“Raffaele Ciuca didn’t push me into making a decision, I was able to try on different styled dresses, all absolutely beautiful, but as soon as I put on the Irena dress by Sottero and Midgley did I really fall in love and thought to myself, yep this is the one.” #RCREALBRIDE GENEVIEVE RC – How did you meet Kyle? We first met at my work. I had worked in a pharmacy for 10+ years on the Mornington Peninsula in a little seaside town called Dromana, my friends had always said that I would meet my future husband in the pharmacy and I wasn’t so convinced. Although I did have many marriage proposals, they were all from 80 year old men. It wasn’t until we had somebody new come to work at the pharmacy that I met her lovely son Kyle when he came in to work one night to tell his mum some news. We started talking straight away, I thought to myself, wow what an incredibly nice gentleman while Kyle was more interested in my behind haha. Took us a little while to become a couple, Kyle was about to take a career in the army so wasn’t too interested in starting a relationship but things began to flourish and well the rest is history. RC – How did Kyle propose? Kyle was going to propose on my birthday in November 2013 however we had a trip planned to Italy and France in September and he proposed in Rome on our 1st year Anniversary. Kyle was acting very weird on our first night in Rome and I just put it down to nerves, been far away from home, a new country, different language, all that jazz. He asked me a question after dinner, ‘is there anywhere quiet in Rome that we can go and just have a chat’ to which I replied ‘this is Rome, there is nowhere quiet’. We walked around Rome a little longer, went to the Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo, the Pantheon and then walked back to our hotel just down from the Trevi Fountain. It was back at our hotel room under a portrait of the virgin Mary that he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Well I just burst into tears and what felt like a few moments but to him it felt like a lifetime bending on one knee, I said YES. After a 2 and a half year engagement we were finally married on the long weekend in March. RC – Is there a particular reason as to why you chose your venue? We chose our venue, Stillwater at Crittendens on the Mornington Peninsula as it was close for our friends and family to travel to. We didn’t want our guests having to travel too far, plus the Mornington Peninsula is like a holiday destination every day of the year, so how could we choose anywhere else apart from where we grew up and new so well. The ceremony and reception also took place at the same venue which made it so convenient. RC – Your favourite part of the wedding? My favourite part was by far walking down the aisle and that first look between myself and my future husband. The feeling is incredible I just can’t explain it, you really feel like its just you and him staring at each other oblivious to everything else going on, it’s almost like that first time you meet, you fall in love all over again, butterflies in your stomach, massive smiles, it really was a beautiful moment. RC – How did the dress make you feel? My dress made me feel on top of the world, I felt amazing and incredibly beautiful. A girl always dreams of her wedding dress since when she could say wedding and I always wanted something that showed who I am as a woman, plus I wanted that wow factor when walking down that aisle. I got it all on the day and at the end of the night I didn’t want to take it off, I felt like that little girl inside of me was looking up and saying wow look at what you have become this amazing strong woman and nobody can take that away from you. RC – How was your bridal shopping experience? I really dislike people who try to influence you as a person and try to make your decisions for you which I had heard happens when you go wedding dress shopping, however the girls as Raffaele Ciuca didn’t push me into making a decision, I was able to try on a few different styled dresses, all absolutely beautiful, but as soon as I put on the Irena dress by Sottero and Midgley did I really fall in love and thought to myself, yeap this is the one. A little over my budget I thought to myself, Gen this is your wedding and if this is what your heart tells you to buy then go for it. All the girls at Raffaele Ciuca were so helpful from when I purchased my dress all the way to when I had it altered and picked it up a few days before the wedding, a massive thank you to you all. RC – Tips for brides-to-be! Just relax, all your hard work has paid off, things will go wrong on the day but don’t let it put you down, just get over it, laugh at it, be thankful you are about to marry your true love and that’s all that matters, it’s about you and your husband and showing the love you have for each other. Take a moment during the reception to a quiet little place and look back at all of your guests, they are all here for you and have played a very special part sometime in your life to make that guest list that you sweated over all that time ago. Above all kiss your husband as much as possible, enjoy it and embrace those special moments.