The Wedding Of Katrina & Matthew Stanley
Matt and I met back in November 2001 while both of us were having a night out with friends in the city. Dancing up a storm with my friends, I caught Matt's eye across the room. He made his way over and joined us for a dance. This would be the first and last time Matt would dance throughout our relationship, hehehe! At the end of the night, Matt gave me his number. Our first date was at a pub for a casual drink. It was all going well until I spilt an entire drink down my top, but at least it made Matt laugh! From there, we spent the rest of the night down at the beach. As they say, the rest is history! :)
In 2002, approx 6 months after meeting Matt, I decided to pursue my dream of teaching English in Japan. After much deliberation, I moved to Osaka with a close friend (who was actually one of my bridesmaids). Matt and I decided to stay together and while it was an extremely difficult time apart, we got through it and we are stronger because of it. In 2003, I returned and we picked up right where we left off. We both believe if we can survive a year without each other, we can conquer anything in our relationship.
After 6 years together, I must admit, I was becoming impatient! I always thought I’d know when Matt would propose and I’d try to predict when it would happen (but failed miserably). He caught me by complete surprise! On NYE 2007, we booked a room at the Hyatt overlooking the Torrens River. For dinner we ate a delicious 9 course meal at Shiki Japanese Restaurant seated in front of the teppinyaki grill. Once we finished our meal, we retreated back to our room to relax and watch the fireworks. As midnight approached, I seated myself in front of the window (in my pyjamas!) with Matt beside me. We couldn’t hear the countdown and the fireworks were delayed, but finally at 12:10am, the night sky lit up. Before I knew it, Matt was down on his knees, placing a ring on my finger saying "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, will you marry me?". I was in total shock! I was more concerned about my stunning engagement ring, I didn’t even respond! There were many tears, hugs and kisses and of course I said YES! We called our parents to let them know and they were so thrilled for us. It was a wonderful way for all of us to start the New Year. Matt and I spent the rest of the night celebrating as fiance(e)s! On New Year's Day we contacted our friends and the rest of our family to share our exciting news. Matt really surprised me, I had no idea at all. The proposal was everything I had dreamed for and more. :)
The night before the wedding, my bridesmaids came over from 5pm and we spent the evening watching the Sex & The City movie, eating pizza and pampering ourselves. It was so relaxing, even though I was still running around laying everything out for the morning and preparing snacks for the day! I got to bed by midnight, but then my cousin kept me awake for another hour with her chatting, so it was around 1am when I finally fell asleep!
The next morning we all woke up at 7am and I was feeling extremely calm, I thought I'd be so stressed! I actually spent most of my time standing around, getting hyper and was so tempted to get stuck into some housework! Hehehe. My hair and makeup artist arrived with her assistant early on, she styled my hair in a low chignon with curls complimented by 3 handmade white flowers, each adorned with a cluster of small Swarovski pearls and crystals that I purchased from Etsy. I was so thrilled with my airbrush makeup too, it felt like I was wearing nothing and she made me look and feel like a gazillion bucks, well I thought so at least! :)
My florist arrived around 9:30am with strict instructions to make my flowers look like ice cream! :) My bouquet was a round tight cluster posy of pale pink peonies, pale pink David Austin roses, pale pink roses, white mini roses with a scattering of white Singapore Orchids throughout. A photo of my late grandmother was attached, along with a gold Chinese luck charm as my “Something Old”. My bridesmaids held the same, but in the opposite colours and without Singapore Orchids.
