Olivia Crouch-Garner & Mark Garner | Real Weddings Western Australia
Meet Olivia Crouch-Garner & Mark Garner
When we still lived in South Africa, we met through mutual friends at a local pub. Everyone was hungry so we decided to bring back some food. Another friend of his who owned a nearby restaurant begged us to sit down for a quick bite, which we did. We got chatting and the conversation was so easy. We hooked up NY Eve under a sky filled with fireworks, and I immigrated to Australia 7months later. We continued a long distance relationship, then he migrated to Australia.
The proposal
We had spoken about getting married after my uni studies but after 8 years of dating the pressure mounted.Upon travelling back to South Africa I found my ring and it remained locked in our safe at home until 8months later. In December 2008 at the local Carols by Candlelight Fireworks Evening put on annually by our local council he proposed under a sky lit up by fireworks. I ofcourse said yes and cried out of shock. The fireworks that night sparkled brighter than ever.
Your Wedding Day
We wanted our Wedding to be a relaxed, casual affair. We chose a spot under some shade down by the lake at Yanchep National Park in Perth. It was a 32 degree day but the breeze off the mirror like lake cooled things down. Small signs which were placed along the pathway, guided guests to the ceremony. Both my parents walked me down the red carpet aisle as I wanted to symbolize both of their input into my upbringing. We stood in a heart shape made out of white pebbles during the ceremony.
Each guest received a pebble at the start of the ceremony which they were asked to warm in their hands with well wishes for the bride and groom during the ceremony. When we signed the registry the guests came up and placed their pebbles in a large vase filled with water and rose petals. The vase is a focal point in our house today. The Guests greeted us with rose petals and bubbles as we ran back down the aisle as the happy couple. We had our own portable ipod playing song by Michael Buble’ before the ceremony, during the signing and at the end.
The reception was in a Cabaret Cave at Yanchep National park. The cave is only used for private functions so is a well kept secret. The cave is lit by millions of fairy lights and candles. This cave was used in a music video by the Australian Band “Empire of the Sun-Standing on a Shore”.Place markers were pebbles with guests names on each. The favours were small brown paper bags with a small hand beaded African animal keyring. These came over with Marks family from South Africa.Our first dance song was and Bryan Adams “Inside Out”.
