A memorable meal and a dreamy location set the scene for this beautiful holiday wedding.
“In the early stages of dating, we went for a long weekend up in Port Douglas,” says Jacqui, whose brother and sister were both married in the scenic seaside township. “We loved the location and relaxed-yet-classic vibe of the chapel, which sits amongst palm trees and looks out to the Great Barrier Reef.”
Their meal at Salsa Bar & Grill also made a lasting impression. “It was the just the perfect setting,” says Jacqui. “That evening, Andrew had the red snapper curry – and as a special request, Salsa later made it as a wedding meal option.”
The stars had aligned for the sweethearts to wed ‘up north’, surrounded by 75 loved ones. The bride’s stunning Grace Loves Love gown and Andrew’s classic tux helped capture a feeling of relaxed sophistication which flowed into the crowd-pleasing reception. “Salsa was absolutely brilliant,” Jacqui says. “We had a choice of three mains and the guests raved about all three dishes.”
One of the evening’s most spontaneous moments was provided by the wedding’s youngest guests. “The kids decided they would all get up and dance a few songs for the adults right in the middle of dinner,” laughs Jacqui. “We had crowds outside watching them. It just made the whole atmosphere so much more fun!”
“We had a fantastic day … the smiles on people’s faces sticks in our memory,” says Jacqui who also reveals a bittersweet story. “Andrew was an exchange student years back, and his Danish host parents came for the wedding,” she says. “We subsequently found out his Danish ‘mum’ had terminal cancer and sadly passed away shortly after. For them to make the effort to come is so precious.”
When planning their big event from afar, the couple looked to Shobha from Port Douglas Weddings for local knowledge, vendor recommendations and planning expertise. “Our planner was always on hand and made everything flow very easily,” notes Jacqui. “The communication and response to emails or calls is essential — and Shobha was fantastic.”
The happy couple also loved the holiday atmosphere offered by a destination wedding. “Some of our guests came for a long weekend or brought their parents along to babysit, whilst others made a real holiday of it,” says Jacqui. “It was great to see their photos of snorkelling the reef, or on crocodile cruises.”
There was also a fabulous honeymoon to follow a few months later, with the newlyweds journeying through Italy and Malta for a month. Dreamy indeed!
The Details:
Date: 13 July 2019 // Ceremony: St Mary’s by the Sea // Reception: SalsaBar & Grill, Port Douglas// Wedding planner: Shobha Cameron, Port Douglas Weddings // Photography: Jacky Cooke, Port Douglas Wedding Photography // Gown: Grace Loves Lace
