Met in the foyer of Victorias courts of law and proposed at the worlds biggest tomato fight in Spain our beautiful couple, Jayne + William live a life of excitement and deep commitment to one another. #RCREALBRIDE Jayne wore the gown Drimea by Pronovias. Femininity and seduction go hand-in-hand in this mermaid wedding dress with a sweetheart neckline. A design that combines the lace and Chantilly of the neckline with the tulle of the mermaid skirt. A dress that enhances and streamlines the silhouette. This dress exudes romanticism with every step the bride takes. It can be combined with a detachable cape, held in place by lace off-the-shoulder straps that give it flow and movement. https://vimeo.com/276370107 Photography: Mark Davis Photography THE FIRST SIGHT Will and I were both practising criminal law out at the Frankston law courts, so, just as romantic as it sounds, we met amongst the flurry of the court foyer! We were friends for quite some time before we started dating. Given our professional connection and the propensity for gossip in the legal fraternity, we actually kept our romantic love affair quiet for many weeks. We finally called it official (notwithstanding Will dropping the L-bomb suspiciously early in the piece!) and our first real date went for about 12 hours…well, you might say! I was instantly attracted to Will’s lively, optimistic spirit; he always managed to find time to engage with others, even if he was drowning in files! Plus, Will has very sexy dimples and good hair! ha! As I understand, Will couldn’t stay away from my characteristic giggle…. THE PROPOSAL We were actually only dating for about 2.5 years before Will proposed! But we both knew what we wanted and couldn’t see our future without the other in it. We were jetting off for 3.5 glorious weeks in Europe. Although I had my suspicions about a possible proposal, I had thoroughly searched Will’s bag before we left and didn’t find a ring (hahaha!), so it did come as a surprise when he popped the question during our trip…. We were at La Tomatina in Bunol, Spain. La Tomatina is the world’s biggest tomato fight; it takes place in the centre of the tiny Spanish town, along the main cobblestone street that winds amid the local terrace-style homes. Large trucks drive through the narrow street unloading tomatoes behind them and then… the fight begins! We were both laughing hysterically (while simultaneously trying not to swallow too much tomato juice….and madly ducking to avoid a tomato to the face). After about 30 minutes of unrivalled wildness, we decided to escape about 10 minutes prior to the end of the fight and went through the village streets, walking towards the river in order to cleanse ourselves in the water. We held hands as we paced our tomato-sodden bodies along the cobblestones. Will waited until there was some distance between the people ahead and we had the street to ourselves, Will then turned to me and dropped down to one knee…. he uttered some heartfelt sentiments and ultimately popped the question to the human bruschetta before him!! We then heard some cheering from the top of the hill and turned to see some drunken Spaniards had witnessed our special moment and were joining in the excitement! P.S. I had searched his bag thoroughly….no diamonds; I wore a plastic/metal, Portuguese tile ring, with pride, for three weeks until I was spoiled with my beautiful diamond solitaire engagement ring upon returning home! 🙂 THE VENUE We live locally in Abbotsford and the convent precinct is just a short stroll from our home. We just instantly fell in love with the Abbotsford Convent: The Good Shepherd Chapel, the stunning gardens and grounds, the Rosina Room – it was just us; it was the exact place I imagined my wedding day to be. We had actually only looked at one other venue and didn’t look any further than the Abbotsford Convent. Bursaria also have an excellent reputation in respect of food and service. FAVOURITE MOMENT Aside from the first glass of champagne?!?! The most memorable part of the entire day for me was the ceremony. It was surreal, it was the formalisation of the love and commitment I feel for my best friend, my most wonderful life-partner, it was everything – it was our past and forever all at once and it was just magical. The Good Shepherd Chapel is an immaculately presented church, with exquisite hand-painted artwork adorning the ceiling and awe-inspiring stained-glass windows; the Chapel is also within our local parish. We opted for a full Catholic marriage ceremony, including mass. We worked alongside our priest, Father John Prest, to plan our ceremony and perfect all the finer details. Father John is just a wonderful man; he is so down to earth and very true to his faith and he really encouraged us to have a ceremony that reflected “us”. Our ceremony was quite formal, but included important prayers and readings that really resonated with us. We also wrote our own vows and have heard that our words elicited a fair bit of emotion and tears from the pews! THE DRESS I chose the Pronovias gown, ‘Drimea’, from Raffaele Cuica Bridal in Brunswick. The sleeves and the neckline of the gown redesigned to create a customised dress that was more in-line with my personal style. I was so nervous about the alterations, as I had chosen my dress within a very tight timeframe, however, the RC tailors are magicians and completely transformed my dress into my dream gown! I truly felt like a queen at my final fitting (fitting as we were married on the same day as Harry & Meaghan!). The dress is timeless; ivory lace, with a scalloped v-shaped neckline, buttons running down the back and a mermaid silhouette…. not to mention the 2.5 metre train (that required over 10 bustles!!) that was a striking sight as I entered the Chapel. I went to four other stores and tried on at least 15 other dresses, but returned to the original dress I’d chosen; it was meant to be! FINDING THE ONE At my very first wedding gown fitting (ever!), I met my RC stylist, Francesca… and by some fortunate twist of fate, I hit the jackpot! Francesca is one of the best in the business; she has oodles of experience, however, is also up-to-date with current labels and trends. Francesca took me through a “styling-journey”; in doing so, she helped me understand the importance of choosing a silhouette and neckline that accentuated the pros of my figure and detracted from the cons. Francesca is exceptionally good at what she does; I was so at ease in her presence and my Mum loved her!! I have not stopped recommending Francesca’s services since my wedding day. The other staff members at RC were also very attentive and friendly and made me feel very special whenever I visited the store. ADVICE FOR OTHER BRIDES Be organised. Bowl over the big-ticket items first, to ensure you lock in the most important vendors. Have a month-by-month task list and add to it as you go (some brides use an excel spreadsheet, I found it easier to use a memo saved to my phone, so I could readily access it at any time!). Try and complete tasks by the set due date and cross them off as you go. DO NOT in any circumstances delegate important tasks to your Hubby-to-be! Also, can you give us a tip on how to keep a happy relationship? Laugh lots. Don’t dwell on things. Be in tune with each other; recognise strengths and work together to improve on weaknesses. Marriage is a life-long commitment; it’s about building a life together…it’s not lust or pain; it’s choosing your partner every day and knowing they choose you. VENDORS Dress: Raffaele Ciuca Bridal Photographer: Mark Davis Photography Venue: Reception – Abbotsford Convent Ceremony – Good Shepherd Chapel Flowers: Floretta by Grace Cake: Miss Ladybird Cakes Hair: Jasmine Kara (previously Edwards & Co., now Hair by Jasmine Kara) Makeup: Tahlia Jayde