My parents, the videographer and the photographer arrived not long after. Things moved so quickly from noon onwards. It was a bit frantic and that was the only time I became flustered. I wasn't stressed as such, just felt rushed for time. My 3 bridesmaids (my 2 closest friends and my cousin) got ready, they wore pink strapless dresses with mesh overlay and ribbon under the bust, along with jewellery I purchased from Diva. Pink is my favourite colour and the ladies looked gorgeous! We then piled into the bedroom to dress me – video, photos, bodies everywhere - it was crazy! It still didn't hit me then, even with my dress on! My stunning white gown was the "Felicia" from Brides by Mancini, but strapless. The lace-up bodice featured Swarovski crystals and embroidery. Diamantes were scattered throughout the skirt which was layered with a split to one side. The soft layers were edged with beads and the train was decorated with embroidery to match the bodice. I felt like an absolute princess! :)
Before I knew it, it was time to go. Yikes! It was such a lovely drive to Mt Lofty Botanic Garden with my parents. The ladies travelled in a silver Bentley, while we followed in a two-tone silver Bentley. I had driven this route so many times before, but I really took it all in this time and it was so overwhelming. As we made our way to the car park, I looked out the window and saw everyone and our ceremony site and it took my breath away. We had 2 urns & pedestals with white gardenia arrangements, 30 Americana chairs, 2 white jumbo umbrellas and a white carpet. The setting was just amazing! Surprisingly I was well ahead of schedule, arriving at 1:45pm, half an hour earlier than anticipated. Guests were still arriving and also standing at the top of the hill and my in-laws hadn't arrived yet. Oops! To kill some time, we went for a scenic drive around the hills which was lovely, but I just wanted to hurry up!
OMG, it was finally time. Eeek! I could hear the string quartet start to play and it gave me chills. The aisle was much steeper than I realised and I think my bridesmaids looked quite concerned, hehehe. As I’m an only child, I broke tradition and asked my mother and father to walk me down the aisle. Thankfully I had both of them on either side to hold me up! As we were making our way down the steep hill, my cathedral length veil snagged and pulled from my hair. Argh! I continued on without it and while I was disappointed, all my frustration disappeared as soon as I saw Matt waiting at the end of the aisle. I only had eyes for him, it was as if time stood still and we were the only 2 people on earth. We were both very emotional during the ceremony, it was wonderful being surrounded by our loved ones as we became husband and wife. Once the ceremony was over, we spent some time taking photos in the Garden and then headed into the city for more photos around Adelaide University and Plane Tree Drive.
Our reception was held at our favourite hotel, The Sebel Playford. We arrived around 7pm and while our guests enjoyed pre-dinner drinks, we sneaked into Ballrooms 1 & 2 for some quick photos. As I entered, I couldn't believe me eyes! It looked spectacular and beyond my expectations and I'm not easy to please! Hehehe. I had always imagined what it would look like, but seeing it set up for us, well it left me speechless. We then went to our huge Bridal Loft Suite to enjoy some pre-dinner drinks and canapés which were delicious! At 7:40pm, we left the room to be declared “Mr & Mrs”. Being announced to the cheers of our 145 guests was the most amazing feeling, the room was full of so much love, it was overwhelming.
As we had a lot of couples attend, for bomboniere we gave the men crystal ball wine stoppers and the women rainbow rock candy made with our names and wedding date. Both were boxed and tied with white ribbon. The children received personalised activity noodle boxes along with plush toys, colouring-in books and Uno to keep them entertained. The food was absolutely divine, the staff were fantastic, so friendly and attentive, making sure we and our guests were taken care of. Our cake was a work of art! It was square with 4 tiers and decorated in ivory lustre with a white damask pattern. The 2 flavours were dark chocolate mud cake with Kahlua ganache and white chocolate mud cake with Cointreau ganache. Thankfully we still have leftovers in our freezer!
We had such a fun evening, mingling with our guests and dancing away (we even managed a Conga line!). Our reception went so quickly, but as everyone recommended, I stood back on my own and took it all in. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face, watching everyone on the dance floor, even my mother who never dances! Fortunately the celebrations didn’t end there; we still had our honeymoon to enjoy! The following Tuesday we left for QLD where we spent 1 week in the Gold Coast where we stayed at Q1 Resort and Palazzo Versace. We had a ball at all the theme parks! We also spent an additional week in Tahiti and Bora Bora in an overwater bungalow. It was absolute heaven on earth and the most romantic and chilled holiday ever.
