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Mallory Sparkles
Gabrielle and Patrick met by chance in a bar along Bourbon Street in New Orleans, USA. Patrick was celebrating his best friend’s bachelor night and Gabby was traveling through the States. Unknown to her was that Patrick worked in aviation and they’d be seeing each other only two weeks after she was back in Australia and regularly after. "We’ve done everything possible to be together since!" Gabrielle tells.
Together for a year and a half, they had travelled to Reykjavik, Iceland and taken a ferry at night to Videy Island to see the
Imagine Peace Tower (tower of light by Yoko Ono in memory of John Lennon). Shortly after arriving to the island, the Northern Lights appeared and danced above them and Patrick proposed at the Imagine Peace Tower. It was magical!
what led you to decide on your Wedding venue? It was all about ease. As a person who likes to be organised I wanted somewhere I could arrive the day before to settle in and keep an eye on everything. I wanted to be able to get ready, have the ceremony and reception in one place. We had guests coming from the US and Canada so we also wanted it to be an easy location for all our guests to come together.
favourite moments: Seeing each other for the first time that day of course! Also Patrick planned with the band to surprise me by serenading Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden as it was going to be our first dance song before we changed it. It was beautiful and set a great mood for the rest of the night. The dancing later with family and friends was so much fun.
favourite detail: My flowers! When I was dressed and held my bouquet, it was the piece that really made me feel bridal and beautiful. I also loved entering the reception space and seeing the centerpieces with the simple placings of soft greenery.
how was your dress/suit shopping experience overall? 8 months and it did take a few try-ons before realizing the look I thought I wanted wasn’t right for me and I had to go with something else altogether. The experience was only enjoyable when espresso martinis were had beforehand.
what does marriage mean to you? For us it’s a commitment to love and support no matter what and build an enriching life with your best friend.
any classic stories you want to share from the day? In the lead up to the wedding we had joked and anticipated that I would cry and Patrick would be the strong one like usual but the complete opposite happened. On me walking down the aisle Patrick welled up and cried but I felt so composed and happy. He likes to deny this happened.
advice: Research and go with vendors you trust. It takes so much pressure off if you know it’ll be done and it is in capable hands. Most importantly is to have fun on the day!
any stand out vendors for the day? All the vendors we had did an absolutely amazing job. We couldn’t have asked for any more from anyone.
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