Image by Nectarine Photography
John and I met just over four years ago. My best friend Kate had been trying to set me up with her boyfriend (now her husband) Pete’s best friend. I wasn’t really keen on the idea of set ups, I thought it would just be awkward and embarrassing, so I kept saying no. One night Kate rocked up at my place telling me to get ready we were going to a party, so off we went. As we pulled into the driveway Kate decided to mention that this was John’s house, the guy she had been trying to set me up with and this was his birthday party and SURPRISE I was about to meet him. It was the best dirty trick anyone has ever played on me, and I can’t thank her enough because since that party, John and I have partied all our parties together, it really was, as they say all cheesy like, love at first sight.
Two years later in Sydney on holiday we had a night out drinking cocktails at our favourite The Arthouse hotel then eating entirely too much oh so yummy food at the night noodle markets in Hyde park, it was the funnest night. When we were about ready to explode from too much noodle we decided to “walk it off” and check out a photo exhibition that was going on there. By this stage I was more than a little tipsy and starting to feel sick from devouring way too much Dim sum, so we decided to stop at a bench for a minute. As I sat, John got down on one knee, took my hands in his, looked me in the eye and said he knew for sure after that night that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. I cried and said yes before realising he hadn’t actually said the words ” will you marry me” whoops, but he assured me that’s where he was going, and we were engaged.
Image by Nectarine Photography
We weren’t in a rush to get married, we knew we would get there when we were ready, we also had a couple of friends who were engaged or freshly married and we didn’t want to seem as though we were trying to steal the spotlight. Our families however couldn’t wait, yet were scattered all over the world, which made it a bit hard to set a date that was good for everyone to make it over to Perth.
Our wedding planning began with the quest for the perfect venue. We wanted our wedding to be outdoors, which meant spring or summer, so we started looking at places casually over the next year or so. We loved the relaxed feel of the swan valley, so naturally we looked at wineries first. They were very nice don’t get me wrong, beautiful in fact but none of them really felt like us. The one or two we did like were very rigid in what we could and couldn’t do and offered two or three wedding “options” or “packages”and that is what we had to choose from. Everything from tablecloths to food to the areas we could use what for was set out in three or four packages. We weren’t really sure exactly what we wanted but we did know we didn’t want a packaged wedding designed for the masses. It all got a little frustrating, until one day we decided to stop for lunch at a cafe near Woodbridge house which I had googled, Riverside @ woodbridge. The food sounded amazing so we thought we would check it out. As John was driving there I decided to check out the website, first thing I noticed was that they did weddings, the photos looked really pretty so I got excited. The second we got there I knew. It was green and leafy with an amazing view of the river, the cafe itself was undercover yet could be open to see straight out at the view of the cute jetty on the river with an amazing vineyard backdrop.
I looked at John and he looked pretty happy too, so we decided to get some food and to enquire about the wedding with the staff. Luckily for us the owner Suzie was in that day and came and had a chat with us. Every word she said sold me more and more. Suzie was lovely for a start, she asked what kind of theme we were going for and all the usual questions, but she just got it. She knew what we wanted and was willing to help us achieve it in any way she could. We loved her and had found the place. We loved it. Now to find a date everybody from overseas could make…
Ms Gingham says: So lovely to meet this beautiful couple! I love the story of how John met Nichola and can’t wait to hear more!
Nichola says: “I’m Nichola, I’m 27 and I live in Perth with my amazing fiancé John and our kitty Whiskey. I work in an arts & Craft store, as I’m a huge fan of the afternoon and also studied art & design. When I have time to spare I love to ride my bicycle or go for a roller skate with my lovely girl friends, we just like having a laugh and a wine and talking about movies, music and shows we have come across, or checking out new bars and exhibitions and we all have our own styles and personalities. In the end (as cheesy as it sounds) I’m just an ordinary girl with a love of fun, laughter & lovely things.”
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