Gold Coast • 23 September 2021
HOW WE MET
We first met in university with no intentions of being more than acquaintances, however, as fate would have it, we were paired up for an assignment that forced us to spend an incredible amount of time together. We both secretly loved this and we were inseparable ever since!
THE PROPOSAL
I went away on a six-week-long holiday over Christmas to visit my family overseas without Leandro. This was the longest time we had spent apart since being together and was when we learnt what it truly meant for absence to make the heart grow fonder.
Within weeks of my return, we'd started a new routine of going on long beautiful walks on the beach together. One day when strolling along the seashore, he suddenly stopped me and told me to turn around. There he was on one knee with the magical words written in the sand, "Anthea, will you marry me", with the utmost surprise and no hesitation, I shouted yes, yes, yes!
THE DAY
With the world so uncertain, our original plan of a destination wedding in Greece became out of the question. However, with all of my family home from overseas and our wedding priorities adjusted, we put together new wedding plans within a month. It was ambitious, crazy, fun, and exhausting, but so worth it! After all, the most important thing, we decided, was the union of us.
We started the day with a traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony filled with most of our nearest and dearest, followed by an epic photoshoot in a Mediterranean styled area of my home town. An ode to our original plans in Greece.
Our reception was a cocktail style event overlooking the marina, allowing everyone to mingle, get up and dance, and sit wherever they wanted to. Everyone loved this and spent most of the night dancing. As for our first dance, we blew everyone away with our newfound dance skills thanks to our secret dance lessons. No one had expected it and it was met with such excitement.
The night continued with much laughter, dancing, food, booze, love and happiness. It couldn't have been more perfect and we wouldn't have had it any other way.
THE OUTFIT AND ACCESSORIES
I tried on so many dresses but never connected with any of them.
I first spotted the Promise gown by Chérie By Oui on Instagram and as soon as I put it on, I felt that it was made for me and couldn't wipe the smile off my face.
The Promise gown was hands down the best cut and most comfortable dress I had tried on. It had the perfect amount of detail from the beading to the embroidery, and just the right amount of sparkle. I paired it with a pearl-encrusted veil which complimented the detail on the dress and my jewellery was very minimal.
When I look back on photos, I fall in love with the look all over again!
Gown: Promise
Hair and Makeup: Natalie Lucas MUA
Photographer: Wallflower Weddings
Videographer: Nik Conomos
Florist: Twyne & Co
Bridesmaid Dresses: Shona Joy
Groom's Outfit: Peter Jackson