Melanie & Josh

How did you meet?

Josh & I met in a bookstore on the 3rd of November 2017 – yes a old fashioned bookshop… It was as like Josh’s mum Maria likes to call it a “sliding doors moment” of our very own.

I work for QBD Books and that day I was training a new manager in a store that wasn’t where I would normally work and Josh had come to do Christmas shopping. I was carrying a box through the aisle and I saw him standing at the other end, I smiled and said excuse me and he held my gaze. The attraction was instant but I carried on my way, upon coming back up the aisle I asked if he needed assistance (just doing my job of course 😉) and I helped him select a few books and he thanked me by name as he left. I walked away saying the exact words to myself that I’ll never see that guy again. Later that afternoon my co-worker said to me “you know that guy you helped earlier today – he’s back.” I instantly turned a shade of red and butterflies ensued, laughing Lauren said well go out there – I was frozen. I must have looked like a deer in headlights 😂 All the while apparently Josh was going up and down each aisle to see if I was there, finally he asked someone and I came onto the shop floor – he said he needed another present so I began to show him more books & the butterflies eased then he said “can I level with you?” and they started all over again!

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

I love the passion Josh has for everything he loves – myself included. There is no in between he loves, cares, feels and hurts ferociously and I wouldn’t have him any other way. I love his smile and the way he makes me laugh.

Who proposed and how?

Josh proposed to me on our 1 year anniversary with a Dictionary that he had made about me, he had carved out the inside and placed the ring inside and highlighted all the words he uses to describe me & our relationship.

What was the best moment for you at the wedding?

There were so many moments I’ll never forget about our day but my favourite was reaching the end of the aisle and Josh taking my hands, it was so calming and it felt like everything went quite around us.

Where did you fall in love with your dress and why?

I first saw ‘Carla’ on instagram and when I finally got to try her on I cried and so did my bride tribe!

What surprised you most at or about your wedding?

The thing that surprised me the most about our day was that I was ready on time! I’m religiously late for everything but this time I wasn’t – a freight train may have made us 7 minutes late to the ceremony but that’s different 😉

What advice would you tell other brides?

My advice to any bride would be to just do it, if you want it – get it. Don’t leave any regrets behind, the day is about you & your forever partner and no one else.

What was one thing you did differently for your wedding?

I think the biggest thing we did differently was that we planned everything together – so it never felt like I was having to do it all on my own and then the day was exactly how WE wanted it. Especially during the year that was 2020 it was special that we got to do it together. We had also decided that November 8th was going to be our day no matter how it looked and we ended up being so blessed that we were able to have everything and almost everyone we wanted present. For those who couldn’t attend we streamed via a instagram account and invited those interstate & overseas to still dress up, have dinner on us and celebrate as though they were right there with us. We got some amazing pictures of our friends watching and having a great night together which was very special.