My husband and I got engaged in March 2022 at Dubbo Zoo, where we had an amazing time feeding hippos – my favorite animals! Recently, we tied the knot on January 6th, 2023, in the beautiful Hunter Valley at Bimbadgen Palmers Lane. While our day was perfect in its own way, it definitely had its share of unexpected moments!

The weather was stunning all day until our ceremony started at 4:30 pm. As I arrived, the wind picked up, and the sky became overcast. To add to the scene, my Maid of Honor forgot her bouquet at the house, leading to a comedic moment. One of our friends, who was driving the bridesmaids, had to quickly walk down the side where our guests were seated, grab a bouquet from one of the bridesmaids, and rush it back up. Classic!

As I prepared to walk down the aisle, the wind intensified, causing my veil to go everywhere. Walking with my dad and twin brother, Mitch, by my side, my twin brother got entangled in the veil, and it was about to fall out. The blusher was flying all over the place, far from the relaxed and perfect aisle walk I had envisioned.

Once the ceremony started, it didn't take long for the veil to wrap around our flower arbor, with the blusher barely hanging on. My Maid of Honor spent the entire ceremony juggling two veils, my flowers, and even her umbrella when the rain suddenly came pouring down. Approximately 15 minutes into the ceremony, the rain started, and just as we reached our vows, it turned into a torrential downpour that lasted about 6 minutes. The bridesmaid's umbrella flipped inside out, and the wind brought sideways rain! Despite the chaos, we managed to capture some incredible photos, though it wasn't exactly what we had in mind. My hair extensions were visible, the veil was gone, and my hair became a tangled mess. I highly doubt anyone could hear our vows. Strangely enough, I still loved every moment. You spend so much time envisioning the perfect wedding day, but it never quite turns out that way. The rain wasn't ideal, but in that moment, all that mattered was marrying the love of my life. We had stunning photos with the majestic mountains surrounding us, and we couldn't stop smiling.

Fortunately, the rain subsided after our vows, allowing us to sign the marriage certificate, walk down the aisle, and enjoy a rain-free champagne tower. The rain returned briefly for group photos, but by then, we embraced it. We didn't spend too long taking pictures as the rain became heavier, but we managed to capture some beautiful shots in the rain!

Our reception began with a twist. Instead of following the traditional order, I had my father-daughter dance first. We danced to "Dancing Queen" by ABBA, complete with a not-so-great dance routine that we hilariously struggled with. As a table gift for our guests, we provided hippo-shaped cookies and a shot of Fireball – a full 70ml, equivalent to two shots – to get the party started! After the father-daughter dance, I changed into a jumpsuit, and for our first dance, we started with my parents' wedding song for about 40 seconds before surprising our guests with a karaoke rendition of "Sweet Caroline," in which our groomsmen enthusiastically joined us.

We wanted to make our wedding fun and unique, so we incorporated a few special touches:

• Fireball shots for everyone

• Hippo cookies as table gifts

• Exiting the ceremony to the tune of 50 Cent

• Cutting the cake to Eminem, which went viral on TikTok

• Having the father-daughter dance to ABBA before our first dance and cake cutting

• First dance karaoke

• Having my twin brother walk me down the aisle alongside my dad

• Having my twin brother announce us as husband and wife

• Including LifeSize cutouts of hippos and pets for a fun photo opportunity

Despite the unexpected weather and little mishaps, our wedding was a joyous and unforgettable celebration. It taught us that the imperfections are what make our love story unique and beautiful. We wouldn't change a thing. Our big day was filled with love, laughter, and amazing memories that will last a lifetime.