Our wedding day was truly the happiest day of our lives. I wish we could relive the day over and over again, I want another wedding! :)
In 2002, approx 6 months after meeting Matt, I decided to pursue my dream of teaching English in Japan. After much deliberation, I moved to Osaka with a close friend (who was actually one of my bridesmaids). Matt and I decided to stay together and while it was an extremely difficult time apart, we got through it and we are stronger because of it. In 2003, I returned and we picked up right where we left off. We both believe if we can survive a year without each other, we can conquer anything in our relationship.
After 6 years together, I must admit, I was becoming impatient! I always thought I’d know when Matt would propose and I’d try to predict when it would happen (but failed miserably). He caught me by complete surprise! On NYE 2007, we booked a room at the Hyatt overlooking the Torrens River. For dinner we ate a delicious 9 course meal at Shiki Japanese Restaurant seated in front of the teppinyaki grill. Once we finished our meal, we retreated back to our room to relax and watch the fireworks. As midnight approached, I seated myself in front of the window (in my pyjamas!) with Matt beside me. We couldn’t hear the countdown and the fireworks were delayed, but finally at 12:10am, the night sky lit up. Before I knew it, Matt was down on his knees, placing a ring on my finger saying "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, will you marry me?". I was in total shock! I was more concerned about my stunning engagement ring, I didn’t even respond! There were many tears, hugs and kisses and of course I said YES! We called our parents to let them know and they were so thrilled for us. It was a wonderful way for all of us to start the New Year. Matt and I spent the rest of the night celebrating as fiance(e)s! On New Year's Day we contacted our friends and the rest of our family to share our exciting news. Matt really surprised me, I had no idea at all. The proposal was everything I had dreamed for and more. :)
The night before the wedding, my bridesmaids came over from 5pm and we spent the evening watching the Sex & The City movie, eating pizza and pampering ourselves. It was so relaxing, even though I was still running around laying everything out for the morning and preparing snacks for the day! I got to bed by midnight, but then my cousin kept me awake for another hour with her chatting, so it was around 1am when I finally fell asleep!
The next morning we all woke up at 7am and I was feeling extremely calm, I thought I'd be so stressed! I actually spent most of my time standing around, getting hyper and was so tempted to get stuck into some housework! Hehehe. My hair and makeup artist arrived with her assistant early on, she styled my hair in a low chignon with curls complimented by 3 handmade white flowers, each adorned with a cluster of small Swarovski pearls and crystals that I purchased from Etsy. I was so thrilled with my airbrush makeup too, it felt like I was wearing nothing and she made me look and feel like a gazillion bucks, well I thought so at least! :)
My florist arrived around 9:30am with strict instructions to make my flowers look like ice cream! :) My bouquet was a round tight cluster posy of pale pink peonies, pale pink David Austin roses, pale pink roses, white mini roses with a scattering of white Singapore Orchids throughout. A photo of my late grandmother was attached, along with a gold Chinese luck charm as my “Something Old”. My bridesmaids held the same, but in the opposite colours and without Singapore Orchids.
