Mary + David

How did you meet?

My husband Dave and I met after swiping right on each other on Tinder!

When did you know they were the one?

There wasn’t a pinpoint moment, but as our relationship and feelings grew over our years together, I knew he was my forever person. I remember telling Dave, the phrase you often hear “when you know you know”, all of a sudden made sense!

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

Dave is caring, supportive and a hard worker.

Who proposed and how?

Dave proposed in August 2021 whilst we were staying overnight at the underwater Reef Suites on the Great Barrier Reef. We went scuba diving and snorkeling in the afternoon, and then watched turtles, GT’s and one massive grouper swim past our window in our room. Whilst we were getting ourselves ready for dinner, I was distracted watching all the fish swimming by, and Dave was still talking about us scuba diving, when he randomly threw into the conversation “Will you marry me?” As soon as I heard that question I turned around, jaw dropped to see him sitting on the edge of the bed holding an open ring box (which I found out later, I had packed myself- he had snuck it into the Go Pro bag!).

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

I found my beautiful Elsie Fitted dress in the one and only wedding dress shop I went to; Love & Lace Boutique in Mackay, Queensland. I had a bit of an idea of what style of dress I wanted; and ended up only trying on several Made with Love dresses. My bridesmaids weren’t able to be there on the day we went in search of my dress, so it was just my mum and myself. I originally wasn’t going to try on Elsie, however as soon as I did, my mum and I both knew it was THE one. Again, when you know you know! I ended up keeping the dress a complete surprise from everyone, which made the reveal on the day all the more special!

What was the best moment for you at your wedding?

Seeing Dave’s reaction to me walking down the aisle with my dad was one of the best moments for me on the day.

What were your favourite details?

Our beachy, coastal and neutral vibe was felt throughout all elements on our special day- from the location, invitations, flowers, table decorations, music, and of course my dress! Dave and I also made giant lawn games – Jenga, connect four, cornhole, plus a photo board arch, and handmade shell name tags, which was special to have that personal and unique touch.

What advice would you tell other brides?

Being quite organised and prepared helped make our wedding planning a lot less stressful for us, as a lot of vendors were extremely busy with the backlog of many post-Covid weddings. You are also likely to get an array of opinions from many people which may make you second guess your choices; just don’t lose focus on planning your wedding day for you and the love of your life you are marrying!

Any standout vendors?

Our photographer- Ben Sowry Photo- is an asset to the wedding industry! He is extremely talented at capturing the heartfelt moments, plus his easygoing, cool and calm nature settled all of our nerves on our big day!