Weddings

Sun Herald

Sunday July 16, 2006

By Angela Cuming

Who: Vihari Pandya and Stephen Ross.

Where: Athol Hall, Mosman.

AT Vihari Pandya and Stephen Ross's office Christmas party back in 2002, the boss decided to do a little matchmaking.

He thought the pair would make a good couple, and told Vihari she should ask Stephen out, because, among other things, he had a new car.

There was one flaw in the boss's plan, though. They had already been dating for the past year.

"Someone had to enlighten him after that," Vihari said. "He was about a year too late."

Four years after they started dating Stephen summoned the courage to pop the question during a romantic getaway at Mollymook.

Even Vihari admits she was "an idiot" not to see it coming.

"It came completely out of left field for me," she said. "Stephen had even called one of my best girlfriends, who was a bridesmaid, and asked her to go shopping with him for a ring.

"That whole week she was not returning my calls, and I thought she was just ignoring me.

"Even before that, when my girlfriend was asking me what ring I would want if Stephen ever proposed, I didn't twig to what was going on."

The couple went to India in January for a traditional wedding celebration attended by more than 300 relatives from Vihari's side of the family tree.

"It was more of an experience than a wedding celebration," she said.

"It was really nuts and I think Stephen was in a bit of shock by it all.

"We were even interviewed by the local television news station."

About 150 guests attended the Sydney wedding, with relatives travelling from Queensland and Dubbo.

Vihari wanted the day to reflect her Indian heritage, and so chose a white, red and gold colour scheme.

Guests were given rose petals to throw after the ceremony, which is a tradition for Indian weddings.

The couple spent two weeks in Hawaii for their honeymoon.

The dress: The bride wore a strapless, hand-beaded bodice and skirt covered in French lace by Lisa Merton for Culture Shock. The bridesmaids wore red halter tops with matching skirts with vertical Indian braids stitched on in red, gold and chocolate.

The flowers: Red vanda orchids and roses by Christina Hay Flowers, Randwick.

The cake: Three tiers with bands of red and traditional Indian gold design by Planet Cake.

BEST WEDDINGS

Who: Nicole McNamara and Anthony Lawler.

Ceremony and reception: Gunners Barracks, Mosman.

A mutual love of music from the 1960s, '70s and '80s drew the couple together when they met at a pub.

Anthony's daughter, Georgia, was flower girl and Nicole's teary father gave her away. The couple surprised guests at the reception with a jive to Crazy Little Thing Called Love. They spent a month's honeymoon in Europe.

Who: Samantha Maddock and Mark Epton.

Ceremony: St Martin's Anglican Church, Killara.

Reception: Long Reef Golf Club, Collaroy.

The couple met at university and spent seven years being hassled by friends and family about tying the knot. Mark finally popped the question in 2004 on top of Mount Blue Cow in a middle of a snowstorm. They spent their honeymoon in Tahiti before settling in Padstow.

WHO: Rebecca Howland and Stuart Ryan.

Ceremony: Miranda Congregational Church.

Reception: Victoria House, Bexley.

Rebecca got her dream proposal when she was invited to Stuart's home. She was greeted by 100 lit candles leading to the garden and Stuart standing in the rain with a bottle of wine. For something different their photographs were taken at the Loftus Tram Museum.

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 300dpi in jpg format.

© 2006 Sun Herald

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