“Mum and I chose Raffaele Ciuca because there was so much choice. On our first visit, we chose the gown. My assistant at the Armadale Boutique, (I wish I could remember her name!) was wonderful. I told her what kind of styles I liked and she knew exactly what I needed. She selected three gowns and the third I tried on was the one I chose. Everyone at RC was so helpful and made the entire experience so special.” #RCREALBRIDE REBECCA RC – How did you and your husband meet? We met at the Beach Hotel in Port Melbourne, over six years ago. I was out on a girls night and he was out for a boys night. We started chatting for a few minutes, went our separate ways and wasn’t sure I’d hear from him again. We went out for our first date a few days later and that was it… RC – The proposal? We live in Jan Juc, on the Surf Coast so there is nothing we love more than being at the beach. It was a warm summer night on Feb 6th 2014 and Ben had organised to take me and our 1 year old son Jackson for fish and chips on the foreshore in Torquay. Ben started fumbling around in his pocket, dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him. It was so special to have our little man with us to celebrate the moment. Ben had chosen that date because it was the day that Jackson was meant to be born, I hadn’t even thought about it but he had it all planned out. RC – Is there a particular reason as to why you chose your venue? We love Bali and holiday there at least once a year. We knew we wanted an outdoor wedding, by the beach with dancing under the stars and Bali was the perfect location. The weather is always spectacular so the choice was easy. We spent hours on the internet looking at villas and we came across Villa Tamarama at the Semara. We both love the Hamptons style of this villa and the stunning views of the surf break in Uluwatu. Without having ever seen the venue – we knew this was the one. I contacted Kresna and Anthony at Bali Tie d’Knot, wedding planners based in Bali and immediately booked the Semara. RC – Your favourite part of the wedding? Our favourite part of the wedding was barefoot dancing under the most beautiful canopy of foliage and fairy lights. It was a dream. By 7pm, all our guests had kicked off their shoes and hit the dance floor. Our band, Glo Live Band was fantastic! They set the mood immediately and there wasn’t a spare space on the dance floor. We danced until 11pm and didn’t want it to end. After the guests had left, Ben and I popped a bottle of Moet & Chandon and sat, with feet submerged, by the gorgeous infinity pool, overlooking Uluwatu. It was the most perfect end to our night and we’ll never forget it. RC – How did your dress make you feel? My Pronovias gown was the third I tried on, and the moment it was on – I knew it was the one. The gorgeous fish tail, and lace detail was stunning and made me feel the most glamourous I’ve ever felt in my life! It was gorgeous! RC – How was your bridal shopping experience? Fantastic – Mum and I chose Raffaele Ciuca because there was so much choice. On our first visit, we chose the gown. My assistant at the Armadale Boutique, (I wish I could remember her name!) was wonderful. I told her what kind of styles I liked and she knew exactly what I needed. She selected three gowns and the third I tried on was the one I chose. Everyone at RC was so helpful and made the entire experience so special. RC – Tips for brides-to-be! Enjoy every moment because the day is over before you know it and go with your gut – with so many decisions to make around dresses, shoes, cakes and venues, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and lose sight of the dream day you planned. Have a plan and stick to it and the day will be amazing. REBECCA WEARS BELINDA GOWN BY PRONOVIAS