ADAM X SOPHIE

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What the Bride said… On our wedding day, we had been together - officially 4 years. We moved in together after 3 months as I had been promoted to a job on the Sunshine Coast and Adam came with... he surfs, so it wasn't a hard sell. On our third year anniversary (June 27, 2020) Adam proposed over ice cream at a secluded spot by the water at Point Cartwright. Exactly one year later (June 27, 2021) we got married.

favourite moment. There were so many highlights, it's hard to pick. Adam and I both say the ceremony was our favourite - it was perfect. There was so much love and laughter... It all felt very surreal. Other highlights... seeing my Dad - who doesn't dance - on the dancefloor.

did you write your own vows? We did - they were beautiful. They were full of personal jokes and sentiments. We both cried. Adam told me he'd been writing parts of his vows since before he proposed! I walked down the aisle to 'Hey Pretty Girl - Kip Moore' a song Adam was very into when we first got together. The song ends with "...pretty little girl and a beautiful wife" so Adam ended his vows with that... because our dog Luna was there as the 'pretty little girl.'

were there emotional moments? Oh god, everything. I was crying from the get-go... my makeup held up beautifully though! I did the "first look" with my Dad... and we were both sobbing.. I'm really glad I did it though, it was a special moment!

first dance song: When I Look Into Your Eyes - Firehouse

where did you honeymoon? With Covid we didn't plan anything outrageous... we did pop up to Cairns for three nights and did the Barrier Reef. Again, we were SO lucky. The South East Queensland lockdown was announced while we were in the air on the way to Cairns... so we missed it by an hour or so. We loved Cairns... snorkeling, eating, drinking! I highly recommend it!

were there any special touches/moments/inclusions in your day and why? Our dog (and love of our lives) Luna was my flower girl - she was such a good doggo! She walked down the aisle with my Mum who was my matron of honour - I love my friends to pieces, but picking my mum as matron of honour was a no brainer. She is my best friend. She looked beautiful! A koala was spotted in a tree next to the bridal cottage, then directly after the ceremony, he came down to where photos were being taken - he was gorgeous! Clearly something wasn't right for him to be coming up to people so wildlife carers came to get him, and let us name him "Cassidy" our last name. Since then, Tall Timber Studio helped raise money for his treatment and he's recovering well to be released soon.

any family heirlooms/gifts? A locket - My mum gave me a locket to wear with a photo of my late grandmother and great-grandmother to remind me I come from a line of strong women

did Covid affect your day? We were missing seven members of Adam's extended family at the wedding due to Sydney's lockdown. Other than that, not at all. We were so, SO fortunate. Two of my bridesmaids were from Melbourne, and their lockdown lifted three days before the wedding. I was trying to mentally prepare for them not to make it. It was all very stressful though, watching the Covid case numbers daily. ONE DAY after our wedding, Queensland enforced restrictions on weddings and went into a lockdown. We should have bought a lotto ticket, we were that lucky!

do you have any advice/recommendations for future brides? Don't ask people for their opinions when planning - it gets too confusing! Just do you. Have fun! I based all my planning decisions on what would be most fun and stress-free on the day... right down to letting my bridesmaids dress themselves, pick their own hairstyles. All in all, it was The. Best. Day. Ever. We wouldn't change a thing - we had an absolute blast! So much laughing and crying, and just pure happiness. If that's how our marriage started, we're in for a wild ride!

‘Cassidy’ the Koala Update: Cassidy is being cared for by KLAWS and has since finished his Chlamydia treatment – Sandie, his carer said the poor little thing will always have his head tilt and mis-shaped eye. She wasn’t sure why but he is obviously a survivor of some form of injury or attack. He was about to be released but they found he now requires surgery on his troublesome eye. More information and on how you can help or give a donation can be found by contacting contactus@klaws.org.au