TELL ME ABOUT YOUR THE BEGINNING!
Our first meeting was in the Peter Roland Marquee in the Birdcage. having been invited by her good friend Renae, Erina went all out to dress the part for the big day, Luke was in attendance with his family as they had decided to all attend the Melbourne Cup bird cage first time.
We first laid eyes on each other at the start of the day. Erina came up to Luke and Sarah (Luke’s sister) with her firey, confident personality and introduced herself. It took Erina a little while after they all began chatting / hanging out until she realised Luke was in fact single. She soon met the whole family and we all got along like a house on fire.
My parents invited Erina and her friends back to our house in Port Melbourne for an after party, where we proceeded to party on. We ended up at the Emerson until 3am that morning. Luke had to go to work that next morning but returned to Erina’s apartment as she was cooking her famous chicken curry. The first time we met ended up becoming almost a 48 hour affair and we were inseparable ever since.
WHEN AND WHERE DID YOU GET ENGAGED?
We have been engaged since the 21st of May 2022, although Luke was very keen to pop the question some two years earlier, where Luke started discussing some ideas about how he should pop the question with Erina’s close friends Katie and Renae. Renae (the facilitator of our meeting) a successful artist in Melbourne, came up with the idea of concealing “will you marry me” in one of her paintings, that would then be exhibited at one of our favourite restaurants. A great plan that was hindered by COVID 19 and Erina’s insistence that her dream proposal would be in an intimate setting and after completion of her Post graduate Law degree and recovery from her planned double jaw surgery. Despite this, Luke was keen to set this plan in action, so during Renae’s departure from Melbourne, one of Renae’s paintings with the inscription “will you marry me” was hung up in our home while Erina’s was out getting her nails done with Katie. Nearly two years passed with this painting hanging in our home unbeknownst to Erina, following months of recovery from Erina’s major surgery the stage was finally set for Luke to plan the engagement.
A voucher to Jackelope in the Mornington Peninsular from Luke’s Parents created the perfect excuse to escape Melbourne for Erina’s birthday (month), the stage was set but how the painting would be revealed and in an intimate setting was yet to be determined, an intricate plan had to be hatched with the help of Katie involving a business plan style pitch to the hotel convincing them
HOW DO YOU ENVISION YOUR WEDDING DAY?
We are both a little bit extra and have always envisaged a very sophisticated, moody wedding but our theme has evolved into more of a stylized event, something reminiscent of a scene from the Great Gatsby, but unlimitedly all we want out of our big day is to capture or love, quirky moments, the city we love (Melbourne), and the fun we will have along the journey.
we have both spent countless hours on this day ( we cant help ourselves) considering how each element of our wedding ties into this overall theme so we cant wait to see it all come to life.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST ON YOUR WEDDING DAY?
Do what we love, Dressing up and being the best versions of ourselves we can be, surrounding ourselves in amazing spaces, and with our nearest and dearest, experiencing and appreciating Melbourne, and of course having fun.
TOP TIPS?
Get a planner.