Toni-Raine & Sam

21/01/2023

Where did you meet?

We first meet when we were 15 over MSN chat (back when we were nawtybynature@hotmail.com and disfunctional_doll@hotmail.com). We then met again at Edgefest 2006 - we hated each other! Eventually we began to tolerate each other because we had mutual friends and would have to socialise. Somehow, after many years we became best friends. When I moved to Melbourne in 2012, he confessed his love for me. He came over to see me and convinced me to get on a plane and come home with him. We've been together ever since and have three beautiful daughters and a cat.

What part of your dress did you love the most?

The back for sure! It is the absolute stand out feature of the dress. The pockets were super handy too.

What did you like the most about your wedding day?

Aside from getting to witness the look on my husband's face during the marriage ceremony definitely having all the people I love most in the world in one room together. Moments like that are so rare and special and I absolutely loved sharing our joy with our nearest and dearest. It was such an unforgettable day. The vows, the speeches, the food, the dancing, the amount of sheer love in the room, the inside jokes we now have because of our wedding day - they all made it the best day of my life.

Any advice for future brides?

Your wedding day is like an out of body experience and you are constantly pulled in so many different directions. Make sure you take some moments to be mindful and be present because it goes so fast! Also, try do an event the night before the wedding if you can - that way you can catch up with people you haven't seen in ages and make introductions so everyone knows each other by the wedding day. Finally, and this is important, make sure you remember to organise food and nibbles for when you're getting glammed. I completely forgot, so the champagne got to my head a little too much before I had to walk down the aisle (great for my nerves in hindsight though!).