Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship:
We met in China in 2013. We were both there for a 2 week university exchange and after a few days we were inseparable. After the 2 weeks we realised that we lived on other sides of the world but wanted to make it work more than anything.
Not exactly the trip we had expected, but definitely life changing. Alex promised me at the airport that he would come see me and we would figure it out. Every day from then on we skyped and a few months after separating I received a package in the mail, with a card and a date on it. Alex arrived a month later. I took him on a tour of Western Australia to the South West and Exmouth. After that I flew with him the Netherlands and met his family. Our families actually met on that trip as mine were also in Europe for Christmas, it was so surreal but felt so right.
We did long distance for a year, travelling back and forth a few times, and then Alex moved to Australia. We lived there for 4.5 years and then decided to travel for 8 months around Australia & New Zealand in our car and rooftop tent. On this trip Alex planned the most romantic proposal and surprised me and my family on our favourite beach. After our EPIC trip we moved to the Netherlands and have been here since. We planned our wedding all from overseas which was a fun challenge.
We love adventure and travel. We love mixing our cultures and finding the quirky funny moments in life.
Funny thing to mention, when I went to China my dad made a joke ‘now go have fun and maybe find yourself a husband’. Little did he know I would, someone from the other side of the world.
Tell us about your special day, was there a specific theme or style? Tell us a little about the setting, the styling and some of your favourite details:
The most important thing to us for our wedding was that we would share it with people we love and appreciate, ensuring we all have an amazing time. We said from the start that to ensure us and our guests would have the best time would require; good food, good drinks and good music with good people. We centred our planning around those key things, because we knew with those elements it would be an amazing day for everyone.
We really wanted a relaxed summer vibe with so much colour. When searching for inspiration there was a lot to choose from and we changed our minds a few times as we planned everything over 2 years. In the end we went for an eclectic colourful vibe with some 50s & 70s vibes thrown in. For us it was bit of everything we love and a mix of things which represents us and our cultures.
After the ceremony, whilst we went to take pictures a friend of mine set up an amazing grazing table. It was nut free, gluten free and had a mix of vegan and meat options so everyone was looked after. It looked so amazing, we sadly didn’t get to enjoy it ourselves as it was gone when we returned haha. We had a food truck with roaming food served throughout the night, so much good stuff!
Throughout the night, a must for us was an epic selection of cocktails. Let’s just say we sold out quite quickly and luckily had a second round of spirits as backup to continue. Espresso martini’s were the hottest drink of the night.
Tell us about your main outfits:
Orange tie was for fun and quirkiness. A suit is very traditional, but Alex wanted to be colourful and fun also. He had our wedding date stitched into the collar of his suit jacket, and our initials stitched into the inside of the jacket breast. His suit was lined with orange fabric also. The orange touch was a surprise to me, Alex knew the colour of our flowers and went with that. It is cute and funny as orange is also the Dutch national colour
I tried on many dress’s and at a point lost a bit of hope. My idea was to find something flowy and potentially backless. I was adamant that I did NOT want a dress with a V neck, sleeveless or fitted. But after trying some dress’s from Made with Love, my mum suggested I try another one, that was sleeveless, fitted and with a V neck. I thought why not. I tried it on and loved it right away. When they say you know the feeling when you try it on, they are right haha. I did not want to wear a veil, but Brides by Design suggested a try the wings, well hot damn they were so cool I had to have them also.
What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day:
- That all of our friends and family were able to come to Australia and be there for that amazing week to celebrate
- Everyone was there for a great time, you could feel the happiness all day
- Walking down the isle and seeing Alex, I was so excited throughout the ceremony I couldn’t contain it I jumped up and down literally
- The international mix of music, there were so interesting ones for sure
- The cocktails, we had 3 that really went down a treat
- The reaction of everyone when the Dutch music came on and we all gathered around to dance very weirdly together. There were moves, we all learned on the spot, it was weird and so so EPIC!
Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together:
- Make sure you plan your wedding for you and do what you both want.
- Planning a wedding is like a rollercoaster, they are fun so enjoy the ride.
- It will all come together in the end.
- The wedding week and day goes very fast, make sure you focus on the fun and enjoy every moment as it happens. The little things don’t matter at the end as long as you and your guests are happy.
- Always do things positively and make it fun, it should be fun!
Photography: @thebarefootphotographer.co | Ceremony and Reception location: @perthcityfarm | Celebrant: @marriedbybrooke | Bride’s gown: @madewithlovebridal | Groom’s suit: @suitsupply | Rings: @michaelhillj | Shoes: @foreversoles | Groom’s shoes: @reinhard_frans | Jewellery: @charlottewooning | Makeup and Hair: @theprettyparlour | Bridesmaid’s attire: @sassandbide and @bettsshoes | Groomsmen’s attire: @roka and @reinhard_frans | Entertainment: @_aslan | Planner: @flights_of_fancy_by_kristy | Lighting: @micktric_events | Furniture: @project_blak | Floral Poles: @heart_strings_hire_n_style | Floral: @rose_bud_designs | Catering and Beverages: @meikabd | Food: @comidadosul | Drinks: @caravanandtonic | Cake: @ebscreativecakes
