Our best friends, Victoria and Michael, have finally got married!
The long anticipated event was simply amazing...there aren't words for it. It was just such a beautiful event.
For the girls, the day started at 8am, with hair being pulled, plucked, twisted, curled and set, and then our faces being painted into a more beautiful versions of ourselves.
The boys started their day off early too, with hair cuts, speech rehearsing, and suit preparation.
Dressing Victoria required both the Mother-of-the-Bride and the Maid of Honor, but it was worth it, with the bride looking like a sexy angel from a place nowhere on earth.
There were of course, crises. Such as the photographer arriving late, and then the limo driver leaving a message that he had no idea where to pick us up from, and then proceeding to be uncontactable for about 20 mins...which is a long time for a bride-to-be. But what problems can't be solved by a woman firmly telling someone, very firmly but calmly, on the other end of a phone, "Look, I'm standing here in my wedding dress and I don't want to argue!!" Brilliant.
Upon arrival at the botanical gardens for our photo shoot, we found it packed with emo's, punks, and other masses of brightly coloured drunk and whacked out young people. However, at this point, the bride was just so excited that she was about to meet her husband-to-be that nothing could ruin the day. She took on all the drunk youths with enthusiasm, and they yelled out well wishes and congratulations in return.
With the groom turned away, and the bridal party looking on, the bride came up behind Michael and surprised him by the riverside. A simply beautiful reunion.
For the next hour or two we were walked around the gardens and up the riverside boardwalk for a million photos. Quite often we were told to wait while the couple snogged for the camera.
Finally the photos were over and the bridal party split up, with the men going straight to the chapel and the ladies freshening up at the Marriott Hotel before taking a Limo to the chapel.
Minor freak-outs where inevitable, but the bride did exceedingly well at containing her emotions and putting on a brave face while she followed her bridesmaids out of the limo, and slowly into the chapel to the faces of two families, friends, and of course, her husband in waiting.
Despite all of the pre-freaking out, both bride and groom were very comfortable, calm, and extremely happy standing at the alter together. The vows, hand ceremony, and ring exchange flowed seamlessly, and beautifully. The documents where then signed, and a full chapel of family and friends were presented with the new Mr & Mrs Balsillie.
The reception was most notable for the fantastic and touching speeches by the Groom and Best Man, and also the Bride and Groom's wedding dance blew everyone away.
But enough boring words, pictures say more than words ever could.
1. Beauty
2. The great dress
4. The vale...
5. In the car going to the photo shoot
6. At the reception
7. Dancing the night away
8. Best Man and the Maid of Honour
9. Best Man and the Groom
10. The happy couple tearing up the dance floor
11. Special moment
12. A natural beauty
13. Together forever
