Katelyn + Jack by Nina Claire Photography - Together Journal

We were about 100m into the hike when he blurted out, ‘There’s another reason I wanted to come hiking today!’ And he got on one knee.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

We both work in demanding jobs, so our spare time together is where we recharge and relax. The best way we do this is to explore with our dog, Franklin, go to the beach, out on hikes or just in our garden, where Jack does the work and Kate reads in the sun.

We have known each other for 10 years, and over that time, we have gone from two university kids to the adults we are today. We love trying new restaurants, travelling to new places and being with our friends.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

Kate – We first met when we were 18 years old at university. We had a lot of mutual friends, and it took about a year or so before we went on our first date. I thought Jack was handsome and quiet, but he was a bit shy, and I had to crack his shell.

Jack – Neither of us can recall the exact encounter we first met, but we would see each other with our friends frequently. One night, we were the only 2 hungry ones in the group, so we went and had dinner together. That was the first time we had been hanging out with just the two of us. With Kate’s quick wit and humour, the conversation just flowed. I then had to muster up the courage to ask her out on a date, but she beat me to it!

When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?

Kate – About 4 weeks after we started dating, I told one of my good friends that I had found the man I was going to marry. Jack hadn’t even asked me to be his girlfriend yet! From the get-go we had a natural ease with each other that I hadn’t had before. We are so alike, I know I have found my other half and soul mate. When I think about our life up to this point, I don’t think I could be where I am today without Jack.

Jack – From the start, I had a picture in my head of us together through life’s different stages. I can’t recall the moment I realised she was the one, I think, because it was just always going to be that way.

Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…

Jack had picked up the ring during the week and hadn’t planned anything concrete yet. After he had the ring, though, he was terrified Kate would find it or that he would lose it. So, a few days later, Jack wanted to go for a hike with our dog, Franklin. We were about 100m into the hike when he blurted out ‘there’s another reason I wanted to come hiking today’! And he got on one knee. We were so excited that we missed the signage for the hiking trail and ended up getting lost! What was supposed to be a 5km hike turned into a 12km hike on a hot Brisbane summer day. The rest of the day was spent resting our feet! We were going to Europe at the end of the year and spending time in Norway to see the northern lights. Kate had convinced herself that that was where Jack was going to propose. So when the proposal happened about a month before we left, it was an amazing surprise!

What was one element you were happy to splurge on?

The top of the list was venue, photographer, food/drinks and music (so most of the day!). We wanted everything to be easy, we wanted our family to be relaxed, so that we could all just enjoy the day. Our biggest splurge was that we outsourced everything for the day so that we and our guests were relaxed. The was one of the reasons we were drawn to Figtree, everything was taken care of and in one location. We were able to have our friends stay with us the night before and of the wedding at the venue accommodation also, which was great as we opted not to have a bridal party, but still wanted to share the weekend with them.

Kate – I had my eye on Nina for photography for a while, and I think I had reached out to Nina for her availability before we had even locked in the venue or date! Not only do you get an amazing photographer, but you get Nina, a wonderful person with a relaxed vibe. That was so special to us because neither of us is super comfortable in front of a camera. Nina made it all so easy and natural, the result being the most amazing photos.

When people asked us what we wanted the day to look like, our answer was relaxed, easy and fun. The vendors we chose reflected that perfectly, and we were able to be immersed in the day and enjoy every second of it. Neither of us could stop smiling.

Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?

We were so lucky, and everything went off without a hitch! Kate is the more organized one, and Jack tends to be late for everything. So it was a surprise that Jack was early for the first look! So early that he almost got a sneak peek a bit too soon.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?

The history of the ceremony dress.. :

Kate – I was so excited to go dress shopping; putting on beautiful dresses of all different shapes and sizes was a dream come true. I was prepared to try on as many dresses as I could. I went to Sphere Bridal Gallery on the Sunshine Coast and met Sarah, the owner. She was a bit too good at her job though, because the first dress I tried on I fell in love with and bought! The moment was made so much sweeter when Sarah and I realised that she knew Jack and his family from their hometown! Such a small world.

I then wanted a fun mini to dance in and came across Aston Bridal, Miranda’s style is amazing, and she designed the perfect mini for me.

Jack – Kate and I went into Institchu together to pick out a suit. We took our friends, Kai and Ash, along with us who have much better style and helped us wade through all the options. I go to work in hi vis each day, so picking a suit was very foreign.