Real Wedding - Nick and Jannah, Ocean Grove VIC

March 29, 2016 In Real Weddings By Jo Betz

Real Wedding – Nick and Jannah, Ocean Grove VIC

For Nick and Jannah, their day was about encompassing the people they love and creating a backyard bash that would be an authentic reflection of their relationship. Family and friends helped pull their day together, from crafting beautiful salads to feast on, to being gifted beautiful tents under which they would party the night away.

There was no doubt in their minds that photographer Lakshal Perera was the perfect person to capture this joy filled celebration, and for Nick and Jannah these magical moments will be part of their love story forever.

In Nick and Jannah’s words…

The meeting.

N: I became friends with her brothers. I would travel down from Melbourne to Ocean Grove to surf and hang out with them. The first time we met was at her parent’s house. I was 21 and she was 20. She made pad thai – it was really good (she’s a really good cook)!

The one.

J: I had known Nick for eight years, we were good friends during that time, but he also bugged me a lot too. I think the more we hung out the more I saw his qualities. Nick and I were housemates for three years and when Nick moved out I realised how much I missed his friendship, I think it was from then that I knew he was the one for me.

N: She had a fella when we met, so we were friends to begin with. Jannah moved away a couple of years later when things didn’t work out with the other guy, so we just remained friends for a few years. Jannah built a house in Ocean Grove in 2010/2011 and needed house mates. I moved in and over the course of two years, we softened towards each other. I moved out at the end of 2012 but kept coming back to visit her and hang out. We were still firmly friends in early 2013 but I began to really admire her more and decided I wanted to marry her. I prayed a lot about it – I was quite scared of destroying the friendship, but God kept showing me that she was the one. She wasn’t picking up any of the signals I was putting out, so after a few glasses of red one night, I told her I was going to marry her. We started going out about three months later.

The proposal.

J: We traveled by train into Melbourne to look for an engagement ring. We found an 115-year-old vintage ring that we both loved and purchased it. We obviously knew then that we would get married, there just hadn’t been an official proposal. So on the train home, Nick very casually leaned over and asked me to marry him – romantic!

Planning process.

N&J: We got engaged in November and started planning our wedding for the following March, which didn’t leave us too much time. We both knew that God brought us together so we just kept trusting him to work it all out. What should’ve been quite a stressful time was actually really enjoyable. Everything worked out for us. We have beautiful friends and family that helped put our day together. One of my bridesmaids and her husband have a wedding marquee business and gifted us the use of two wedding tents for our reception. Friends spent a day crafting all our beautiful Israeli salads. Our good friend is an expert when it comes to spit roasting, so he took care of the meat donated by my uncle off his farm. Our parents were hugely supportive with their time and money and so many friends donated their time and effort. We felt really blessed and loved.

Style inspiration.

J: We just wanted a day we would both really enjoy. The ceremony was held in a pine forest near to where we live. We both love the outdoors and the area we chose was really scenic. We wanted the reception to be fun and relaxed. It was a backyard wedding in my childhood home, which made it really comfortable. We love good food and we love entertaining, so lots of quality food was really important. I love flowers, so I really wanted it to have a “botanical” look to it.

The dress.

J: I saw a dress in a magazine and fell in love with it, but when I saw the price tag I asked a good friend/mentor, who is a talented pattern/dress maker if she would help me out by making my dress. With her amazing eye for detail and creativity and my ideas, we put together the most amazing, comfortable wedding dress. I loved it.

Favourite moment.

N&J: It would have been when we left the ceremony together in our friend’s red Toyota FJ40, it was so nice to have a moment of time and space with just each other and reflect on what we’d just done!

Wedding traditions.

J: A wedding tradition was inadvertently created on the day. My elder brother and his wife performed a ribbon dance to the ‘chariots of fire’ theme music at their wedding, which we thought was a gift that needed to be shared again. We sprung it on them on the night and they obligingly performed for the guests. Part way through their performance they called us to the floor and we had to perform. There are two siblings as of yet unmarried, but they know what to expect when they do.

Meaning of marriage.

N&J: Two people becoming one. To exist to love and build up the other.

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: Come thou fount of every blessing by Sufjan Stevens – covered by friends

Ceremony exit song: Hold on we’re going home by Drake – covered by friends

First dance: Cavalier by James Vincent McMorrow.

Funny stories/near disasters.

I developed a post-viral rash on my torso three weeks before the wedding, which my GP told me would clear up in 8-12 weeks time, my dress had to be altered due to this.

Planning surprises.

J: I enjoyed planning our wedding, I think that took me by surprise.

N: it wasn’t anywhere near as stressful as I was anticipating. Actually it was really enjoyable.

Words of wisdom.

N: Your relationship is more important than the day. It is only one day out of the next 50+ years you will spend together. Celebrate it, but keep it all in perspective. At all costs, enjoy the day, be really selfish and enjoy yourselves. Give yourselves time and space to take it all in.