Bride: Jessica | Groom: Mitch

How did you meet your husband?

AAAHH how do I put this........ SO! many years ago I was working in a pizza shop, where I worked most nights. Every Tuesday night this good looking guy would come in and order the exact same pizza from me without fail, a large BBQ chicken pizza under the name 'Mitch'. This went on for months. During this time, I recall one night over at my mums house for dinner she mentioned that my younger brother was being mentored at football by this REALLY NICE AND GOOD LOOKING guy who went by the exact same name 'Mitch'.

Realising the connection I soon found out the 'Tuesday night pizza guy' and my 'brothers mentor' was the same person! One day I received a Facebook message from him as part of a group message saying he had lost all of his numbers in his phone and needed mine....(he never had mine to begin with) very sneaky....

Already having my mums tick of approval I decided to play along and give him my number anyway. This is when it all began, from our first date in December to moving in together the following February, falling pregnant in April and becoming parents in the December of 2012 we sure did know that "when you know, you know" and we've never looked back! we have since bought our first home together and welcomed our second child and are now finally married! the journey to the alter was certainly a lot longer than just the isle I walked down.

How did your partner propose to you?

I'd once told Mitch of this beautiful place I once went to when I was young and had always dreamt of going back to 'Werribee Mansion" Built in the 1870's it has a rich history wrapped with hectares of Beautiful Gardens and open space parkland.

So in November 2013 on the weekend of my birthday he surprised me with a weekend away at Werribee Mansion! sneakily plotted by the help of my close friend Nicola they both were keeping the best secret of all!

During Dinner in the Mansions Beautiful 'Joseph's Restaurant' I remember waiting for our meals to arrive when Mitch gets up to go to the Bathroom, as he stood up he grabbed his jacket that was hanging over the chair to take it with him, I said "you can leave that here" he replied with "nah I'm cold, i'm going to put it on" I thought it seemed odd because it wasn't cold at all, infact it was warm, the fact that he had a jacket at all puzzled me, little did I know that the engagement ring was safely tucked inside his jacket. But even still.... I had no idea what was going on.

When he returned from the bathroom he walked up to the table I was sitting at and said (insert romantic reasons why he loves me) being so totally shocked all of his words left my mind as quickly as they went in! He had organised for the waiter to take photos of this exact moment where he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. Of course I said yes! The entire restaurant clapped and cheered happily and the rest is history!

What was your favourite part of your wedding day?

It's really hard to pick a favourite part of our wedding day. There were so many amazing moments that will remain in our hearts forever, from getting all dolled up with my mum and girlfriends and drinking wine, to seeing our kids take part in our special day to crying my eyes out when I walked down that very long aisle.

But... if I really had to pick one it would be the father/daughter dance.

My dad sadly passed away when I was 9 years old. Having been to many weddings in the past and watching this beautiful moment that a father and daughter share was something I knew I could never have. But luckily for me my Pa Danny proudly stepped in (my dad's father).

As we began to dance during this very emotional moment to Ed Sheeran's song 'Photograph', four of my dad's brothers stepped in and took turns carrying me through the dance and wiping my tears. It truly was one of the most magical moments I have ever experienced in my life and I will cherish it always.

Did you have a theme or concept for your wedding day? What was your inspiration?

I got my inspiration from all kinds of places, I took little bits and pieces that I liked from everywhere and pulled them together to make it our own.

We wanted a very cost-effective wedding with very raw elements with a touch of class and at night time I wanted it to light up like we were dancing under the stars!

We wanted it to be comfortable and functional where guests could mingle, relax and have a great time.

With Mitch's building skills and my creativity we decided to build our dream wedding using materials we could source ourselves and turn them into something that was unique to our vision.

We used many MANY Hay Bales to build lounges, tables and the Bar. Sanded & refurbished Wooden pallets for table tops, coffee tables and for the bar top.

A lot of the greenery was sourced from my very own garden and my sister's garden.

We wanted our wedding to feel like we were dancing under the stars, so we hired a crazy amount of fairy lights and festoon lights to help create this.

There were cushions and blankets everywhere for comfort. A photo booth from Ready Steady Booth set up which was amazing and so much fun.

It was a team effort putting together my vision and bringing it to life. We couldn't have done it al without the Love and support of our family and friends and them coming together to help out really was the best part of all!!!

How did you find the experience of shopping for a wedding gown?

I tried to prepare myself as best I could, researching online on what to do and what not to do when it comes to picking out a dress, But nothing can really prepare you for that moment you step into the whitest item you've ever worn in your life!!

Firstly white wasn't my colour; ivory was more my colour.... and the nude. Who would have thought.... they're all the same colour really... right???... NO! The various shades can make quite the difference. so that was one thing I didn't realise would be something I had to consider with so much thought.

Once I had that figured out and knowing what shape I liked from looking online Bron and her team from Bendigo Bridal helped me find the perfect dress.

When I first tried on my dress it was white.... Bron informed me It could be made in an ivory and the lining in a nude which I loved this idea as those colours looked best on me.

If it hadn't have been for The Bendigo Bridal Team for using their knowledge and experience to help find exactly what my vision was I wouldn't have found the one!

Paying for a wedding can be stressful But I never felt any of that when I ordered my dress through Bendigo Bridal. They were so flexible, professional and easy to work with.

I cannot thank them enough for helping me find the dress that I felt so wonderful in on my special day! I wouldn't change a single thing!

What did you love about your wedding gown?

I loved how delicate it looked, nothing about it looked heavy or chunky. It was light weight, comfortable and so easy to move in. The back was my second favorite feature; my most favourite was my train. It was to die for! I never thought I would get such a long train but once I tried it on there was no turning back! I was in love! yes, with dress haha!

Any words of wisdom for future brides?

Know your style and stay true to that whether it be your wedding set up or your wedding dress. Save pictures as a reminder of those styles.

Always ask for help! you're not wonder woman and planning a wedding is a crazy Gig! weddings are supposed to be fun, once the planning stops being fun that's when you should ask for help.

Keep records, write things down, keep a wedding calendar.... it's easier to remember things that way otherwise you'll go crazy!

For on the day: bring food and drinks to your photos. Its surprising how much you actually drink and eat if you have the chance, you might not get that chance later on!