Weddings

Sun Herald

Sunday October 22, 2006

By Clara Iaccarino

Who: Lauren Chatze and Costa Anastasiadis.

Ceremony: Greek Orthodox Church, Redfern.

Reception: Wharf Restaurant, Walsh Bay.

THERE'S nothing quite like a crush on the pizza man to spawn a beautiful romance. When Lauren Chatze moved to Annandale she found herself living directly opposite Costa Anastasiadis's pizza bar, Crust. The couple, both 28, were introduced in late 2003 by Lauren's sister's boyfriend and soon Lauren was an avid pizza - and Costa - fan.

St Valentine's Day approached and with it the first romantic gesture from Costa. Sending flowers and an invitation for a first date, Costa wooed Lauren and the couple were inseparable from that day forth.

They moved into a house in Earlwood together and it was here that Costa proposed in June last year. He went to Lauren's parents house on the morning of the proposal to ask their permission and returned to ask for Lauren's hand while she was still propped up in bed.

The wedding was a very traditional Greek celebration. The ceremony was held at the Greek Orthodox Church in Redfern with more than 200 friends and family. The reception followed at the Wharf Restaurant with a band from Costa's father's Kogarah club, Red Martins, playing traditional Greek music. There was dancing and speeches from both bride and groom and their fathers before the bridal party kicked on into the wee hours at the Sebel Pier.

Lauren - a handbag and accessories designer with her own label, OraniaZana - designed the gowns and accessories for her bridesmaids.

The day after the wedding Costa's father hosted an after-party celebration for close friends and family with a lamb on the spit, more Greek music and dancing and smashing of plates, capping off a spectacular traditional marriage.

The couple plan to pursue their respective careers, Lauren as a designer and Costa as a gourmet pizza bar entrepreneur, and hope to start a family together. They are still away enjoying their honeymoon in the United States where they kicked off in Los Angeles (then to San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York) and will finish with a relaxing week in Hawaii.

The dress: Lauren's dress was a strapless tulle gown with a tight bodice, complete with a round sweetheart bust with tulle detail at the top of the bodice. The gown had a fishtail bottom and a three-metre veil.

The flowers: The bride and bridesmaids had the same bouquets of ranunculus and freesia bound together with tulle and minimal greenery.

The cake: Celebration Cakes made an ivory two-tier cake. It was a very simple design topped with white scattered flowers and a ribbon.

BEST WEDDINGS

Who: Jacqueline Wood and George von Waldthausen.

Ceremony: St Mark's Church, Darling Point.

Reception: Gunners' Barracks, Georges Heights.

Jacqueline is Scottish and has been friends and a fellow adventurer with George since 1999. It was not until she moved to Melbourne and asked George to escort her to some work functions that romance blossomed. George surprised Jacqueline with champagne and a poem engagement proposal after they climbed to the top of Lord Howe Island's highest mountain, Mount Gower. The reception included Scottish dancing and bagpipes.

Who: Symantha Thomson and Victor Manauzzi.

Ceremony: St Mark's Church, Darling Point.

Reception: Museum of Contemporary Art ballroom.

Symantha and Victor were introduced through a friend at Establishment Bar. They went out for a few weeks and in the sixth week went to Hayman Island, where Symantha says they realised they were destined to be together. The couple was engaged on Symantha's 31st birthday and celebrated their wedding with 120 guests and a Frank Sinatra theme, including a seven-piece band. They spent two weeks in Hawaii for their honeymoon.

Who: Vicki Crockett and Mark Norek.

Ceremony: St Patrick's Church, Nulkaba, Hunter Valley.

Reception: The Great Cask Hall, Rothbury Estate.

Vicki and Mark first met 15 years ago in Queensland. They crossed paths briefly seven years later, then at a charity function a further eight years down the track Vicki recognised "that man" again. Mark bought a raffle ticket to win a night at the opera and promised to take Vicki if he won. He did win the raffle and his first date with Vicki. The wedding was celebrated over a weekend in the Hunter Valley.

We'd love to see your wedding snapshots. Please send them to Angela Cuming, GPO Box 506, Sydney 2001. We apologise, but photographs cannot be returned. Or you can send digital pictures to weddings@sunherald.com.au. They should be 15 centimetres wide at 1MB in jpg format.

© 2006 Sun Herald

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