We gathered at North Burleigh on the beachfront, a small collection of Anita’s and Shane’s family waited patiently. It doesn’t matter how many times we have an elopement by the oceans edge – there is just something so magical and romantic it, something that always brings rush of excitement and joy within.
The couple travelled all the way from New Zealand to elope on Australia’s pristine coastline, they told us they had always wanted to get married on the beach so they could not only have a beautiful ceremony but also a beautiful holiday with their family. (Too sweet!)
So we waited in the sand at North Burleigh as Anita made her way to us ever so gracefully, holding the most incredible bouquet of flower in a sweet Boehme style dress; she looked nothing short of a goddess. They held hands and their love was brighter than the sinking sun beside us.
The full moon rose over the ocean and hues of pink and purple exploded on the horizon, it was breath taking and completely magical. It was as if Mother Nature was congratulating the newlyweds too and giving them the most beautiful ceremony possible!
How did you meet?
We met through a mutual friend. Anita’s flatmate at the time was the physiotherapist for Shane’s rugby team. We met on a night out in Queenstown, and the following day Shane added Anita on Facebook. However, we didn’t actually start talking until a month later when we ran into each other again. We hit it off right from the start- Shane was in love after two weeks! 😉
When you laid eyes on each other, what were your initial thoughts? Shane: She’s a bit all right. (Quote:) “You are so beautiful and have such nice eyes, I can’t stop thinking about you.”
Anita: I had heard a bit about Shane through my flat mate and had seen pictures of him, but when I first saw him I thought he was so handsome. He was quiet and seemed a little shy but so easy to talk to. He has such amazing blue eyes- they are quite striking.
Tell me about your first date!! Who asked who and how did it go? Where was it? Our first date was at the Courthouse cafe in Alexandra. After messaging for a bit Anita ended up coming through Alex for a work training so stopped on the way to see Shane. He invited me out for lunch. It was great, nice and relaxed. The conversation flowed easily.
What made you chose your wedding venue/date/time?
We’ve always wanted to get married on the beach, this way we get to have a beautiful ceremony on the beach and also a holiday with our family, some of whom we haven’t seen in years.
How did the proposal go?
Shane proposed to me on the 25th June 2016. We drove to Christchurch to pick up the new addition to our family, Tyson, a golden retriever puppy. On the way home we stopped at Lake Pukaki, which is a beautiful lake that looks towards Mt Cook. As we were taking photos and letting Tyson walk around Shane dropped a knee. I cried, I felt so lucky to get to marry my best friend. A puppy and a ring in the same day- best day ever!
KIND WORDS
“Sarah-Jane and her team at Luxe Elopements are amazing at what they do. We live in NZ and eloped to the Gold Coast, and they made the whole process so straightforward and easy. Communication was great, emails were answered quickly, and they made our day so stress free. They organised everything for us so we could relax and enjoy our wedding day. We cannot thank you enough for making our dream day come true.”
Luxe Elopements team:
Planner – Luxe Elopements
Photographer – Lady Bella Photography
Hair & Make Up – Lady Bella Studio + Salon
Ceremony Stylist – Bliss & Willow
Furniture Hire – The One Day House
Florals – Flowers by Linda
Celebrant – Ceremonies by Leisa
Ceremony Location: Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast
