Weddings

Sun Herald

Sunday January 7, 2007

By Andrew Taylor

Who: Wendy Morton and Simon Edwards.

Where: Double Island, Far North Queensland.

WENDY and Simon were set up by a mutual friend in London five years ago. "It was a real blind date," Wendy said. "No one else was there to introduce us or as back-up in case it went horribly wrong."

Happily, neither Wendy, 35, nor Simon, 38, had to hide in the bathroom or fake a stomach upset to escape the date. Within two months, they had decided to give up their jobs and go backpacking together around the world.

Simon proposed to Wendy on her 34th birthday while on holiday in North Queensland. The couple had taken a speedboat to a deserted atoll where they were dropped off with a picnic hamper, champagne and sun umbrella. "Simon produced my birthday present which was a gorgeous ring and asked me to marry him," Wendy said.

Forty-six family members and friends flew to Double Island for three days of wedding celebrations.

Inspired by dance parties in Thai beach resorts, Wendy and Simon staged their own with African drummers, fire twirlers, didgeridoo players and a belly dancer.

After a five-course degustation wedding dinner, guests were led down to the beach. Wendy and Simon then danced to Kylie's Can't Get You Out Of My Head, the first song they danced to on their blind date.

The next evening the couple had a barbecue followed by more fire twirling.

On the final night, Wendy and Simon created their own outdoor cinema, screening an uncut DVD of their wedding day.

Three days on a tropical island wasn't enough for Wendy and Simon, who travelled to Fiji for their honeymoon, as Wendy put it, "to recover".

The dress: Wendy wore a pure silk Georgette couture wedding gown, made by Lisa Merton, with draping and ruching, a crossover bodice with shoestring straps and a silver hand-beaded Swarovski crystal waistband from India.

The bridesmaids: Wendy's sister Jane, best friend Emma Marriott and Simon's sister Claire - wore pure silk bright blue and turquoise gowns with a hand-made beaded sari trim at the waistband, designed by Wendy.

The food: Included consomme of pumpkin soup with Balmain bugs and lobster.

The flowers: Wendy and her bridesmaids carried bouquets of white gardenias and camellias, from Pink Moss in Palm Cove.

BEST WEDDINGS

Who: Rebecca Wood and David Wallace.

Ceremony: The King's School Chapel, North Parramatta.

Reception: Oatlands House, Oatlands.

David had 12 long-stemmed red roses and a glass of champagne waiting for Rebecca at their Balmain apartment and petals in the hallway; in the lounge room David serenaded Rebecca with Elton John's Your Song. Then he proposed. Rebecca surprised David with a red convertible Ferrari to take him to the wedding.

Picture: Jeff Greene/Vivid Images

Who: Melisa Fuda and Andrew McKirdy.

Ceremony: Pyrmont Point Park, Pyrmont.

Reception: Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf, Pyrmont.

They met as students working part-time in a video store. Fast-forward six years and Andrew booked a weekend at the Quay Grand to propose to Melisa. However, his surprise almost came unstuck when he locked the ring in the hotel safe and then couldn't retrieve it. Happily, the ring was rescued and "I said yes before he could open the box", Melisa said.

Picture: Neil Fenelon

Who: Linda Ross and Daniel Wheatley.

Ceremony and reception: Tirtha Uluwatu, Bali.

A shared love of the outdoors drew Linda and Daniel together, with the couple going on surfing safaris to Bali, Hawaii and the east coast of Australia. Linda proposed to Daniel on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge at sunset. Twenty-two friends and family members joined the couple for five days of wedding celebrations.

Picture: Tirtha Uluwatu

We'd love to see your wedding snapshots. Please send them to Andrew Taylor, 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.

© 2007 Sun Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home