My favourite thing about us is that we both are constantly striving for greatness in everything we do.
Jake and I met at the tallest point on the Gold Coast—the Q1 Penthouse—for Jake’s friends who were going away.
Since that night, we’ve fallen into a whirlwind of spontaneous dates and thrill-seeking adventures—from off-the-grid camp trips to flashy events, it was worth commuting hours up and down the M1 motorway to see each other. Over the years, our love has blossomed into a deep and passionate relationship. Our shared memories and experiences have bonded us like glue.
In 2022, we packed up our lives into two suitcases and set off for the adventure of a lifetime. Starting off as co-workers on the biggest cruise ship in the world, then breaking off into an impromptu world tour, we ticked off 16 countries in 8 months. Jake and I share an intense love for travel and adventure, and hand in hand, we created special moments all over the world that we will tell our own children and grandchildren about. We refer to this trip as our bucket list trip, and for us, ticking off the list together made each moment even more precious. An obvious favourite memory from this trip was the day we got engaged on a little wooden jetty in a town called Portoverne in Italy.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
Jake is a true adventurer with a love for all things outdoors.
He is a firefighter by profession and is living out his childhood dream with unwavering dedication. Hard work and commitment are his mantras, whether he’s fighting fires or spending quality time with his loved ones. Jake’s infectious energy and loveable nature shine through in everything he does.
Amira is a force of energy and vivacity. With a deep dedication to dance, her unwavering commitment and tireless effort have propelled her to excel in her craft as a performer and teacher. Despite her busy schedule, Amira remains grounded, cherishing moments of joy and connection with her loved ones above all else.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We met at Jake’s friend’s going-away party. Jake was bouncing around the room and caught my eye. I remember my jaw hitting the floor, and Jake had the biggest and most beautiful smile I had ever seen! We danced the night away, and the very next day, I bet my friend $500 that I would marry him.
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
Neither of us was looking for a relationship at the time, but we very naturally wanted to keep hanging out together! Each “date” we went on in those early stages was extravagant. One day, we were hiking a mountain; the next, we were on a yacht. I think after about 5 of these dates, we realised that we were a match made in heaven. We got along like a house on fire and have a really similar energy. My favourite thing about us is that we both are constantly striving for greatness in everything we do. We have created such a beautiful life together because of this.
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
We spent a day together in Portoverne, Italy. It was a picturesque day. We explored the town and ate Nutella croissants. It was a very warm day, so we decided to find a spot to swim.
There was a beautiful, long private jetty with 10 small wooden boats tied along it. Jake asked a man tending to his boat if he would mind us swimming. He generously said ‘of course’. Hundreds of jellyfish were in the water, and we decided to brave it and jump in. I filmed the jump as I predicted one of us would get stung, but neither of us did. Once we climbed back onto the jetty, Jake went back to our clothes, and at the time, I thought he turned off my phone from filming, but he actually grabbed the ring box. He came over and asked me to stand up, I remember being extremely confused, even once I saw the ring box I didn’t believe what was happening. He kneeled down on one knee and asked me to marry him. We both cried with joy and sat together on the end of the jetty like we were the only people in the world.
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
We knew early on that we were okay with splurging on a good photographer. Photos are the only thing from your wedding day that lives on, other than your marriage, of course. We are SO glad and grateful for the photographer (Aleisha Edwards) we chose, as our wedding pictures are better than we could have ever asked for.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
Mum and I spent hundreds of hours curating a cocktail hour menu and working out the ingredients needed. On the day, the fridge wasn’t switched on, so all the cocktail ingredients were warm. We ended up sticking to beers and wines for our heavily anticipated “cocktail hour.” In hindsight, I wish I had just stuck with premixed drinks.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story? The history of the ceremony dress…
My reception wedding dress was actually my mum’s wedding dress. Just a week before the wedding, we decided to chop the length off and make it into a little party dress. I received so many compliments on the dress, and I felt incredibly special to have been able to carry on that part of Mum’s day. It was the best decision.
LOCATION Lilydale Estate, 46 Browns and Zirbels Road, Lilydale QLD 4344, @lilydaleestate PHOTOGRAPHER Aleisha Edwards Weddings, @aleishaedwardsweddings FLORIST Friend of the mother of the bride COORDINATOR Simply Kate Events, @simplykatespecialevents CELEBRANT Kaylene Graham Officiant; Ceremony Conducted – Groom’s Best Man – Joel Brisblat CATERING Chef Jon Catering, @chef_joncatering STYLING By the Bride RINGS Anderson’s Treasure Store, @andersonstreasurestore CEREMONY DRESS Custom Made – Kait Grace Studio, @kaitgracestudio RECEPTION DRESS Bride’s mum’s altered wedding dress
