What happens when two writers with impeccable musical tastes come together? Well, that’s when the real story begins! Olivia and Jackie’s intimate spring wedding had all the trimmings: lesbian pride-toned flowers, a sentimental ceremony spot, and incredible WLW musical picks. Captured by the talented Yasmina Nadine Photography and planned by Miheala from Eventhaus, we’re excited to dive into all the details with our Dotties!

In 2022, Olivia and Jackie’s paths first crossed online in a creative writers space. “There was an instant spark between us! We wrote together, shared our lives, and grew closer with each day. At the time, I was living on the East Coast of the United States, nearly 10,000 miles away from Olivia’s home in Sydney. But despite the distance, we always found time for each other,” Jackie explained.

“One night, I was listening to a song Olivia introduced me to, “Head Cheerleader” by Pom Pom Squad. The song always made me think of her, and I just couldn’t get her off my mind. That night, I confessed my love, and she confessed hers. Fast forward to October 2025, and we’ve just been pronounced wives with Head Cheerleader to close out our ceremony!”

Fast forward two years: Jackie is staying in Sydney for a month-long trip with Olivia, and the pair are out exploring. The only thing Jackie could think about was how both she and Olivia knew they each had rings in their pockets, and it was a race to see who would find the perfect opportunity to propose first. “In a move that couldn’t have been more obvious, I spontaneously suggested a walk in the Botanic Gardens instead. I walked her to the bridge over the Twin Ponds, one of the first places we video-called each other. I asked her to turn around, and when she turned back again, I was on one knee with a ring asking her to marry me. She said yes! Then it was Olivia’s turn to take out her ring, get on one knee, and propose right back! It was a perfect moment, and we had a perfect celebration right after with drinks on the Rooftop Bar of the State Library!”

Still long-distance when they started looking for their wedding dresses, the only thing Jackie and Olivia wanted was each other’s input as they searched. “We ended up showing off our dresses to one another. My family helped me pick out a simple flowy dress and some off-white high heels to match, and Olivia found a beautiful A-line dress and silver flats,” Jackie shared.

“After I flew to Sydney ahead of the wedding, we decided to shop for headpieces to tie our looks together. We chose a silver floral headband for Olivia and a lattice-style veil for me. I’m grateful we could do our final bit of shopping together! It was so exciting to share in that anticipation and excitement leading up to the wedding!”

Enjoying complementary champagne and strawberries in their room before leaving for the ceremony, Jackie was so focused on soaking in those last few moments she barely noticed the strawberry stain on her dress! “Both Yasmina and our MUA, Inez, panicked, but I was more worried about their reaction than I was about the dress. They remarked to us how chill we were, unusually chill, and I couldn’t help but think, nothing can ruin this day because I’m marrying the love of my life, and nothing else matters.”

Kristela Marie created these beautiful spring-like florals for Jackie and Olivia, using the lesbian flag colours as the main inspiration. “We gave her a lot of freedom to suggest what arrangements were best. She ended up supplementing the pinks and oranges with touches of blue, which worked out perfectly. They looked absolutely beautiful on the day, and we got so many compliments on them,” Olivia explained.

The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney was the perfect backdrop for their spring ceremony. Not only was it where they proposed to each other, but it was also where Olivia used to call Jackie on her lunch breaks. “The Fig Tree Lawn is both near the water and near the twin ponds, so it felt like the most appropriate spot.”

Olivia and Jackie walked down the aisle hand in hand as MUNA’s “Silk Chiffon” floated through the garden air. “It felt like the end of a romantic movie. The big moment that we had been waiting for, exactly as I imagined in my wildest dreams,” Jackie shared.

For Jackie, their wedding and ceremony were made all the more special as it was the first time her family had visited from the States to meet Olivia and her family. With the help of their celebrant, Liz Watson, their ceremony was intimate and still giggle-inducing. “Our celebrant, Liz, helped us out with this, including helping us write our own vows to each other and keeping them secret until the big day. We also included a knot-tying ceremony at the end using a Chinese love knot prepared by my mother. She and Jackie’s mother and grandmother had a working bee before the wedding to include a smaller love knot for each guest to take home as well,” Olivia explained.

“For me, hearing Jackie’s personal vows, in front of everyone, it was just perfect. I was really struggling not to tear up, especially as Jackie went first and I knew I’d have to get through mine after.”

Jackie added, “She really got to know us as a couple and by the end of our questionnaires and meetings, she had a true insight into our story that really showed on the wedding day. I think all our guests understood our story too, because of her.”

Music played a huge role in their spring wedding, so much so that Jackie and Olivia spent the days leading up to everything listening to their creation. “We made sure our playlists were very personal to us, filled with songs that we shared with each other throughout our long-distance years. Our celebrant also told our story during the ceremony, as the fairy tale it is, and this union is our next chapter to signify how special it was, the way we met,” Jackie explained.

While they both loved all their vendors, the way that Yasmina Nadine captured their wedding through her lens was exactly what Olivia and Jackie needed! “She was absolutely amazing. We had an engagement shoot with her before the ceremony to get a feel for her style, and she was so good at making us feel at ease and making having the photos taken fun, that it really helped us relax, which shows in the photos.”

The best piece of advice Jackie and Olivia want to share with couples is this: Chill out! “Even if you do your own wedding planning, get an on-the-day coordinator so you don’t have to worry about details on the day. This is going to be the happiest day of your life, and it will be an absolute whirlwind. Make sure you enjoy every second of it,” Jackie explained.

“I agree, don’t worry about every tiny little detail, the most important thing is getting married to the love of your life,” Olivia added.

For Olivia, the vendor that stood out the most for their incredible work was their wedding coordinator, Miheala Jordache from EventHaus! “She was a late addition to our team, and we were really fortunate that we could book her, as she helped immensely with all the little bits of wedding planning, the timing, the questions you don’t think to ask, and she even introduced us to our make-up artist, Inez”

The party later moved over to Watersedge along the harbour for the reception. “We looked at a few venues (with Jackie on video call) and really liked both the location and vibe of Watersedge, so we locked it in. Watersedge has a beautiful view of the Opera House and a great set-up where the room is split in two, one side for sitting/eating and the other for dancing, which suited us perfectly.”

Instead of hiring an MC for the night, Jackie and Olivia let their loved ones take turns on the mic! “We are lucky that many of our family and friends are gifted public speakers. Jackie’s grandparents, in particular, who are retired clergy members, brought the house down during their speeches.”

The five things that made Olivia and Jackie’s spring wedding that extra bit special included:

“1. Our personal vows

2. Our WLW theme

3. The location

4. Our friends and family being there

5. Our first dance!”

Speaking of their first dance, “Suckerpunch” by Fletcher was the perfect addition to their playlist! “It was our big secret. We came up with our own choreography at home, dancing in the kitchen, and left it as a big surprise for our guests when we took to the dance floor. It was so exhilarating and exciting to run through all our moves and nail them in front of all our friends and family.”

Thanks to Yasmina Nadine Photography for capturing and sharing this special day with us. And a huge congratulations to Jackie and Olivia on your beautiful wedding!