“I’m not the bride, by the way… She is!” she told me, as she gestured towards her 80 year-old mother. I knew then, that Wilma and Jack were going to be a couple I would never forget.
One of my favourite steps in the wedding reception planning process at The Wattle Park Chalet is the tasting night where we meet future brides and grooms to plan their wedding day menu. I am always so honoured when couples share with me their love story and their plans for their special day. Seeing the decoration ideas they’ve collected together and seeing a photo of her wedding dress reveals to me a slice of their great friendship, and it makes me so excited for their wedding reception.
Every couple has a unique story but I knew that Wilma’s was exceptionally special when I first found out that she was an 80 year-old bride-to-be. I had to find out her story.
And the story is this: Wilma and Jack went to school together and fell madly in love when they were 17 years old. They were completely inseparable. But, as it often does, life and romance clashed and they decided it was best for them to walk down two separate paths. They each went on to find another love, marry and they raised families. It is usually at this point where the story ends with a happily-ever-after, but for this very special couple, it was only the beginning. After over 60 years since they last said good-bye, Wilma and Jack were reunited by coincidence on their holiday trip. Since their reunion, they have been as inseparable and in love as they were when they were 17 years old.
When I saw Wilma and Jack on their wedding day, I couldn’t miss that sparkling youth and excitement in their eyes. During the reception, they never left each other’s side. They held hands and kissed passionately, making their grandchildren blush!
It was a small wedding, but the exceptional love of the guests for the couple, and the unbreakable family bond they had established was incredibly warming. It was not only the union of Wilma and Jack but their two families and it truly felt like it was meant-to-be. The four bridesmaids in particular, two of Wilma’s and two of Jack’s granddaughters, were unstoppable for the whole night. They chatted and laughed as if they were best friends who grew up together. It was phenomenal to see the invisible tie between the couple, but that same strong connection that was felt between their two families was nothing other than pure magic.
By Nana Shiraishi
