Andrew & Alana's Wedding - Brisbane

Andrew & Alana

Who knew that one couples love was an others fortune. It was Andrew & Alana's love that brought us to the other side of the globe on this unforgettable holiday. Okay, my husbands' amazing talent behind the lens had a little something to do with it, no doubt;) But Andrew & Alana's wedding was the big event we were grateful for.

Only meeting Andrew & Alana once 2 years prior, it was fair to say we didn't know each other well. But, a lot can be learned about a person through their actions. Steve & I met this special couple at Jodi & Shayne's wedding back in Two-Mountains, Qc, Jodi's (and my) hometown. Shayne & Andrew are best friends and have been since childhood. But even with that being said, Andrew & Alana traveled ALL the way from Australia to be there!! To travel across the globe for Shayne's special day, not just because Andrew knew it would mean so much to Shayne to have him there, but mainly because of how much it meant to Andrew to be there. And Alana, from her love for Andrew, she grew love for everything about him, including his friends. Shayne & Jodi's wedding was just as important to her as it was to Andrew, simply because she knew how much it meant to Andrew.

No, I did not know this couple well from our short encounter, but I knew enough to know that they were very kind, loving people who cared immensely for their friends, as well as each other.

The ceremony was held at Albert Street Uniting Church.  A beautiful Gothic-style church that was built in the 1880’s was located right downtown Brisbane, near King George Square and across from City Hall. Guests filed in and quickly took their seats, anxiously awaiting Alana’s arrival. As the doors opened, the most stunning bride seemed to just float down the aisle, beaming with the biggest, most beautiful smile. At the end of that aisle, stood the teary eyed, proudest groom I may have ever seen. Andrew stood handsomely, with a kind of ‘pinch me, I must be dreaming-look’ as his gorgeous bride approached. There, surrounded by love (and lots of it), I watched this couple become husband and wife. I felt honored to be part of this momentous occasion.

Photo booth fun!!

To celebrate this enormous occasion, guests took a short stroll from the beautiful church to Fix Restaurant & Wine bar. A beautiful urban chic setting with a Mad Men type feel, this hall had all the fixings for a great party!! Amazing food, an endless supply of tasty beverages, outside lounge area and a large size dance floor accompanied by awesome tunes. And yes, they played Love Shack!! Andrew & Alana were high in the good books after that;) They also hired a photo booth, which we never seemed to tire of.

I have been to many weddings, each being unique and special in its own way. Each wedding telling a story about the bride & groom and their love for each other. Andrew & Alana’s wedding was certainly no exception to this rule. From the church they chose, the stylish reception hall, the quality food they served, the flowers they displayed to the stunning, Princess Kate-style gown Alana had tailor made – everything beautifully represented Alana & Andrew and their love for each other. But the thing I believe represented this couple the most, the thing that spoke louder than any other wedding detail was the love expressed by the family & friends of Andrew & Alana. The love and support that surrounds this couple told me this is a love that was meant to be.

The Hunstman

Everything seems to be bigger in Australia!! The oceans, the waves, the rocks, the crocodiles, the sharks, the snakes and especially the spiders!!

On one of our last nights there, as we were getting ready for bed, a Huntsman spider (different and believe it or not, smaller then the one from the previous post) surprised us when we turned on the light. It was quite the adventure trying to capture this 8 legged beast but thankfully I caught it all on the iphone!!

I apologize ahead of time for the language in this video but the F-word just seems appropriate when you encounter something this HUGE!!

Oh - and this video also explains why I love Jodi so much;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm_0LwvPOIE

2nd stop: Gold Coast, QLD Australia

After a smooth 42 hours of travel, we arrived safely on the Gold Coast where Jodi (and Bella) were awaiting our arrival with big smiles, hugs and licks;) The fun began as soon as we arrived.  With only a short time to change and freshen up, we were back out the door to meet some of Jodi & Shayne’s closest friends for dinner. I liked everyone of them! Immediately I felt the closeness of this group and felt relieved knowing one of my ‘besties’ from way back had such a great, supportive family far away from home.

Over the next few days, we spent a lot of time with these friends and instantly felt part of the ‘family’, as if we had known everyone for ages.

Huntsman spider that greeted us at Jodi & Shayne's - yes, its actual size!!

Seeing Shayne later on the evening we arrived was again, as if no time had passed since our last encounter. It felt so wonderful finally getting to see Jodi & Shayne’s home and life in Australia. Seeing one of my favorite couple’s so happy made me so happy.  It was such a comfortable feeling in their home,  as if we were still in Canada. However, the giant Huntsman spider that greeted us outside their door was a quick reminder that we were not in Toronto anymore!

Still jetlagged and barely able to stay awake past 10 pm, meant I was up at the crack of dawn, wired & ready to go! After dropping Jodi off at work, Steve & I decided to drive down to Byron Bay. We were fortunate to visit this amazing place when we were down 4 years ago, but we did not hesitate to visit it again. I also couldn’t wait to get my toes in the beautiful white sand Byron Bay is known for. Practically running to the beach, we were quickly stopped by lifeguards who had blocked off one of the paths to the beach. They told us a Brown snake was hiding in the rocks only a few feet away. In case you were unaware, the Brown snake is the 2^nd most deadliest snake in the world!! Immediately after, we received a message from Shayne that a big, possibly dangerous snake was lurking around their backyard and that we were to be very careful when we got home. We most definitely were not in Toronto anymore!!

At the most easterly point of Australia

After a beautiful day of squeaky sand beneath our feet, crashing waves of bright turquoise and amazed by the talent of the surfers braving the ocean for the perfect wave, we headed back to Reedy Creek to meet Jodi for dinner.

Thursday, still waking at crack of dawn, we packed our bags and grabbed the commuter train to Brisbane - the city we titled ‘The 2^nd Cleanest’ only falling short to Singapore. It was obvious quite immediately that Australia’s economy was doing quite well (at least on this side of the country). Although it was only 4 years since we had been here last, I do not remember things being so expensive. I do remember the $1.70/liter for petrol in the out back, but I do not remember paying $5 for a small coffee or $19 for breakfast in your average restaurant. Also, the Aussie dollar is much higher then our Canadian dollar at the moment, which was also not the case 4 years prior.

Christie, Bella & I

After a lot of (window) shopping, we met up with Christie after her work day. I met Christie 11 years prior on the Sound of Music Tour in Austria and we kept in touch ever since. Due to her extensive travel and my previous trip to Oz, we have fortunately seen each other a surprising amount of times considering we live on opposite sides of the globe. After she insisted treating us to dinner, she took us to her condo in Paddington, a very trendy part of Brisbane. We spent the evening sipping wine and catching up. I actually made it til 11 o’clock, which was probably my record so far! After a yummy breakfast at and organic restaurant, Christie showed me around Paddington. The windy streets were lively with vintage clothing stores and unique restaurants. And every street was decorated with beautiful blooming Jacaranda – my new favorite tree.  It was such a lovely day and so lovely to catch up with an old friend again.

A beautiful Jacaranda tree

Only 3 ½ days into the ‘Oz part’ of the trip and already the precious moments were piling up!