Rachael + Charlie by Finder Seeker Photography - Together Journal

We wanted our guests to indulge in the beauty and deliciousness of the city we have both decided to call home together.

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

Rachael is a registered nurse, grew up in Bundaberg, QLD – relocated to Melbourne in 2016 to trial a life and career in the big city. Charlie is a home lender, grew up in Milton Keynes, England and was living in London before moving to Melbourne in 2019 for a 12 month working holiday. We met just a few weeks after Charlie had arrived in Melbourne – sparks flew at a time when we both least expected it!

We love living in Melbourne, eating all the food, trying new bars but equally love our family time at home, cooking and creating new things together. We enjoy watching sport, going to concerts and exploring new parks and beach spots with our three-year-old chocolate Labrador. We also love exploring together whether it be local day trips, overseas adventures including spending time with both of our families and friends.

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

Rachael and Charlie, you first met nearly 5 years ago back in March 2019, by the good old-fashioned way – online with Bumble!

Both of you had things going on in life that meant you both walked in to your first date, on Chapel St in Melbourne, thinking this would just be for a bit of fun, nothing serious, but just some drinks, a laugh and to ease your minds.

However, conversations flowed so easily, and you hit it off like a house on fire from the second you met each other! The abundant cocktails meant that getting to know each other was easy and effortless. And before you knew it, you were in an Uber off to play crazy mini golf at Holy Moly in the city!

Rachael’s first impressions of Charlie were that he was so warm and friendly. He was tall, handsome with a huge, big smile and bright blue eyes!

Here was this wonderfully charming, sweet and sensitive guy with a gorgeous British accent who seemed so genuine, and it all felt a little too good to be true!

While Charlie also first noticed Rachael’s beautiful eyes, it was also her gorgeous and shiny hair that caught his attention! And while he notes that there was never a moment of silence during that first date, he’ll never forget that, after hours of drinking and with work at 7 am the next morning, how keen Rachael was to go and play crazy golf! And also, how damn good she was! He actually still has the scorecards for it! But it’s that sense of fun that has always stuck with him.

There was a little bit of contention about who actually made the first move! Rachael simply said, Charlie. But Charlie said that it was actually, in fact, Rachael because on Bumble, Rachael had to make the first move!

However, agreeing to disagree! From this first date, it completely snowballed, and you two started spending a lot more time with each other, with everything coming naturally, easily and happily.

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

Meeting each other’s families is a huge one for you both. Going to Bundaberg for Charlie to meet Rachael’s family and friends, and Charlie experiencing Queensland life for the first time. It couldn’t have been any more different to his life back in England.

And then heading over the England after 3 years of life together, as soon as the international borders opened you were able to visit. And Rachael was able to meet Charlie’s family and friends and Charlie was finally reunited with everyone after a challenging time period.

You’ve spent family Christmas’ together, visited the Aussie Open to watch the tennis on Rod Laver. Travelled the world and eaten your way around cities both at home and abroad. Starting your most recent European trip with laying in bed each morning to find the best rated coffee in a new city.

When these two started dating, Charlie drank mochas. I think most of the Melbourne guests here will understand, but Rachael was SO embarrassed about having to order a mocha for him! But she worked on getting him onto a latte with sugar and then eventually weaned him off the sugar as well – now enjoying Melbourne coffee how it should be!

You also love cooking together, and Charlie knew that Rachael was the one when she first made him her lasagne! And then again, when she made a giant Colin the Caterpillar Birthday cake from scratch!

Visiting your favourite restaurant, Cumulus, which they’re excited for you all to visit tonight for their reception!

And of one of the biggest life highlights was getting your crazy little dog, Lady Bug! There’s never been a dull moment since!

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

So, of course, we can’t tell your story today without talking about the day you got engaged!

While you were living in Bundaberg in Queensland at the time, Charlie was getting the ring made in Melbourne. So, I had to work on logistics to make it all go according to plan! And once he had decided to propose, he knew it had to be at Woodgate Beach, your little private piece of paradise that you spend so much time at together. When you both decided to move back to Melbourne, a proposal at your favourite spot was the perfect way to close that chapter of your lives.

So, during the day of heading down to the beach, in the midst of packing up your lives in Queensland, and with a proposal on the cards that afternoon. Charlie remembers Rachael opening some mail and letting out a few choice words that won’t be repeated today! But Charlie had received a rather large driving fine, to which he didn’t do anything wrong, but he was shocked and in pain nonetheless. But definitely not what was needed when they were neck-high in boxes and days away from driving back to Melbourne. Both of them felt a fair amount of stress at this stage.

Charlie had to convince Rachael, just a little bit, to still make the trip down to the beach! But thankfully, she said yes to the weekend away, and they made their way down to escape for the night with Lady, a couple of containers of leftovers, half a bottle of red wine and a few beers in tow.
While it was a relatively quiet car trip down, they headed straight for the beach when they arrived.

Rachael was busy throwing the ball into the water for Lady to chase, and Charlie was happy just watching this play out for a while.

But after a bit, Charlie called out Rachael’s name, and when she turned around to see him, he was down on one knee with a light-up ring box in his hands.

She has never been more shocked or taken by surprise in her life!

Charlie will never forget the smile on Rachael’s face when she turned around and looked at Charlie.

And even more comforting, that they’d had a day of packing, grieving and overall stress, and that Charlie proposed on that day, further cemented what they have together.

The night was spent reliving the moment, eating the leftovers, and finishing the wine and beers – utterly perfect.

What was one element you were happy to splurge on?

Most of our guests were travelling and hadn’t spent a lot of time in Melbourne. Charlie’s family travelled from England, and Rachael’s from Queensland. So, our goal was to base our celebration around why we love Melbourne – hence the beautiful Fitzroy Gardens, then a short walk to Nick & Noras for cocktails and canapes followed by a delicious dining feast turned dancefloor at Cumulus Up. We wanted our guests to indulge in the beauty and deliciousness of the city we have both decided to call home together. It was safe to say everyone was well-nourished and hydrated.

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

We were honestly fortunate to have our day run seamlessly with very minimal stress. But even months later, we are still on a high note about how amazingly special our wedding day was and thrilled about some of the extraordinary choices we made.

We had two flower girls – “junior and senior” – our best friends’ 3 year old daughter and Rachael’s 85 year old grandmother – who both stole the aisle in their matching flower crowns.

Rachael surprised Charlie and the guests by walking down the aisle to a live bag piper – The Skye Boat Song – he had absolutely no idea and was brought to tears when the pipes started. Charlie’s mother’s side of the family is Scottish, so it was a special way of tying them into our special day.
We also had a butterfly release at the beginning of our ceremony in honour and memory of those who could only be with us in spirit. None of our guests knew about this so from bagpipes to butterflies, there weren’t many dry eyes at Plane Tree walk!

Our day ended with our final surprise when the DJ started playing the song for our first dance – Lover by Taylor Swift. Halfway through the song he whipped out his saxophone from under his decks and next thing it was Destination unknown with a conga line through the cumulus kitchen. Best. Day. Ever.

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

In the running with our “Melbourne” wedding, we decided to have black and white and shades between themes.
Rachael is a long-term fan of Melbourne designer Toni Maticevski’s stylish creations, and she had her heart set on a Maticevski gown to wear down the aisle.

Charlie wanted to wear something a little bolder than a black suit. So, working with the guys at YSG Tailors, together they designed his eye-catching black and white houndstooth suit.

Our chocolate labrador – Lady – also wore a matching houndstooth bow made by Rachael’s mother out of Charlie’s suit material.