of our wedding decorations were hand-made by myself. I had decided that I wanted our wedding to be a very romantic themed wedding. Lace, soft pinks, pearls all symbolize romance to me, so these things were all in. Now I needed to find a wedding dress.

I brought my dress from Dion for Brides, Perth Western Australia. It was NOTHING like I had planned on wearing. My dream wedding dress was a one shoulder design that had a fitted bodice and a flowy skirt, with lots and lots of lace, and absolutely NOT white. Instead I wanted more of a mushroom, creamy coloured gown. My beautiful dress from Dion for Brides though, was a strapless dress with a sweet heart neckline, the bust completely covered in bling, the colour, Ivory. I fell in love with it as soon as I put it on. I had my man, I had my dress, now for all the other smaller details.

I had 4 bridesmaids, My best friend of 15 years (Stacey), my sister-in-law (Kristy), my cousin (Marie-Dominique) and a work friend (Gemma). We got our dresses for the maids from Forever New. I wanted something that my girls could wear again, and something that was not too expensive. When I found the J’dore floral Maxi dresses at Forever New, I thought they where stunning. The different shades of pink throughout the dress made a floral like pattern. This was just perfect for the theme of our wedding. To go with their dresses, I brought the girls pearl and crystal drop earrings, and pearl bracelets with a beautiful silver, crystal encrusted dangling heart.

Our bridal party also consisted of 3 of Luke’s closest mates, Shane, Chris and Scott and his brother Isaac. Our son Chase and Luke’s other son Jaxon where our page boys, and Luke’s daughter Caitlin was our junior bridesmaid. Caitlin looked beautiful in yet another Forever New dress, cream in colour, made from mesh like material that fell softly to the knee, with delicate beading across the torso.

Our ceremony was perfect. Set underneath one of Mandurah’s (Western Australia) biggest Icons, the Fig Tree at stingray point. We had 110 of our closest family and friends witness our love and commitment. A special feature of our wedding ceremony was our Letter Exchange. Luke and I have both written a letter to each other, that during our ceremony, we placed into a special box. The idea, is that either on our first anniversary, or after a big fight (which ever comes first, which will hopefully be our anniversary) we will take time out to read these letters, to remind one another of the love we have for each other and the reason we decided to bind our love together in marriage.

Our reception was entertaining, fun, delicious and romantic all rolled into one. There were lots of special features at our reception held at Forte Mandurah Quays. In fact, when I think back on our reception now, it really was nothing short of amazing. The cake was made by my mum, and she did a fantastic job of it. It was a three-tiered cake, the bottom layer white chocolate and macadamia nut and the middle layer was red velvet chocolate cake (the top-tier was polystyrene) both the bottom layers where scrumptious (Luke and I had it for breakfast the next morning)

We also had a lolly buffet at our reception, which I had put together the night before the wedding. This was very popular and our guests seemed to enjoy helping themselves to an assortment of strawberry boats, chocolate hearts, marshmallows etc. Instead of your average wishing well, I hand-made a gift box decorated to the theme of our wedding, for our guests to leave their cards and gifts. Another special feature at our reception was our Memorial Lantern. This was special to me as my grandfather had passed away a week before our wedding, and a dear friend passed away a few months before as well. Our Memorial lantern was lit in honour of these people, along with both Luke’s and mine other grandparents that have passed on.

Our first dance as husband and wife was so much fun. We had secretly been having dance lessons for a month prior to the wedding. Neither Luke nor myself are into the slow dancing style. So we chose a Pitbull song “Give me Everything” and busted a groove on the dance floor with our smooth Hip Hop moves. Our guests went nuts, and all commented that our dance was definitely the highlight of the wedding

Overall our Wedding exceeded all my expectations. I am so happy to now to be able to call Luke my husband and I love looking at our wedding photos remembering how special our day was. I had so much fun planning for our own wedding, and I have become so wedding obsessed, that I have decided to try to make a career out of it, and I have recently enrolled in a Wedding planner course.

Images by Capturing Magic Wedding Photography

Ms Gingham says: Beautiful memorial to the people who passed away before the wedding. A lovely, significant touch. Congratulations to Luke and Kristy.

Kristy says: “I am 27 years old, and had spent the first 10 years of my working career as a Pharmacy assistant, until I met my prince charming. He encouraged me to follow my dreams, and pursue a career in the floristry industry. Which has since resulted in an obession with all things WEDDING. We have recently become married ourselves (tying the knot on Wednesday 6th March 2013).”