On the second of December 2017, Melbourne was experiencing the kind of storm that deafens you with the sound of the rain hitting the roof. It was certainly not the ideal weather for a wedding however, as soon as I walked into the Wattle Park Chalet, I was instantly thawed by the warmly lit candles and festoon lights hanging above my head. When I saw Monique and Luke surrounded by their family and friends, their happiness was bright enough to push the thunderclouds out of my mind.
Monique looked gorgeous in her soft A-line dress with a delicate corset detail at the back, and Luke looked sharp in his perfect three-piece suit. With them was a very special guest; Darcy, their son, looking completely adorable and handsome in his little suit.
In her speech before their first dance, Monique had said that Luke was exactly who she was looking for. And in his speech, Luke’s voice had quivered when he told Monique that her and Darcy had been the best thing that happened to him, which made their following first dance so sentimental and special.
Monique and Luke performed a choreographed dance to “At Last”. At first, they seemed nervous, remembering all the steps from their dance practices. As the song went on, they relaxed into a steady sway and the chemistry between them was unmissable. At the last chorus, Darcy joined in and the family held each other close. Every guest could see their unimaginably strong love, radiating from them on the dance floor at this very special moment.
After the first dance was the father-and-daughter dance. Monique’s father sprung up to the dance floor and spun and whirled his beautiful daughter over and over as they giggled with pure joy, while Luke took his mother’s hands and swayed ever so gently. The happiness in the parents’ smiles were contagious and every guest was smiling and taping their feet to the music, bursting to join the happy couple on the dance floor.
For the rest of the night, the guests danced with a champagne glass in one hand and cake pops in the other. Amongst their guests, Monique and Luke danced their night away, happy to be married to their best friend.
by Nana Shiraishi