My parents, the videographer and the photographer arrived not long after. Things moved so quickly from noon onwards. It was a bit frantic and that was the only time I became flustered. I wasn't stressed as such, just felt rushed for time. My 3 bridesmaids (my 2 closest friends and my cousin) got ready, they wore pink strapless dresses with mesh overlay and ribbon under the bust, along with jewellery I purchased from Diva. Pink is my favourite colour and the ladies looked gorgeous! We then piled into the bedroom to dress me – video, photos, bodies everywhere - it was crazy! It still didn't hit me then, even with my dress on! My stunning white gown was the "Felicia" from Brides by Mancini, but strapless. The lace-up bodice featured Swarovski crystals and embroidery. Diamantes were scattered throughout the skirt which was layered with a split to one side. The soft layers were edged with beads and the train was decorated with embroidery to match the bodice. I felt like an absolute princess! :)
Before I knew it, it was time to go. Yikes! It was such a lovely drive to Mt Lofty Botanic Garden with my parents. The ladies travelled in a silver Bentley, while we followed in a two-tone silver Bentley. I had driven this route so many times before, but I really took it all in this time and it was so overwhelming. As we made our way to the car park, I looked out the window and saw everyone and our ceremony site and it took my breath away. We had 2 urns & pedestals with white gardenia arrangements, 30 Americana chairs, 2 white jumbo umbrellas and a white carpet. The setting was just amazing! Surprisingly I was well ahead of schedule, arriving at 1:45pm, half an hour earlier than anticipated. Guests were still arriving and also standing at the top of the hill and my in-laws hadn't arrived yet. Oops! To kill some time, we went for a scenic drive around the hills which was lovely, but I just wanted to hurry up!
OMG, it was finally time. Eeek! I could hear the string quartet start to play and it gave me chills. The aisle was much steeper than I realised and I think my bridesmaids looked quite concerned, hehehe. As I’m an only child, I broke tradition and asked my mother and father to walk me down the aisle. Thankfully I had both of them on either side to hold me up! As we were making our way down the steep hill, my cathedral length veil snagged and pulled from my hair. Argh! I continued on without it and while I was disappointed, all my frustration disappeared as soon as I saw Matt waiting at the end of the aisle. I only had eyes for him, it was as if time stood still and we were the only 2 people on earth. We were both very emotional during the ceremony, it was wonderful being surrounded by our loved ones as we became husband and wife. Once the ceremony was over, we spent some time taking photos in the Garden and then headed into the city for more photos around Adelaide University and Plane Tree Drive.
Our reception was held at our favourite hotel, The Sebel Playford. We arrived around 7pm and while our guests enjoyed pre-dinner drinks, we sneaked into Ballrooms 1 & 2 for some quick photos. As I entered, I couldn't believe me eyes! It looked spectacular and beyond my expectations and I'm not easy to please! Hehehe. I had always imagined what it would look like, but seeing it set up for us, well it left me speechless. We then went to our huge Bridal Loft Suite to enjoy some pre-dinner drinks and canapés which were delicious! At 7:40pm, we left the room to be declared “Mr & Mrs”. Being announced to the cheers of our 145 guests was the most amazing feeling, the room was full of so much love, it was overwhelming.
As we had a lot of couples attend, for bomboniere we gave the men crystal ball wine stoppers and the women rainbow rock candy made with our names and wedding date. Both were boxed and tied with white ribbon. The children received personalised activity noodle boxes along with plush toys, colouring-in books and Uno to keep them entertained. The food was absolutely divine, the staff were fantastic, so friendly and attentive, making sure we and our guests were taken care of. Our cake was a work of art! It was square with 4 tiers and decorated in ivory lustre with a white damask pattern. The 2 flavours were dark chocolate mud cake with Kahlua ganache and white chocolate mud cake with Cointreau ganache. Thankfully we still have leftovers in our freezer!
We had such a fun evening, mingling with our guests and dancing away (we even managed a Conga line!). Our reception went so quickly, but as everyone recommended, I stood back on my own and took it all in. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face, watching everyone on the dance floor, even my mother who never dances! Fortunately the celebrations didn’t end there; we still had our honeymoon to enjoy! The following Tuesday we left for QLD where we spent 1 week in the Gold Coast where we stayed at Q1 Resort and Palazzo Versace. We had a ball at all the theme parks! We also spent an additional week in Tahiti and Bora Bora in an overwater bungalow. It was absolute heaven on earth and the most romantic and chilled holiday ever.
Our wedding day was truly the happiest day of our lives. I wish we could relive the day over and over again, I want another wedding! :)