Amy & Sean: From Childhood Neighbours to Newlyweds

Ours is a true modern-day romance. Even though we grew up in the same small town and knew of each other, it all really began when Sean made the first move and messaged me. At the time, I was deep in her studies and not giving Sean the attention he hoped for, but after six months of patience and persistence, we finally made it official.

By the time our paths crossed, we’d each built lives grounded in family, close friendships, and a love of staying active. From the beginning, one of the strongest things we shared was how much we value family.

From that point on, everything just fell into place. We moved in together, then made the move to Melbourne, got engaged in New Zealand at the incredible Lake Tekapo, and planned a wedding in just one year. It’s been full steam ahead ever since, in the best possible way.

Because we both grew up in Canberra and most of our family and friends are still there, having our wedding in Melbourne felt uniquely special. It meant so much to be able to bring everyone into the city we now call home and share a glimpse of the life we’ve built together.

Marriage feels like the natural next chapter of a story we’ve been writing together with intention, laughter, and a lot of growth. It represents the ultimate commitment, a promise not just to love each other today, but to keep showing up, choosing each other, and building a shared life, no matter what comes our way.

Our values have shaped this decision just as much as our relationship has: commitment, partnership, honesty, and the belief that love isn’t just a feeling.

We hoped our guests would experience the space the same way we did: calm, beautiful, and meaningful. We wanted them to feel welcomed the moment they arrived, to enjoy the gardens and atmosphere, and to feel the love and energy of the day. Our goal was for everyone to relax, celebrate, and share in a day that felt heartfelt, personal, and full of joy.

We were initially tossing up whether to have a videographer at all, but the moment we discovered Moon & Back, it was a no-brainer. We really wanted someone who would blend seamlessly with our guests, work alongside our photographer, and capture everything in a natural, un-staged way. We’d actually seen them at another wedding and were so impressed, we didn’t even notice they were there, in the best way possible. Having them as part of our day was truly the dream team, and completely worth it.

Receiving our wedding video on our honeymoon was such a wonderful surprise. Watching it together, we cried, laughed, and cherished every second. Our favourite part was seeing ourselves, our love, and just how magical the day truly was. The way Moon & Back captured the genuine moments and emotions made us fall in love with our wedding all over again.

If anyone is tossing up getting a videographer, we would 100% recommend it, these are the memories you’ll look back on forever, and we are so grateful Moon & Back captured our day exactly the way it was.

When choosing our suppliers, we wanted people whose work we genuinely loved and who we felt we could trust to bring our vision to life. Planning everything in less than 12 months, I wasn’t sure many of our first-choice vendors would even be available, but when one by one they all said yes, it truly felt like everything was meant to be.

Lost in Love Photography was one of the first suppliers we locked in. We had admired their work for a long time, and having photographers and videographers who worked seamlessly together was really important to us. We ended up with the absolute dream team.

We also had a few non-negotiables—vendors we knew we wanted to invest in because they would shape the atmosphere of the day. Music was a huge priority, and Tobi Tobi exceeded every hope we had. Their talent and energy added so much magic to the day.

From Floral Architecture’s stunning florals and Bluebell Bridal to the elegance of the Alex Perry dress, YSG Tailors, and Unique Diamonds, every detail felt thoughtfully chosen. Our beauty team, LD Artistry and Hair by Brittany, made the morning feel effortless, and Perfect Tan by Carol helped me feel confident and glowing. Burnt Butter Cakes created our perfect cake, while State of Elliot and Melb entertainment co helped elevate the styling and experience for our guests.

We will forever be grateful for every one of our incredible vendors. They each played a part in making our day truly perfect, and we couldn’t have imagined celebrating without them.

Our biggest piece of advice is to stay present and enjoy every moment, be true to what feels right for the two of you. Plan a day that reflects your relationship, not what you think it “should” look like. There will be decisions, deadlines, and stressful moments, but there will also be excitement, joy, and little memories you’ll look back on fondly. Trust your instincts, choose what feels meaningful, and give yourselves permission to be fully present. The day passes in a heartbeat, so hold hands, look around, and savour it together. Surround yourselves with people and suppliers who make you feel supported, and remember to pause, breathe, and take in the magic of it all.

It’s now been a year since our wedding, and we’ve been loving married life! Over the past year, we’ve bought our first home together and have decided to stay in Melbourne as we start planning for our future family. We’re excited for what the next 12 months will bring and are looking forward to continuing this next chapter together, building our life, enjoying the little day-to-day moments, and embracing all the highs (and occasional lows!) that come with it.