Real Wedding - Basil & Courtney, Collingwood VIC

September 19, 2018 In Church, Classic, Garden, Real Weddings By Jo Betz

Real Wedding – Basil & Courtney, Collingwood VIC

It was love at first sight for Courtney, when she first met Basil, and while it took some convincing to lock in a first date, once they had, they were a match made in heaven!

Choosing a gorgeous chapel to exchange their vows, it was important to this perfect pair that they would celebrate in a venue with soul, and Abbotsford Convent played the perfect host.

With unique styling touches everywhere and a bride and groom that positively beamed from start to finish, we think you will agree that this wedding day is a delight and is beautifully captured by Immerse Photography.

In their words…

The meeting.

Courtney: We met at a uni O-week camp! It was very classy. Baz was three years above me in the same course (Osteopathy). The first day we ever met, Baz drew all the organs and where they were located (in permanent marker!) on my body. I thought he was pretty cute, I loved him. We were friends for about a year, he made me work for him. But I eventually wore him down and finally convinced him to date me. I don’t think we actually had a first date, we were friends before we were boyfriend/girlfriend. But we had a great trip away to Torquay/Geelong with all of Baz’s friends, and that’s where we became ‘official’. On the dance floor of a dodgy bar in Geelong- thank god our taste is a bit better now. I still claim Baz led me astray, I was only 18 years old!

Favourite things.

Courtney: My favourite things about Baz are his patience and his mind. He is incredibly intelligent, logical and ever so patient.

Baz: I love that she is caring, giving and that Courtney’s shows these characteristics every day. We complement each other. She is driven, bordering on crazy. I am laid back, bordering on lazy. Together we level each other out

The proposal.

Courtney: Baz had asked me to be at his house by 2pm on the day he intended to propose. Of course, I had no idea, so I went shoe shopping in Armadale and got distracted at a sale, so I didn’t get to his house until 5pm. When I went to get out of the car, I picked up my Louis Vuitton hand bag and it was dripping. I had a bottle of anti-static spray inside, and it had leaked through my whole handbag. I was hysterical. Baz was trying to shove paper towel inside and said he would buy me a new one (which was VERY out of character). When I finally recovered from the handbag being ‘ruined’ I sat down on the couch and Baz told me he wanted to go and walk Harvey (our dog) at the river. Well, I had NO intention of going. I literally refused to get up. Baz begged and said we “had to go as a family” so when he finally got me out of the house it was well after 5.30pm. We’re halfway around the Maribyrnong River, walking over the foot bridge, when Baz stopped, got down on one knee, pulls the ring box out of his pocket and asks me to marry him! I was so shocked! The first thing I said after was, “have you asked my Dad?” and then “YES” and then said, “oh my goodness I’ve been so painful today!” A random lady took our photo, as she saw the whole thing happen, and congratulated us as we continued to walk around the river. I said I had to call my parents. Baz told me to wait as we had a dinner reservation and he started power walking back the way we had walked. When we got back to the Boathouse, I saw that Baz had organised for my Mum and Dad, his Mum and Dad and our two best friends to meet us at the river to share celebratory champagne after her proposed. Except they had been there for hours! In the freezing cold (it was an unusually cold and windy February day). Typically, I had kept them waiting for hours. We then went out for dinner altogether in Moonee Ponds, but we were so late to our dinner reservation that they thought I must have said no! It all worked out in the end, but as Baz says, I typically couldn’t just be where I was meant to be at the allocated time and make everyone’s lives easier.

Planning process.

Basil: Our ceremony was held at Star of the Sea which was where Courtney went to school. I studied year 9-12 at Star of the Sea. I chose it as I wanted a small chapel, with stained glass windows. I also wanted to have our guests fill the place where we had the ceremony, I didn’t want the church to look empty. We also agreed that, as we could not predict the weather, we would choose inside venues. We both had a common goal of good food, good wine, and having the wedding at a place where there was “soul”. For reception, Abbotsford Convent seemed the perfect place, it is now heritage listed so there’s lots of beautiful old buildings there.

Favourite moment.

Courtney: For Baz, he teared up when I walked down the aisle and for me it was seeing my Dad in the morning when he saw me in my dress for the first time!

And the speeches, they were great! Everyone did such a good job – best man, maid of honour and the Dads. All so lovely.

Funny stories/near disasters.

The hot weather wasn’t in my plans! But unfortunately, that’s the one thing you can’t control!