ZACK + MADDIE

Their story is a testament to love, friendship, and the magic that unfolds when two people decide to take a chance on each other. 

I can't wait to share the first love stories of one of my incredible couples, and today, I'm featuring the heartwarming journey of Zack and Maddie. 

How did you two first meet? Can you share your story with me? 

We met at work, we are both high school teachers and we're still at the same school. 

At the time Zack was a relief teacher and I was in my first year teaching. At the end of 2017 he got a contract to work at the school full time and from there we were in the same friendship circle that would socialise outside of work. We started as friends and were both apprehensive of taking the next step in our relationship as we didn't want it to affect our work life if it didn't work out. We decided to give it a go and the rest is history.  

How did you know your partner was "the one"? 

Zack asked a close friend when he knew his wife was the one, his friend responded that he knew she was the one when he started thinking about what are 'we' going to be doing in 5 years, not just what am I going to be doing. Zack knew I was 'the one' when he started thinking about family and how we are going to spend our lives together. We share everything with each other and love to hang out together on our own or with family and friends. We both have the same values and I knew that we complement and bring out the best in each other. 

Can you describe the proposal? Was it a surprise or discussed beforehand? 

It was very low key but had a lot of meaning. We were at my parents' holiday house in Mandurah. It was just a regular day of going to the beach and returning to the house to have a cheese platter at sunset on the outdoor deck. I had a shower and put on my pyjamas before sitting on the deck with no idea he was about to propose. When he proposed, I had no idea that it was coming so I was very surprised and shocked when he asked me to marry him with my first response being "what the hell". I then obviously said Yes!

Tell us about your wedding day! What was the overall vibe or theme? 

We wanted to have a heap of fun celebrating this special moment in our lives together and with our closest family and friends. We are both very relaxed and easy-going people so when it came to the day, we both had the mindset that if our original plans didn't quite come off as we thought, whatever happens, happens and to embrace all the moments. After the formalities in the reception, it was super important for us to be able to mingle and dance the rest of the night away with our people.

What are some of your favorite moments from your wedding day?

There were so many amazing moments throughout the whole day. At the start of the aisle, I remember looking around and it sinking in that we knew these people and that they were here to celebrate us. After realising this, I then saw Zack standing at the end of the aisle and felt a sense of calm. 

Once I reached him after the long walk we chatted through most of the ceremony checking in with each other and catching up from the day so far in disbelief it was finally here. We really enjoyed taking photos with our bridal party. Our interactions and the games we played allowed everyone to be their authentic selves and this came across in the photos. Zack and I also enjoyed being able to sit back and take in the day, seeing all our family and friends in the one place to celebrate with us was the best! 

Did anything unexpected or memorable happen during the wedding? 

On the dancefloor later in the night, my bridesmaids had organised some fun sunglasses for all the guests while they were having a boogie. Throughout my childhood and adult life if we had an event or celebration at Mum and Dad's the sunglasses box regularly came out later in the night, so it was a fun touch the girls thought of that was a complete surprise to us. 

Looking back, is there anything you would change about your wedding day, or do you have any advice for couples planning their own weddings? 

We absolutely loved everything about our wedding day. We understand why everyone says that it's the best day of your life and goes by so quickly so make sure to enjoy every moment. Credit has to go to all our vendors who made our vision come to life and for helping everything run smoothly in the lead up and on the day. Also if you haven't booked Hayley as your photographer, you definitely should, she is amazing. She captured all the candid moments throughout the day and looking back at the gallery (which we got insanely quicker than what we were expecting) it brought back so many memories.