All I wanted was great food, great music.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
Thushari – I was a dental nurse for 14 years and moved into the NSW health sector (Palliative Care Administration Support). I am currently studying. My husband, Westley is a Qualified Diamond Driller who moved from broken hill to Forbes now our Crane driver for our family company Knights Steel fabrication and Crane hire 11 years working in our family business my parents, Vanessa & Bill, started this business 40 years ago in the small town of Forbes still going strong with my sister Kaushulya stepping into my mothers role after her passing 6 years ago.
We both enjoy Weekends with our two little honeys, Elias, 11 years old and Amali, just turned six. They are the loves of our life; everything we do is for them.
My parents, Vanessa and Billy, adopted me and two sisters from Sri Lanka when we were 6 weeks old. The life I have today is because of them.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
Westley (Wez) and I met in the town of Parkes, 20 mins from Forbes, he was fly-in and fly-out from the mines at the time, I was working weekend shifts at the local Hotel. When I’d finish work at the dentist, the railway Hotel was the place to be in 2010, a time to be alive when lockout laws didn’t exist. Wez was on break and asked me to accompany him for a drink after his shift at another hotel. I declined, he leaned over the bar and asked to put his number in my phone. I was definitely smitten by his cute smile and confidence. I told him he could take me to dinner, and that he did later that week. He asked me about a date in Parkes, but unfortunately, he didn’t make reservations at the cute restaurant down the street, so we ended up having some bar snacks at the local hotel, which was a first date to remember.
Wez and I definitely were no fairy tale. It was hard work making things work with his hometown being nine hours away. We lived in Broken Hill for one year to try to be closer to his FIFO role. When I fell pregnant with my first babe, I wanted to be closer to my mum and decided to move back to my hometown, Forbes. Wez left the mines and came to work for my father over the past 12 years. My first impression of Wez was that he was a cheeky mining lad.
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
Grief can definitely bring you so many emotions. I was never big on marriage; I actually never thought I would. I never wanted to change my name (how silly I think it is now). Still, there was a moment after I lost my mum (when I was pregnant with my second child, Amali that I realised Wez has stood by me through all the ups and downs, and he might actually be my forever person. The person who knows the best and worst of me, the person I’m comfortable with, who gave me my beautiful children, and I wanted to spend the rest of my life tackling the highs and lows with him.
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).
2020 brought COVID, so it threw many spanners into our planning. We first picked our date, which was actually the date of our anniversary. Our first venue was mixed up with another event that couldn’t be moved. It was the local rugby club where we would have a marquee. All I wanted was great food, great music. I love a little shimmy, and well, I already knew who I wanted to photograph us, Sarah. She had captured my family for many years. When the COVID rules broke, we didn’t want to change our date, but the restrictions only allowed us to have 50 of our favourite people.
What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).
Our venue was simply due to COVID, which made it much better. It was a small backyard where we could mingle and chat with everyone throughout the night; I had mood lighting with fairy lights and candles, which made the setting romantic, not too bright and worked perfectly into the evening.
What did you enjoy most about the planning process and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?
Well, I can’t say our wedding was easy. We reprinted our invites twice, cancelled our wedding and then went ahead! I hope no couple ever have to experience COVID restrictions; I loved picking our songs together and our wedding vows. Take your time, it’s a day that you should really declare what one another truly means to each other, and make it fun. My husband and I wanted a big party with the people we loved.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story?
My wedding dress, Rachel Gilbert. I looked at it online because we couldn’t travel anywhere with COVID. It was the only dress I tried on, and it was the one I tried it on in front of my sister after we ordered it, and it fitted like a glove, no alterations needed, and that was it.
What was one, or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).
We wanted a fun night. I knew Lueth, the musician, was amazing; I wanted him right or wrong. Sarah from Essjay Photography, our photographer, was a must; she had photographed our children, so I wanted consistency, knowing I felt comfortable with her. Ash Higgins, our florist, produced some beautiful weddings over the years and has an eye for everything beautiful; I had zero worries. I knew she would take the brief and make it simply amazing. I’m not a traditional girl so my wedding dress was full of sparkles because I wanted to be a disco ball, walking down the aisle to the love of my life (we walked down the aisle to tiny dancer Elton john in a catholic church) haha – I’m not sure what the priest thought. Still, LOVE IS LOVE all around the world.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
Someone left their undies behind! What is a good night without losing a pair of Calvin Klein’s?
BRIDE Thushari Gaiter, @thushariknights GROOM Westley Gaiter CEREMONY LOCATION Forbes Catholic Church RECEPTION LOCATION Family home PHOTOGRAPHER Essjay Photography, @essjayphotography STYLIST With Love Bespoke Styling, @withlovebespokestyling PLANNER By the bride and her sister FLORIST With Love Bespoke Styling, @withlovebespokestyling ENTERTAINMENT Lueth Ajak Music, @luethajakmusic HIRE High Bars Tables – Bespoke Country Wedding, @bespokecountryweddings CATERING Eat Your Greens, @jess_eatyourgreens CAKE Eat Me Edible Goodies STATIONERY Made of Fridays, @madeoffridays SIGNAGE MDC Balloon Designs CHURCH FLORA ARRANGEMENTS Flower Pout, @flowerpout_ ENGAGEMENT RING Family heirloom WEDDING BAND Stuart Robb – Robbs Showcase Jewellers, @_robbsjewellers BRIDAL DRESS Nixie Gown – Rachel Gilbert, @rachelgilbertau BRIDE’S SHOE Alias Mae, @aliasmae BRIDE’S ACCESSORIES Diamond earrings – Bride’s Late Mother’s; Head Band – Roxy Jacenko HAIR & MAKEUP Kimberley Sherrett, @kimberley_sherrett_mua BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Louis Vuitton, @louisvuitton BRIDE’S PARTY DRESS Bec + Bridge, @becandbridge BRIDE’S PARTY SHOE Slides – Versace, @versace SUIT Gunns Mens, @gunnsmenswear GROOM’S SHOE Duke + Dexter, @dukedexter GROOM’S ACCESSORIES Pocket Watch – Gifted by the groom’s sister GROOM’S FRAGRANCE Versace, @versace MAID OF HONOUR’S DRESS Rachel Gilbert, @rachelgilbertau
