Given we eloped things were organised very last minute. I walked into Grace Loves Lace the morning they’d dropped a new collection and was one of the first people to ever try on my dress. I knew that it was what I was going to wear as soon as it was on.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
We are a little bit of chaos. We both work long days, Trav in surveying and me, as a doctor. But most of our time is spent with our magical 2-year-old identical twin girls. They are the most beautiful and grounding part of our lives and together we spend as much of our time as we can at the beach, out drinking coffee or catching up with friends and family. For us there is no dull moment, no quiet time and no days left unfulfilled.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We both grew up in the South West of Western Australia, going 19 years before we finally bumped into each other.. in the line of the only nightclub in town. Trav was bragging about his footy abilities, and I was not all that impressed. However, a blinding acting of chivalry later and my mind started to change. Perhaps this gym-going footy buff was more than he seemed!
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
For us there seemed to be no real moment- just a mutual love of football and coffee that exploded into a dog, a house, and a set of twins. Everything seemed to flow so seamlessly that ultimately it was a matter of when we’d get married, not if. This was reaffirmed for me when my Dad got sick, and Trav spent every day supporting me through his illness. For 18 months he was supportive, without question, even making me laugh through our darkest moments. After all, It is the one who helps you out in hard times, that you want by your side to cherish the good times.
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
We were on a cruise through New Zealand when we got engaged. New Zealand had become a special place to us, as it had been somewhere we’d been with my Dad when he was well. We’d stopped down in Dunedin and were about to spend 3 days at sea cruising through Milford sound. It was a rainy day and we’d gone to catch a bus into town to do some sight seeing when we realised it was going to cost $80 each to get there. As the eternal student I was at the time, I decided it was too expensive and we should stay aboard the ship. Trav, heartbroken given his plans, started moping as he tried to convince me to head into Dunedin to enjoy the day. Eventually, I agreed. After all, how often do you go to the town with the steepest hill in the world? We made our way up to St Clair beach and went for a walk on the sand. Trav asked me to walk ahead so he could get a photo, and when I turned around, he was on one knee. We then returned to the ship, Trav was relieved he wasn’t left to propose while trapped onboard!
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding…
Our styles are quite conflicting. I am very detail orientated but Trav is very laid back. For him, he was happy getting married in shorts and a shirt as long as he had a beer in hand and the people he loved around him. I had more grand dreams of mountain tops and beaded dresses. However, given our wedding was a last-minute elopement this dictated style a bit. We ended up with an elegant white, champagne, and soft pink theme- which Trav had no idea about until he showed up!
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
Given we eloped things were organised very last minute. I walked into Grace Loves Lace the morning they’d dropped a new collection and was one of the first people to ever try on my dress. I knew that it was what I was going to wear as soon as it was on. I paired it with my all-time fav Valentino Rockstuds- elegant and fierce. Given the wedding was in the middle of an NZ winter, I also organised for myself and my bridesmaids to wear beautiful Mode and Affaire jackets, with the twins wearing matching mini jackets! My heart exploded when I saw them wearing them! However, the day ended up being far warmer than we all anticipated and us girls didn’t end up wearing them, and mine got left behind when I eventually needed it up on the mountains! The men wore gorgeous black and white tuxedos which beautifully complimented the elegant vibe of our wedding- even if it was far from Trav’s preferred option of shorts and a shirt!
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
We were blessed to have won a 10K elopement package through our wedding planner. These two people were the heroes of our wedding and the reason it happened in the end, so naturally we are biased. However, given we eloped, having beautiful photos and footage to then share with our family back home has been a life saver, providing us with memories we can relive over and over. They also organised to live broadcast our wedding to our family back home who were meant to but couldn’t come due to COVID! I now tell all my friends to invest in a wedding planner, photographer, and videographer.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
When Trav drinks, his pinky finger sticks out- he claims because of a ligamentous injury he sustained years prior! Throughout the day, as more and more people were handing him drinks, I became increasingly aware of this, concerned our wedding photos would look ridiculous. We now look back and laugh as I show people the progression of his alcohol journey on the day.
Ceremony + Reception location: Giverney Estate | Videographer: Surge Media | Photographer: Kellie Francis Photography Limited | Celebrant: Charlotte Winkel | Styling: Gather and Gold | Planner: Shaken and Stirred Weddings | Flora: All Bunched Up | Catering + Beverages: In 2 Food | Cake: Honeybees Cakes | Stationery: Smitten With Love | Transport helicopter: Heliworks | Brides Attire: Grace Loves Lace | Grooms Attire: Omen Suit Hire | Shoes: Valentino | Makeup: Charm Beauty | Hair: Beautiful Hair
