Gabriela + Richard

How did you meet?

In Manly (Sydney) – The day we met was 03/03/2018 (also my mother’s birthday). On that day, I was at a friend’s house, and we were going to a secret electronic music party, the location of which was only revealed one hour before. My friend and I decided to go for two reasons: 1) I love electronic music, and 2) I was celebrating my decision to stay in Australia. My flight back to Brazil was booked and confirmed for 03/03/2018, but since I extended my visa, I ‘missed’ the flight (I didn’t check in and didn’t use the ticket). So I was all energized and happy, celebrating the decision to stay and not return to my ‘comfort zone’.

We pre-gamed at a random girl’s house, and my friend invited her friend to meet us there. This friend (Dave) brought three friends: Perry (who is the best man), Nick (who won’t be present at the wedding because his wife is pregnant), and Rich. Everyone was chatting at the pre-game, and it was great to meet them. Then we decided to play beer pong! I played against Rich, and surprisingly, I was playing VERY well (the first and last time being good at it), and we created a really cool connection at that moment.

He was wearing black shorts and a black shirt, and I was wearing a black skirt and a black blouse.

When did you know they were the one?

It’s funny to think about because things felt very natural from the beginning. I don’t remember a moment where I looked at him and thought, ‘Wow, we’re going to get married,’ because I already knew it was going to happen. It was already natural for me to think about my future and have Rich in it. Married, traveling the world, happy, and fulfilled. And the craziest part of all this is that Rich was my first serious relationship, so my brother would say, ‘Wow, Gabi went from wine to water,’ because I had never really attached myself to anyone, never opened up to anyone, and it seemed like in other relationships, I couldn’t be myself. And then Richard came into my life and completely changed that feeling.

Our relationship, as I mentioned before, has always been very natural; things just happened naturally. I’ve always been able to be Gabi, and he’s always been able to be Richard, and we’ve always been very open with each other, and any frustration that arises, we talk about it. So I think wanting to get married, wanting to grow together, wanting to grow old together, wanting to have a future together, and wanting to be together forever, became a natural thing. And that’s why we call ourselves soulmates. From the beginning of our relationship, we lived together. In August 2018, four months after I met Rich, I moved in with him. This allowed me to get to know him in every way. Waking up, going to bed, hungover, sad, happy, excited, frustrated, cleaning the house, cooking, leaving the house dirty, reading, watching TV, singing… I got to know all versions of Rich from the beginning, and I fell deeply in love with all these versions, with this compilation of versions of who he is.

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

He teaches me a lot about love. Rich has taught me and continues to teach me a lot about love. About the importance of being a couple, but still being individuals with our own goals, hobbies, and ideas. We don’t have to do everything together. We live together, we have a life together, we share a home, but we can’t lose our individuality and who we are. In the beginning, I struggled a lot with this, with the age difference, language, ‘financial life,’ work schedules, and I realized that all these differences made us grow as a couple. Like Rich once told me, ‘We are strong individual pieces of a complete puzzle.’

He also never gives up on any dream, goal, task, anything! If he started something, he will finish.

Rich is adventurous, did a sky dive course, did about 10 budgee jumps, moved to the other side of the World and more.

Who proposed and how?

He proposed. We were at an amazing hotel in the south of Brasil called Ponta dos Ganchos. It was a week after my birthday, so this was my birthday present. After we got ready for dinner, we went down to the restaurant area, and there was a waitress there who came with two glasses of champagne and asked me, “We’re celebrating the hotel’s 10th anniversary this weekend, do you mind if our photographers take some photos of you walking with champagne in hand?” I said, of course not, I even thought, “What if they give us a free night?” And off we went, walking together. I noticed that Rich was quieter, but I still didn’t know what was going on!

Finally, we arrived in an area and were watching the sunset when I was getting agitated with the photographers behind us and asked Rich, “Don’t you find these photographers strange?”… And that’s when he couldn’t “pretend” anymore that nothing was happening… he looked, got down on one knee, and said, “They are here because… Gabriela Alves de Camargo Lacerda, would you marry me?” And it seemed like everything stopped at that moment! I knelt down with him, crying and making a noise/scream of happiness. We cried together, hugged each other, and the funniest thing is that I had the hair tie in my hand that Rich used to put the ring on hahaha it was a beautiful moment, then we watched the full moon and it was all magic.

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

At the Gold Coast studio back in July 2023. Valley was perfect. I saw that open back, which was something I was looking for on a dress, then when I tried on I knew it had to be the one. My friend Hannah, who was with me was also amazed by the dress. Being completely honest, I wasn’t as sure as I could’ve been at first because the lack of self-stem and I thought my back would look good at it – Hannah said Valley had to be the one! I trusted her sight and my gut. Showed some friends and my mother. Everyone freaked out and said that was the one, and it was meant for me. I spoke to Rosie from the MWL studio in GC and bought it online. I was so excited.

Looking back at the pictures from the day, as well as the wedding day pics – I was silly to think it wouldn’t look good. Some months of back and arms exercises and it looked absolutely perfect.

Also, I didn’t have to do ANY alteration, all of the sizes taken in store were perfect!

What was the best moment for you at your wedding?

Lots and lots but waking up to the most beautiful sunshine, blue skies & warm day when it was meant to be raining was a biggie. People always told me that blessed couples had sun on their wedding day, but the forecast was showing something different, so I was a bit nervous. But I knew we deserved the sunshine. It was sunny all day long, some juicy clouds pop up but left before the ceremony with no rain at all! We had an open air ceremony overlooking the ocean, so the weather couldn’t be better. Another realisation that we are blessed.

Walking down the aisle with my dad, listening to my chosen song (Breaking free – High School musical) and looking at Richard’s face, starring at me with teary eyes from the top of the altar. I was also crying. It was windy. Then midway through the aisle, my veil gets stuck and decided to fly away without me. I let out a yell, then tell my dad to leave it. We kept walking. I look back at Rich’s face and he is smiling. I smile back. Something only happens to us hahaha this was an awesome ice breaker and a beautiful way to remember to still be myself and have fun with it.

What were your favourite details?

The decoration. The white roses and my bouquet. The sun and sunset just after the ceremony. The weather. The veil flying off my head to high school musical playing hahaha. The tears. The emocional c The decoration. The sun. The weather. The veil flying off my head to high school musical playing hahaha. The tears. The emocional ceremony. The ocean view. Having both of my grandmothers and one grandad at the wedding. Having a multi cultural wedding (England, Brasil and Australia). The open bar cocktails that never ended. Having a wedding band playing music instead of a DJ (when the DJ started late in the evening we kicked him out and used our Spotify instead as his playlist wasn’t too good). Having a Polaroid camera with the guest book, so they can take a picture of the moment they are writing on the book.

What advice would you tell other brides?

On your wedding day, leave your phone behind. Don’t look at it and enjoy every single moment as it goes by so fast. Enjoy the thousands of pictures being taken of you; enjoy your girly time with your bridesmaids, girlfriends, mother and family; Have (a couple) of glasses of a nice champagne while getting ready; Enjoy that moment you’re about to walk down the aisle; Listen to the song you chose. Look at your partner’s eyes on the altar starring at you; let the tears fall! Laugh, get emotional, and don’t worry about any detail, everything will go perfect – and even if it doesn’t, you won’t care at all, as you’ll have all of your loved ones there celebration your love with your soulmate. Remember to look around you a few times during the day. Be thankful for being able to reunite so many special people. Smile and hug people. This will only happen once.