We’re both 31 years old and living our best lives in Amsterdam. We share a great passion for traveling and have made quite the list of memorable experiences together, from hiking through mountain passes in China and taking salsa classes (quite awkwardly) in Colombia to sharing a cup of camel milk on the highlands of Kazakhstan.
In the past year we’ve really learned to appreciate our little bubble. We met over 10 years ago at the student bar we both worked at (lots of fun, little work). I was swept off my feet by the way he looked, but saw little confirmation he felt the same way. I’ve never been more obvious about making a move, but it still took ages for him to see what was going on. Thank God for that Tuesday night out (yes, Tuesday nights out, how great was student life?) It was fireworks all over. I am afraid I raised the bar for him when it came to my expectations of the proposal. But he definitely came through!
We were on a seven-hour hike on a deserted part of the Great Wall of China – just the two of us, not a soul in sight for the entire day – when he got down on one knee and asked me. Poor guy, being an unrestored section of the Great Wall, it wasn’t the most comfortable spot to be kneeling, but it couldn’t have been more romantic. It felt exciting and a bit scary too. I remember thinking, this is it, hold on tight, here we go!
We wanted our wedding to be relaxed and feel personal. Nothing extravagant, just staying true to our values. We definitely wanted no stress! We had the most amazing venue ever, outdoors, with chickens and other farm animals joining our party. We asked all of our dearest friends and family to play their part – one actually solemnized the ceremony, another performed Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Falling In Love on the piano during our ceremony.
When I was a little girl, still convinced I would marry my dad one day, we drove by a bridal store on a family holiday. The window displayed a true princess-like dress which I (obviously) adored! My dad promised to take me back to get that dress one day. Of course 25 years later I was a little less eager for that particular dress -although a good 90’s vibe never hurts, it felt best to save such a statement for another time. But a promise is a promise, so my parents joined me in the search for the perfect dress.
Me not being a real girly girl, I wanted an elegant dress that was both classy and bad ass. After trying on several beautiful options, I stepped out of the fitting room wearing my dress and my parents nearly fell from their seats. This was it! As for my partner in crime, what a stunner! He specifically searched for a double-breasted suit and shoes to match his style. Classic and elegant. He couldn’t have looked better.
Location: Fruittuin van West | Photographer: Francine Boer | Bride’s Attire: Wild At Heart Bridal | Suits: Suitsupply | Flora: Ernst van Woerkom Bloemservice | Ring: Charlotte Wooning | Styling: Brisked Styled Weddings | Catering & beverages: Fruittuin van West | Cake: Pompadour Amsterdam
