About You Two;

Now, How did you two meet?

Who popped the question and how did it happen?

Why did you choose your venue and how was the venue choosing process?

Quick Fire Questions;

How many wedding guests did you have?

50

Sit down of Cocktail Style?

Cocktail style (on a boat!)

What month?

February

Planning The Wedding;

Was planning the wedding stressful or did you enjoy the journey?

Both! It was a bit stressful at the beginning because we didn’t have a clear image of what we wanted and weren’t sure where to start – but once the major building blocks were laid down, it was a breeze. We also had a full year to plan, so we had the luxury of time to dream and explore options.

How involved were you both in the wedding planning, did one of you take more of the lead on certain aspects than others or were you both equally involved?

It was truly a team effort! We made decisions together, pitched ideas, and made sure our visions aligned every step of the way. Emilie is a program manager at work, so she definitely jumped in with both feet and watched timelines, making sure we were ticking all the boxes, setting deadlines, and sticking to budget. Geraint has an inner tour guide who gladly took the lead on greeting family when they poured in from Canada and various Australian states a few days ahead of the wedding day, planning visits and making sure everyone got to the most out of their trip to Jervis Bay. We also received a lot of helpful advice from our parents who supported us throughout the process.

What was the top couple of non-negotiables or important must-have’s at the wedding for you both?

We both agreed we didn’t want to give too many tasks to our guests so they could focus on enjoying themselves. Hence, the Wedding & Events coordinator – which was one of the best investments we made for the day! For Emilie, it was also important to invest in a professional wedding photographer for this unique opportunity where both families from Canada and Australia were together in person. As for Geraint, it was important for him that we have a beach ceremony, particularly on Greenfield Beach.

Tell us about your dress and that dress-finding process?

Such a fun process! Emilie started looking early on so the dress was ready in time. She quickly learned that the perfect dress has to match the event style and theme, so it’s good that we knew it was a beach wedding from the start. Emilie’s dress was kept secret from Geraint until he saw her on the beach for the wedding ceremony, but she helped pick out Geraint’s tailor-made suit which was a lovely experience as well.

What sort of theme, vibe or style did you go for?

We generally went for an Australian flora theme. Getting married in a National Park and then having a reception on the bay meant that most decorations were already naturally provided! Emilie was set on having a native flora bouquet, with a matching boutonnière for the groom.

On the Day;

How did you both feel wedding morning?

Excited! A little nervous of course, but things happened so fast. We had agreed that from the moment we woke up, we weren’t in charge any more and our attitude was to just go with the flow. We had a fantastic team with clearly defined tasks, so there wasn’t anything we could do but just enjoy ourselves.

What was the best part or moment of your day?

Announcing to the whole family that we are expecting a baby!

Anything you would change about your wedding or anything that didn’t go to plan?

We didn’t get the boom net on the boat – after telling everyone to bring their swimmers for it! We should have double-checked and confirmed with the boat crew when we chatted with them a few days before. It wasn’t working and we could have at least let our guests know in advance. But the reception finished at 1:30 pm and many people headed off to the beach anyway, us included!

Are there any rituals, sentiments or traditions you incorporated into the day?

We gave everyone bicycle bells for our ceremony and boat send offs; Since it was an early morning wedding, Geraint stayed at his parents’ so he could get ready there first thing, and Emilie stayed at an Airbnb next door so she could get ready with her mum, bridesmaids, and flower girl. We stuck to tradition and Geraint didn’t see the wedding dress until I was walking down the beach with my father (who had a very fancy beach wheelchair for the occasion!); We had readings in both French and English to equally reflect our backgrounds; We had an easel with a flower canvas on which guests wrote their best wishes – for us to hang up at home!

After the Wedding;

Describe newlywed life in a couple of words?

Pretty much the same to be honest – except the part where we have to get used to calling each other husband and wife!

Best investment or money well spent on the wedding that you made?

Getting a wedding coordinator so we didn’t have to stress at all! (honestly!)

Budget-over, under or what you estimated?

What we estimated.