Laura and Dante vowed to spend the rest of their lives together surrounded by their nearest and dearest in a heartfelt ceremony at Mt Eden Village Centre, followed by a beautiful reception at Fickling Convention Centre. Their day was filled with joy, laughter, and love, with every photograph capturing the excitement and beaming smiles of the blissful couple.
Laura looked enchanting in Genoa by Forget Me Knot, an embossed floral brocade gown featuring a romantic sweetheart neckline and a full floaty A-line skirt. The subtle sheen of the gown paired perfectly with our Harriet veil, delicately hand beaded with pearls and crafted from structured American tulle. She completed her bridal look with our elegant pearl drop earrings, adding a timeless finishing touch.
We hope you enjoy browsing the highlights of their beautiful day and catching a glimpse into Laura’s journey with Astra Bridal as she found her dream dress.
What was it that made this particular wedding dress catch your eye and fall in love?
While looking through all the beautiful dresses, my eye was caught by the fabric of the dress I chose. I remember thinking the fabric was so beautiful and just felt like me. It was the first dress I tried on in the store, and it fit almost perfectly. When I saw myself in it, I instantly rated it highly. The fabric felt so timeless, the dress fell so beautifully, and we all knew deep down it was the one. It also had pockets, which is always amazing! It was not the style of dress I thought I would end up with, but it was the dress, and I felt absolutely beautiful. I also got my stunning pearl veil and earrings from Astra, as I fell in love with both during the process.
Tell us about your search for the dress and the experience at Astra Bridal.
The day I bought my dress was the only day I went dress shopping. We went into Astra Bridal North Shore and were greeted by the lovely Sarah, who suggested we start at their sister store to get an idea of what I was looking for. Sarah ended up working with me throughout my entire journey, and after getting a sense of what I liked, we went back to Astra Bridal to look at their beautiful dresses.
We pulled a few options, and Sarah was incredible in helping me through the process. She made me feel comfortable and offered her thoughts and guidance. My mum and aunty came shopping with me, and we all felt incredibly welcome in the store. We felt no pressure to make a decision right away.
Overall, it was an amazing experience, and I was able to come back at a later date to show my bridesmaids. We had such an amazing experience with Sarah, who made everything feel very personal to my wedding and created an amazing environment for us.
Tell us your story, how you both met, and the proposal.
We met at 11 years old in intermediate school. We grew up as friends, and after years of my now husband crushing on me, I realised after leaving school that I quite liked him too. After we left school, we started dating, and he asked me to be his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day.
Exactly five years later, on a holiday to Australia, he got down on one knee on a beautiful beach and asked me to marry him, and I said yes! We then chose our wedding day to be on the 14th of November, as the 14th has been a significant date throughout our relationship.
What was your favourite part of the day?
It’s very hard to choose, but I think it was when I first walked into our church and was overwhelmed by the number of people there for us. Then, standing at the end of the aisle looking at my soon to be husband and realising this was really happening, we were both very emotional.
The first look with my dad was very special. We also had a super fun time doing our first dance, which we had created the week before the wedding. It was a big surprise to everyone and went surprisingly well.
Tell us about your wedding day as a whole.
Our wedding day was beautiful. My morning getting ready started off very calm and then flew by before we had to leave. Our hair and makeup team were amazing and made me, my bridesmaids, my mum, and my aunty feel and look beautiful. They kept us all calm, were so efficient with time, and had great energy.
We had a few rain showers in the morning and one while driving to the venue, but after that, the weather was perfect. Our ceremony was perfect. We were married by my cousin, which was so special, and it reflected us and our relationship exactly.
The reception looked exactly as I had planned it in my head. With the help of all our family and friends, my vision was brought to life, and we created a beautiful setting for us all to enjoy. We entered to one of our favourite songs blasting with our bridal party, everyone enjoyed a delicious meal, and then we partied!
Overall, our day was incredible, and I would do it all again if I could.
Finally, what is your biggest piece of advice for brides to be?
My advice would be to take a step back on your big day and look at everything you have done. Look at all the people who have gathered to celebrate you and your significant other, because it is really incredible to see.
Also, make sure you have someone who checks in with you on the morning of the wedding, as the nerves will set in. Make sure you capture the morning with photos and videos, as you’ll want to look back at the whole day from start to finish.
Don’t stress about the little things, as in the end they don’t actually matter. Be present with your partner and stay together!
