With a breathtaking view of the fjord and the sensation of being entirely alone in the world, Patrick surprised me back by proposing.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
Linda (37) and Patrick (38). Linda works as a communications manager at Gassco, and Patrick is the sales manager at the subsea company RTS. We have two little girls and a dog and have settled in Linda’s hometown, Karmøy. We were friends for a long time before we got married! We had been a couple for a whole 15 years before we found our way to the altar.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We met during our university days in the United Kingdom. We both studied in Southampton and got to know each other through mutual acquaintances. Patrick thought Linda was a sophisticated “fancy” girl, and Linda remembers Patrick for always having his mouth full of chewing tobacco every time they met. But we clicked so well in terms of humour, and that was it.
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
We were so young when we met that I don’t think either of us thought “for the rest of our lives” at first. But we quickly became very good friends and had such great chemistry. Linda was already planning to move back home just two months after we met and felt that she hoped we could make a long-distance relationship work. Patrick still had one more year in Southampton. Both vividly remember how awful it felt every time Patrick visited Oslo and had to return to Southampton on the express train. It felt so terribly wrong each time we said goodbye and see you soon on that train platform. We were supposed to be together!
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
I (Linda) surprised Patrick with a birthday trip to The Bolder in Lysefjorden. With a breathtaking view of the fjord and the sensation of being entirely alone in the world, Patrick surprised me back by proposing. After 13 years of living together, a proposal wasn’t exactly what I expected, so it turned out to be a funny and very nice twist to our birthday weekend.
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood or style of your wedding.
We invited close family and a handful of friends to the small town of Scopello in Sicily based on a recommendation from our wedding planner, Lalindi. The moment we laid eyes on the venue, Tonnara Di Scopello, we were smitten! It was important for us that the guests could stay in close proximity to each other so that we could carry out the events as a cohesive group and everyone could get to know each other. It turned out to be so beautiful and successful!
Pinterest and wedding magazines. We selected inspirational images and sent them to Valentina, and the rest is history. Valentina meticulously orchestrated the wedding day down to the smallest aesthetic detail. She came back with a proposal, and we gave the green light for everything! The dinner table arrangement was one of the most beautiful we had ever seen, and all credit goes to Valentina, the wedding planner at Lalindi, who had creative freedom in everything.
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
Flowers, photographer, videographer, local folk band, saxophonist- the list goes on! This was the event of our lifetime- we decided to go over the initial budget, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
One of my best friends was very ill during the wedding but still made it to Italy. While the ceremony had literally just started, and I was walking down the aisle towards Patrick, she fainted and collapsed right onto the stone floor. The violins kept playing, Patrick was waiting and didn’t notice a thing, and a group of friends formed a “castle” around her to shield her before she was carried away. After we returned home and she got back on her feet, we laughed a lot about it, and I think that’s a memory we’ll be laughing about for the rest of our lives!
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
My dress was from Pronovias, and the model is called Desi. I bought the dress at Kristins Bridal Salon in Oslo. I had tried several wedding dresses and found it much more challenging than I had anticipated, but I’m glad it turned out to be the one. My shoes were from Billi Bi. The bouquet was arranged in the same style as the rest of the floral arrangements we had ordered. Again, I entrusted everything to Valentina. I received a bouquet that I would never have thought to put together myself, but it turned out to be absolutely perfect in harmony with everything else. Patrick’s tuxedo was from Oscar Jacobson, purchased at Haggens on Karmøy. Shoes from TGA, cufflinks from Stenström. He completed the outfit with a Rolex from the 70s, borrowed from his father for the occasion.
CEREMONY & RECEPTION Tonnara Di Scopello, @tonnaradiscopello FLORIST Frascati Fiori, @frascatifiori PHOTOGRAPHER Camilla Andersen, @millifoto_wedding PLANNER LaLindi, @lalindi_bryllup VIDEOGRAPHER Lenny Pellico, @lennypellico MAKEUP Maria Luisa Leone, @marialuisadaidone_mua HAIR Giovanni Daleo, @giovannidaleo.parrucchieri BRIDAL DRESS Pronovias, @pronovias; YAS Apparel, @yasapparel SUIT Oscar Jacobson, @oscar.jacobson CAKE Pito Catering, @pitocatering STATIONERY Petit de la Creme Design, @petitdelacremedesign
