Shaan and David exchanged vows surrounded by their closest family and friends at the stunning Dea Villas in Bali. Their wedding day was filled with love and heartfelt moments, with each photo capturing the joy, emotion, and celebration that made their day truly unforgettable.
Shaan looked absolutely breathtaking in Havana by Forget Me Knot, a sleek satin fit and flare gown featuring soft, ruched draping and romantic off the shoulder sleeves. The gown’s elegant pearl buttons flowed all the way down to the end of the train, adding a delicate shimmer that perfectly complemented the minimalist yet timeless design.
Keep scrolling to follow Shaan’s wedding dress shopping journey, and don’t miss her thoughtful advice for future brides.
What was it that made this particular wedding dress catch your eye and fall in love?
The off the shoulder design, the detached sleeves, and the beautiful ruching on the bodice and stomach area were incredibly flattering. I never did lose the weight I had planned to, so I was extremely self conscious about my tummy, but this dress made it all disappear!
Tell us about your search for the dress and the experience at Astra Bridal.
OMG, the search was disastrous. I purchased a dress online that was beautiful, but I intentionally bought it a size smaller, thinking I’d lose the weight. I didn’t, so I sold that dress. Then I decided to buy a second dress, which was awful, so I sold that too. After that, I bought a third dress online (because I still hadn’t learned my lesson), and this one was even worse than disastrous. I bawled my eyes out because there was no way I could wear that dress to my own wedding.
So, my mum told me to throw it in the bin and book an appointment at a bridal boutique. By a stroke of luck, I booked two appointments for the very next day at two different bridal boutiques. I found a beautiful dress at the first one for $5,500! Waaaay out of my price range. So when I got to Astra Bridal, I thought there wouldn’t be anything for me.
In fact, the dress I ended up purchasing wasn’t even the sort I was looking for. Joannah and my mum told me to just try it on and see. As soon as I put it on, I knew I’d found the dress. It felt beautiful, looked stunning, and Joannah made the entire experience so amazing for me.
Tell us your story, how you both met, and the proposal.
We met in Matakana on New Year’s Eve 2011 at the Highlife Festival. My friend spotted my husband’s friend and dragged me over to dance. Somehow, above all the other people, I heard my husband’s English accent and threw some banter his way. We got talking and hit it off immediately, but it took an entire year before we got together.
It took David 13.5 years to propose! OMG, how patient was I?!!! We were having a few drinks on our outdoor deck in summer. He disappeared for what seemed like a while (finding the ring), and when he called my name, I turned around to see him on one knee. Of course, I said yes!!!
What was your favourite part of the day?
Walking down the aisle with my brother and seeing my soon-to-be husband waiting for me, all emotional.
Tell us about your wedding day as a whole.
It turns out I had Bali Belly on my wedding day. Getting ready was fun, but I wasn’t feeling well and put it down to nerves. By the time I got to the altar, I was in a full sweat. Not a great look at all. Thank goodness for my Maid of Honour’s fan and my bridal assistant, who gave me a cold, wet towel to cool me down.
From the photos, you can’t really tell that I was unwell, but I never let how I felt stop me from enjoying my day and evening. It was beyond magical, with all the banana trunk candles around the pool area and path, and the bulbs hanging from the reception table arch/frame. The table setup was incredibly beautiful, and I had all the people I love surrounding my husband and I.
Finally, what is your biggest piece of advice for brides to be?
I have two important pieces of advice: If you're thinking about purchasing a dress online, DON'T. Just go ahead and book an appointment at a bridal boutique. They specialise in wedding dresses, and you can’t get a proper idea of how a style or shape suits your body just from pictures online.
Also, be aware that no wedding is perfect. There will always be something that doesn’t go to plan, but it is usually something small that nobody else would even notice. Only you will be aware of it. So embrace that and enjoy your once-in-a-lifetime day.
