Yes you heard that right, these two beautiful sisters decided to get married at the same venue (their parents stunning property) within 3 months of each other! Phew, that was going to take some organising but these two super close siblings sailed through it all having each other to lean on for support every step of the way.
We were lucky enough to create both of the girls stunning wedding dresses at Paddington Weddings so got to spend lots of special time with the family. We loved that they both had their own style and picked quite different gowns but both had that simple elegance that our Bertossi Brides label is so well known for.
We asked the girls to sit down and give us all their stories, advice and top tips on all things wedding related that they have learnt on their journeys.
How did you both meet your partners?
“Andrew and I met while we were both on holiday (celebrating graduating school), we were
on the same small sailing boat at the Whitsundays and Andrew ended up asking me on a
date after we got off the boat!” (Lily)
“When we were younger Jospeh and I were keen track and field athletes, and both found
ourselves competing on the QLD Little Athletics team. This is where we first met, at 13 and
15! I remember developing a crush on this cute, blonde haired Brisbane boy, but knew I’d
never see him again. Joseph was older and way too focused on his sport to notice a
crushing 13 yr old girl from Maryborough. Until 10 years later, we reconnected via
Facebook and went on our first date – a beach day at Byron Bay.” (Frances)
Did you plan to both plan a wedding within 3 months of each other?
“Not at all! We just happened to get engaged around the same time and then both decided
we wanted similar time lines. Planning the weddings together was so fun and very handy
as we could bounce ideas off each other and share handy tips we found. “(Lily)
“Before either of us got engaged, our partners actually went ring shopping together which
was special. Being able to share the exciting, special and sometimes stressful parts of
planning and organising our weddings was something we wouldn’t change for the world.” (Frances)
How did your parents cope with so much planning in one year?
“We had several discussions about how we were going to pull off two weddings around the
same time. At first we seriously considered the option of a double wedding for a while, but
then decided that we wanted to be there for each other and fully enjoy being each other’s
maid of honour without also being a bride on the same day. After we decided that we
wanted seperate dates, Mum and Dad decided we needed at least 3 months between
weddings to recover and reset the place ready to party hard again!” (Lily)
“And party we did! After Lily and Andrew’s wedding, we all had about one month to
‘recharge’ prior to getting to work to have the property looking fresh again. We even had
friends travel from Brisbane to Maryborough to help with this process, and lots of family
who offered a helping hand. After Joseph and I tied the knot, it was hard to believe it was
all over after such a busy 12 months.” (Frances)
What was the vibe of your wedding? Tell us about your day, what was your favourite
part?
“Andrew and I loved the idea of a summer, garden party vibe. We wanted a relaxed, happy
day with delicious food and plenty of drinks. The plan was a bush ceremony and then an
outdoor reception under fairy lights. As it turns out, it rained quite a lot leading up to the
wedding, so we had to go with our wet-weather plan of the ceremony and reception in the
shed – a bit more rustic than planned but still beautiful. On the morning of the wedding, we
woke up to surprise flooding locally and up the road in Gympie. As we were getting our
food vendors from the Sunshine Coast and my makeup artist was from Brisbane the road
that connected Maryborough to the south being washed away was a very big problem!
After many tears, phone calls and new plans being thrown around we decided we would
get married that day no matter what. Lucky our amazing vendors drove all around the
countryside and all made it in the end.After such a big morning and so, so much help from
family and friends our wedding day ended up being a cosy celebration with a big
demonstration of how loved and supported we were by the people around us. And for that
our wedding will always be an extra special memory for us.” (Lily)
“After Joseph and I got engaged, we spent an afternoon wandering my parents property,
and decided we loved the idea of getting married with nature as our backdrop. We wanted
bush, sunshine and fresh air, so an outdoor ceremony and a garden reception just made
sense! My Dad spent about 6 months making Lily and I gorgeous wooden log seats and
the beautiful arbour we had at our ceremony. It was simple and beautiful – just how we
envisioned. Our reception was filled with food, drinks and oh so much laughter. Our first
dance was extra special with my younger brother, Luke, performing an original song on
guitar – we ended our evening, dancing under the stars, surrounded by all our loved family
and friends. Our Autumn wedding, was everything we dreamed.” (Frances)
Tell us about your experience at Paddington Weddings.
“I absolutely loved everything about my experience at Paddington Weddings. I got
recommended to go to Paddington by one of my bridesmaids and it did not disappoint! Gill
was so welcoming and helpful and I felt like I had the space to look for what I wanted
without feeling pressure to buy something. After I chose the dress, it was also so nice to
know the rest of the ‘dress jobs’ were already organised and my dress was in safe hands.
The whole experience was so fun and I was so glad to experience it with Frances, my
mum and my other bridesmaids. It felt like we were friends with the team at Paddington by
the end of Frances’s and my dress journeys.” (Lily)
“After being to Lily’s appointments and fittings, I couldn’t wait to book an appointment and
come and see Gill and Anne again at Paddington Weddings. The studio has such a
homely but deluxe feel, and it was an altogether beautiful experience. Gill was so helpful
with showing me what dresses suited my body type, whilst listening to what my visions
were. I was able to change the neck line of my dress to feel more ‘me’, and had my teary
bridal moment. A memory I won’t forget!” (Frances)
How did you know you had found the perfect Wedding dress?
“My Mum originally picked out my wedding dress to try on and I didn’t expect to love it but
thought I’d try it on anyway. However, as soon as I put it on I absolutely loved it. I truely felt
like a bride and felt so beautiful in it. After that, when I tried other dresses on, nothing
compared to how much I liked the Molly. I kept thinking “its nice but its not as nice as the
Molly!” (Lily)
“Finding my beautiful gown almost felt like it was meant to be. A lockdown postponed my
original appointment date, but Gill was able to get me in just one week later. The first gown
I saw, Anne had just finished and was only brought out to the shop from the workroom that
morning. ‘Sparkle’ was never a feature I wanted in a wedding dress, but after I saw this
new gown, I just couldn’t keep my eyes off it! Once I tried it on, I felt incredibly beautiful
and knew it was my dress. Finding out it hadn’t been named yet, and being able to name it
‘Patricia’ after my late Nana, made it extra special.” (Frances)
Your top tip for Brides to Be.
“You can never be too organised! It’s never too early to organise and book things. The
week before your wedding will be crazy busy so the less you have to do in that week the
better!” (Lily)
“Surround yourself with people who will help you, love you and be with you along this
journey. Planning a wedding is fun and exciting, something you want to look back on with a
smile. And most importantly, book things early! If you think it’s too early, you’re wrong –
book it and lock in that date!” (Frances)
