Sean and Sandra

I was never a traditional gal and as such I had always wanted a spontaneous proposal – like the type you see in the movies when the train is pulling away and heartbroken to see you leave he yells out to you “marry me!”. But I was always told that only happens in the movies. Now Sean’s proposal was not in any way a movie proposal, but it was spontaneous, real, and a little bit silly, just like us.

In late 2009 we spent a day wondering the shops and holding hand and in one particular shop we both became separated. I was lost, he was nowhere to be seen, so I stayed on the spot and waited for my love to find me. Finally, I spotted him through a crowd and he was at my side in seconds. He hugged me tight, asked me to marry him, and promised to never lose me again. It was perfectly simple and real. I thought nothing could beat that memory until our wedding day.

Sean and I met over 5 years ago through some mutual friends. Since meeting we have travelled the world, lived overseas, and adopted a precious cat we named Max. On February 19th, 2011, Sean and I said our vows in front of our close friends and family. We rented a house, the Panorama, which consisted of a beautiful bush backyard where we held the ceremony, and a large enough veranda to wine and dine our guests until the sun came up.

Sean and his groomsmen are wearing gear from Connor, and the bridesmaid dresses were bought from Forever New.

We chose the lush bushland hills of Tallai, on the Gold coast (Australia) as the setting for our wedding. Our photographer, and my dear friend, Katie Mitchell from Katie Mitchell Photography, captured our sense of style and silliness perfectly, and also some intimate moments when she hid in a bush close by (much to my surprise!).

My two brothers walked me down the aisle, and much to my surprise they were as nervous as me!

The ceremony was a casual and romantic affair. We kept it short and sweet and had a few quirky vows which suited us to a tee. It was set under gum trees and a white canopy laced with a few daisies. We were married in the late afternoon and the sky remained clear and the sun was warm – even though the forecast was for rain.

Although I am not one for tradition, there were still some elements of our wedding which come from my family’s traditional Croatian roots. Ever since I was small, the smell of Rosemary has always been a smell associated with weddings, fun, and love. Traditionally, each guests received a small Rosemary branch, pinned to their shirts or dresses, to signify their welcoming. It was a tradition that I wanted to share and keep because it has always been a part of my life.

One thing I loved about the wedding was its country elegance. I handmade most of the decorations including the table runners, centrepieces, flower bouquets, corsages, bridesmaids ribbon belts, cakes, gift bags, napkin holders, escort card hanger, the ring pillow, and the guest thumbprint tree.

I had also done some Henna on my hand – adding my love of Indian culture in to the mix. The food was also Indian and vegetarian only, made by one of my favourite Indian restaurants in Brisbane, Govinda’s Vegetarian Restaurant.

The dancing involved some traditional songs which all of our friends participated in and lasted long into the night. The wine was flowing, and the hugs never ceased. We had the time of our life. Seriously, it was amazing. Our wedding day was filled with magic, laughter, tears, and interpretive dance moves.

Thank you for reading and viewing our special day. I hope it’s inspired you to make your wedding with love, craft, and dancing.

Ms Gingham says: How cute is that gorgeous cat? I love the big red ribbon! Thanks for sharing your wedding today Sandra!

Sandra says: “I’m 24 years old and have been happily married now for over a year and a half. I have a degree in arts and am currently studying a Masters of Museum Studies at the University of Queensland in Australia. I like impromptu adventures, spending time with my family, camping, camp fires, craft, sewing, baking, reading, gardening, tennis, and snowboarding. My husband Sean is amazing and my kitty Max is pretty much our baby and we treat him as such. I like riding my bike, and I’m a complete geek at heart. I LOVE cliche supernatural/sci-fi movies. They are amazing.”