December 2008 Bride of The Month - Brigit Bitar
Michael and I first met under rather unusual circumstances. When I was 12 years old I moved from Sydney to a small country town. I was young and full of angst. Needless to say I was spending most of my days sulking eerily by the fire indoors while it snowed outside all around me. One day as I was sulking, I turned around to see two teenage boys in my living room! I was shocked and asked them what they were doing in my house! They introduced themselves as Michael #1 and Michael #2 and explained that they were there to see my (new) step brother and toboggan off the roof on lunch trays and BMX's. Sounded odd to me, but I decided to join them anyway. After that we all became great friends and living in a small country town didn't seem so bad.
Over the next few years Michael #1 and I became really good friends. We all got up to much mischief together, and trouble and ruckus followed us everywhere we went. When I was 16 I moved back to Sydney and we lost contact completely...
One day a few years later I was cleaning my flat and came across some old photos of us. I wondered how I would ever get in contact with him again, but the thought soon passed as I was a single 19 year old who had too much fun to be had elsewhere! Ironically, a few days later I was out with some friends in the City and ran into him! We spoke all night (much to the annoyance of our respective sets of friends). After hours and hours of chatting, we each got dragged off in separate directions, but he promised that if I called him when I woke up in the morning he would come right over to spend the day with me.
From then we were absolutely inseparable. I was SO sure I didn't want to get into a relationship as eight months earlier I had had my heart broken, but I just couldn't be without him! We knew in the first two weeks that we were in love and already both knew that we would one day be married.
For my 21st birthday we went to Hawaii for 10 days. He had planned his proposal for a long time and I had NO idea at all. Unfortunately, I got terrible food poisoning while we were over there and he had to cancel all of the beautiful plans he had made from Australia because I could barely leave the room. On a Friday night he pretty much dragged me out of the room for dinner and I was not impressed. I was hurling abuse at him, telling him he was selfish and that I was sick and needed to be in bed watching CSI. After a few nasty words from me he took me down to the beach and told me I needed some "fresh beach air". He kept looking at his watch and I was so confused. He was acting very strange, but I still didn't suspect a thing. At exactly 9pm he took me back to the room. There were pink rose petals everywhere, candles, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. He took my hand and sat me on the bed and got all nervous. THEN I knew what was going on! He got down on one knee and recited a beautiful speech to me and asked me to be his wife. It was so beautiful and perfect and SO 'us'.
Skip ahead a month or so... Michael and I are excited to get married but aren't fussing too much to set a date. Our very excited friend Jen who was currently planning her wedding literally forced us to set a date there and then! And so it began... The date was set for 23rd August 2008.
After over a year and a half of planning, the day finally arrives. In true "us" style, I am sick and they have forecast rain. I didn't sleep the previous night and know that Michael probably had one too many drinks the night before... But we kick on! He is getting ready with his family half an hour from where I am staying. I am in a lovely 3 bedroom penthouse with city skyline views with some of my favourite people; my two bridesmaids Louise and Courtney; my brides "man" – my brother Nathan; my "man" of honour - my brother Adam and of course my Mum.
We have a beautiful morning getting our hair and makeup done, sipping champagne and orange juice and nibbling on cheese platters... A far cry I assume from what Michael was doing! After what seems like only an hour it's time to put my dress on. As soon as I get it over my head I get very emotional and anxious and need a minute alone with my half-laced up dress and my champers. Once I finally compose myself my Dad and little sister arrive along with our photographer who has been with Michael all morning and gives me a message that he loves me and can't wait to see me.
After posing for a few photos we all head off to The Argyle to get the ceremony started. The limo ride was interesting... I ban the radio as love songs were playing and I was already too emotional, and I had to pay my seven year old sister $10 to stop talking. As the limo pulled up, I have never felt so anxious and emotional in my entire life... The next five minutes are a blur and the next thing I remember, Dad and I are walking down the aisle to Michael Buble's "That's All".
I couldn't take my eyes off my future husband and my face was hurting from smiling. The room looked perfect and it just felt right. We focused a lot on 'friendship' in our completely personalised ceremony, as Michael and I both feel that the true basis of love is friendship. I loved saying our vows... We had written them a week or so prior to the wedding and they really reflected our personalities. We are both jokesters at heart and didn't want a severely 'strict' ceremony.
The guests all had a laugh in our vows when Michael mentioned that he can't wait to become the senile, grumpy old couple he knows we will one day be, and also that he will love me and respect me always... even if it means living in a zoo...! Taking a stab at my insane love of animals and my constant threats to adopt every animal I see. Before I knew it we were married and walking/dancing out of our ceremony to Van Morrison's "Bright Side of the Road".
The reception was a blast – we all had so much fun and there was a lot of love in the room. The room was set up beautifully and everything exceeded our expectations. The Argyle is such an amazing venue, the food and staff were fantastic and we couldn't have asked for more. Everything went very smoothly for the entire day and night and went off without a hitch.
Michael and I spent out first night as a married couple in a beautiful suite at the Shangri La in The Rocks with picture perfect views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. It was all so beautiful and magical and was all over way too fast.
