Real Wedding; Brooke and Kurt @ The Pavilion
About You Two
Now, how did you two meet?
Kurt and I met after a year of talking online. We had started talking and then it sort of fizzled out. We then reconnected later and decided to meet up! Kurt took me around Cronulla and we pretty much haven’t been apart since!
Who popped the question and how did it happen?
We were on our way to Perth for our first long distance trip. Kurt was getting frustrated on the plane as there was no room above our seats for our carry on luggage and the air hostess wouldn’t move all the extra blankets and pillows from above us, so our stuff had to go to the front of the plane away from us. Kurt kept getting frustrated and I kept telling him to calm down, it’s okay… little did I know the engagement ring was in that carry on luggage and Kurt wanted it near him.
As Perth was a few hours behind, it was an extra long day for us. Kurt then proposed out on the balcony before we went out for a nice dinner together. It was such a lovely and intimate moment and of course I said yes. When we got to our restaurant, we had a lovely surprise… Kurt’s best man Mitchell had organised for our dinner and a bottle of wine to be paid for. It was absolutely perfect!
Why did you choose your venue and how was the venue choosing process?
We had heard about the Kiama Pavilion a few years prior from our friends that were getting married. They didn’t end up going with the Pavilion, but we had heard good things about it. I had enquired with a few venues and the Pavilion just seemed like the right fit. We went for a tour with Noel-Marie and it was absolutely perfect—the venue, the view, and the location!
Quick Fire Questions
How many wedding guests did you have?
We had a small guest list
Sit down or cocktail style?
We had a sit down dinner
What month?
A spring wedding
Planning The Wedding
Was planning the wedding stressful or did you enjoy the journey?
I loved the journey of wedding planning. We decided to give ourselves plenty of time to prepare and plan everything. We were very fortunate with all our vendors who made everything easy and comfortable.
How involved were you both in the wedding planning, did one of you take more of the lead on certain aspects than others or were you both equally involved?
I would say that I (the bride) took more of a lead role and helped delegate tasks to my partner. Kurt took the lead for our honeymoon as he loves planning holidays and he had also been to Hawaii a few times prior. Kurt also took the lead role on all the music with our DJ which was a massive load off me!
What were the top couple of non-negotiables or important must-haves at the wedding for you both?
We both wanted good food, good music and a wicked dance floor! We got all of those which we were extremely happy about.
Tell us about your dress and the dress-finding process.
I was extremely lucky. I went in having a style in mind and the first dress I tried on I fell in love with. It was exactly what I wanted. I did try on a few other styles but I kept thinking about the first dress. Illawarra Bridal were fantastic and knew exactly what I wanted but also gave me the opportunity to try on some other styles.
What sort of theme, vibe or style did you go for?
We just wanted a big party with all our close friends and family. We wanted a low key event in terms of being formal (e.g. speeches kept short) so that we had plenty of time to utilise the dance floor.
On the Day
How did you both feel wedding morning?
Brooke: I was actually not feeling well that morning but soldiered on! When I hopped in the car to go to the Pavilion I was a bunch of nerves but when I walked down the aisle and saw Kurt in tears all my worries washed away!
Kurt: I was good in the morning but as it came closer to the ceremony the nerves kicked in. My groomsmen were fantastic and helped me laugh and enjoy the moment.
What was the best part or moment of your day?
The ceremony and dance floor were some of the best moments!
Anything you would change about your wedding or anything that didn’t go to plan?
No! It was perfect. It would’ve been magical if the rain held off and we could have had the ceremony outdoors, but the Pavilion has a beautiful foyer and WEC did the most amazing job at all the decorating.
Are there any rituals, sentiments or traditions you incorporated into the day?
Not really. We did decide to have my brother present the rings and then both our mothers be witness for our signing. We thought this was a beautiful touch as our dads gave speeches and my dad walked me down the aisle!
After the Wedding
Describe newlywed life in a couple of words.
Absolutely loving it! Kurt and I have lived together for years so no changes there. We did just recently bring home a puppy who we both absolutely adore.
Best investment or money well spent on the wedding that you made?
Our photographer Mikaela!! She made us feel so comfortable and our photos turned out beautiful.
We also purchased glow foam sticks (cheap) and some lit up musical instruments which were such a hit on our dance floor and got up people who I had never seen dance!
Budget – over, under or what you estimated?
Over!
Credits:
Set Up/Hire; The Wedding and Event Creators
Venue; The Pavilion Kiama
Florist; The Wildflower Studio
Photographer; Sole Adrift Photography