Emily & Lou: Em grew up on the Central Coast. Sand, salt and sea are what make her happy. The kindest of hearts, she’s a mental health nurse whose nature is to care. Lou is from Sydney. She has so much zest for life. It’s contagious.
She’s always moving — swimming, cycling, running or skateboarding. A strength and conditioning coach, Lou is intrigued about the human body, which fuels her enthusiasm for helping others reach their goals.
Lou: We met on Tinder in 2014. We spoke on the phone for at least two weeks before I asked Em on a date. Em had planned a night out in Sydney with her girlfriends, so we agreed to meet earlier, just her and I, at a bar called Soda Factory in Surry Hills. There was an instant attraction. We were both nervous because we wanted to impress, yet comfortable because we’d spoken so often. That night we ate, drank, laughed, danced and smooched… and we each left an impression. There are so many reasons why I love Em but the most compelling is the chemistry. I am hooked to this intense energy between us.
Emily: Lou is thoughtful and romantic. She once flew from Hong Kong to surprise me at my favourite lookout to tell me for the first time that she loved me. I love Lou’s courage, her enthusiasm for life and her playful nature. She can make me laugh like no one else. For the first 18 months of our relationship, Lou lived in Hong Kong. This was a huge challenge but we learned to appreciate each other because our moments together always involved a countdown until the next goodbye. We built an unbreakable trust, and it forced us to grow together, and as individuals, which is what a relationship is all about.
We built an unbreakable trust, and it forced us to grow together, and as individuals, which is what a relationship is all about. Lou proposed to Em at Chinamans Beach, Sydney. Em’s favourite food is cherries. Her lucky number is 24 and mine is nine. While we were dating, now and then I’d ring the restaurant in advance and request a cocktail glass full of cherries on arrival. I said to Em, “On the 9th and 24th time you receive a glass full of cherries, something monumental will happen”. I timed the ninth cocktail glass to coincide with Em moving to Hong Kong to live with me. We reached 20 glasses, then one night I set up a long pathway of glass jars half filled with sand and tea light candles leading down to Chinamans Beach. Along the path were cocktail glasses #21, #22, #23 — then me, #24, with a ring.
As beach lovers, we were drawn to Byron Bay for our wedding. We got married beneath a magnificent 150-year-old fig tree with the coastline in the background. We had both our parents meet us at the top of the aisle, where we stood at arms’ length and took a moment to admire one another. That moment, where we witnessed each other’s tears of happiness before we embraced, was one of the most special of our lives.
Photography: Van Middleton | Videography: Little Red Productions | Lou’s dress: Anna Campbell | Em’s dress: Delila Fox | Hair & makeup: Byron Beauty Bar | Planner: Byron Bay Weddings | Ceremony & reception venue: Fig Tree Restaurant | Flora: Wilderness Flowers | Lou’s shoes: Grace Loves Lace | Emily’s shoes: Forever Soles | Celebrant: Jacqui Patterson | Hire & styling: The Wedding Shed | Lighting: Byron Audio | Entertainment: Sharon Muscat | Guest transport: Steve’s Ballina Byron Transport | Bridal transport: Byron Bay Luxury Tours | Bridesmaid hair & makeup: Tina Kristen Weddings | Cake: Millie’s of Newrybar | Catering: Fig Tree Restaurant | Beverages: The Cellar Byron
