Annika + Shaun

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How did you meet?

We were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. On our first date he picked me up and took me to Luna Park.

When did you know they were the one?

We decided to move in together after only four months of dating. My dad was not very happy about this thinking it was far too soon, within this conversation my mum just asked me plain and simple is he the one? and I responded, yes. This was the moment.

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

Kind, patient and caring

Who proposed and how?

Shaun proposed to me when we were down South at Jervis Bay with all my closest friends celebrating my birthday. My two girlfriends were in on the secret and they set up a silly 90’s theme (white and denim dress code) photo to be taken on the beach. They sneakily left the camera on video and Shaun dropped to one knee in front of all my closest friends at a beautiful beach and asked me. This was then followed by Magnums of Moet on the beach to celebrate!

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

I fell in love with this dress on Instagram and then went to your St Ives showroom where I was able to try the Lucy dress on. I immediately lit up when I came out of the change room to show my mum. We got married up north at South West Rocks at Smokey Cape Lighthouse so I wanted a dress that would suit the coastal theme. The three layers of French silk gave the dress a beautiful flow and the split was so fun to play with on the dance floor. What I loved the most about this dress is that I was comfortable, I could eat, drink and dance the entire night away.

What was the best moment for you at the wedding?

The ceremony! We kept everything a secret from each other and I had no idea what Shaun was going to wear. He ended up wearing a colourful shirt which I loved. As soon as I got down the aisle, I just blurted out “OMG I love your shirt” . We laughed our entire way through the ceremony as we just kept stuffing up words!

What advice would you tell other brides?

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Write down your non-negotiables and don’t stray away from them, things will change so be prepared and kindness gets you a long way. We unfortunately had to post pone our wedding once and the thought did cross my mind to change our entire wedding but my bridesmaids made sure I didn’t stray from our non-negotiables which was our venue.

What were your favourite details?

The venue. We have holidayed as a family and as a couple here for over 25 years, this place was very special to me and my family. The view from the Cottages are just pure magic.

Any standout vendors?

Smokey Cape Lighthouse Cottages – The managers Theresa and Johnny are like family, they made sure everything was sorted on the day and that I did not need to worry. We stayed here for four days with our entire bridal party which was the best. Our ceremony and reception took place here too.
Salt and Wildflowers Stylist- Made our vision become a reality!
Katie – The Botanical Workshop – our flowers were incredible and such a highlight of our day.