We are now settling into married life beautifully. Every time I say "my husband" I get a little bolt of excitement in my tummy... Michael really is my best friend and I couldn't think of anyone else in the entire world I would prefer to share my life with. We are both looking forward to the next wonderful stage in our life together.
Over the next few years Michael #1 and I became really good friends. We all got up to much mischief together, and trouble and ruckus followed us everywhere we went. When I was 16 I moved back to Sydney and we lost contact completely...
One day a few years later I was cleaning my flat and came across some old photos of us. I wondered how I would ever get in contact with him again, but the thought soon passed as I was a single 19 year old who had too much fun to be had elsewhere! Ironically, a few days later I was out with some friends in the City and ran into him! We spoke all night (much to the annoyance of our respective sets of friends). After hours and hours of chatting, we each got dragged off in separate directions, but he promised that if I called him when I woke up in the morning he would come right over to spend the day with me.
From then we were absolutely inseparable. I was SO sure I didn't want to get into a relationship as eight months earlier I had had my heart broken, but I just couldn't be without him! We knew in the first two weeks that we were in love and already both knew that we would one day be married.
For my 21st birthday we went to Hawaii for 10 days. He had planned his proposal for a long time and I had NO idea at all. Unfortunately, I got terrible food poisoning while we were over there and he had to cancel all of the beautiful plans he had made from Australia because I could barely leave the room. On a Friday night he pretty much dragged me out of the room for dinner and I was not impressed. I was hurling abuse at him, telling him he was selfish and that I was sick and needed to be in bed watching CSI. After a few nasty words from me he took me down to the beach and told me I needed some "fresh beach air". He kept looking at his watch and I was so confused. He was acting very strange, but I still didn't suspect a thing. At exactly 9pm he took me back to the room. There were pink rose petals everywhere, candles, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. He took my hand and sat me on the bed and got all nervous. THEN I knew what was going on! He got down on one knee and recited a beautiful speech to me and asked me to be his wife. It was so beautiful and perfect and SO 'us'.
Skip ahead a month or so... Michael and I are excited to get married but aren't fussing too much to set a date. Our very excited friend Jen who was currently planning her wedding literally forced us to set a date there and then! And so it began... The date was set for 23rd August 2008.
After over a year and a half of planning, the day finally arrives. In true "us" style, I am sick and they have forecast rain. I didn't sleep the previous night and know that Michael probably had one too many drinks the night before... But we kick on! He is getting ready with his family half an hour from where I am staying. I am in a lovely 3 bedroom penthouse with city skyline views with some of my favourite people; my two bridesmaids Louise and Courtney; my brides "man" – my brother Nathan; my "man" of honour - my brother Adam and of course my Mum.
We have a beautiful morning getting our hair and makeup done, sipping champagne and orange juice and nibbling on cheese platters... A far cry I assume from what Michael was doing! After what seems like only an hour it's time to put my dress on. As soon as I get it over my head I get very emotional and anxious and need a minute alone with my half-laced up dress and my champers. Once I finally compose myself my Dad and little sister arrive along with our photographer who has been with Michael all morning and gives me a message that he loves me and can't wait to see me.
After posing for a few photos we all head off to The Argyle to get the ceremony started. The limo ride was interesting... I ban the radio as love songs were playing and I was already too emotional, and I had to pay my seven year old sister $10 to stop talking. As the limo pulled up, I have never felt so anxious and emotional in my entire life... The next five minutes are a blur and the next thing I remember, Dad and I are walking down the aisle to Michael Buble's "That's All".
I couldn't take my eyes off my future husband and my face was hurting from smiling. The room looked perfect and it just felt right. We focused a lot on 'friendship' in our completely personalised ceremony, as Michael and I both feel that the true basis of love is friendship. I loved saying our vows... We had written them a week or so prior to the wedding and they really reflected our personalities. We are both jokesters at heart and didn't want a severely 'strict' ceremony.
The guests all had a laugh in our vows when Michael mentioned that he can't wait to become the senile, grumpy old couple he knows we will one day be, and also that he will love me and respect me always... even if it means living in a zoo...! Taking a stab at my insane love of animals and my constant threats to adopt every animal I see. Before I knew it we were married and walking/dancing out of our ceremony to Van Morrison's "Bright Side of the Road".
The reception was a blast – we all had so much fun and there was a lot of love in the room. The room was set up beautifully and everything exceeded our expectations. The Argyle is such an amazing venue, the food and staff were fantastic and we couldn't have asked for more. Everything went very smoothly for the entire day and night and went off without a hitch.
Michael and I spent out first night as a married couple in a beautiful suite at the Shangri La in The Rocks with picture perfect views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. It was all so beautiful and magical and was all over way too fast.
We are now settling into married life beautifully. Every time I say "my husband" I get a little bolt of excitement in my tummy... Michael really is my best friend and I couldn't think of anyone else in the entire world I would prefer to share my life with. We are both looking forward to the next wonderful stage in our life together.