Stacey And Paulina’s Extraordinary Love Story

Tell Us A Little About Yourselves.

Stacey grew up in rural Victoria and is the second eldest of four. Shortly after her 18th birthday, she joined the military and has proudly dedicated almost 20 years to the Army, more recently as a pilot.

Paulina is the eldest of three siblings and grew up in Sydney, New South Wales. She relocated to Canberra with family and completed tertiary education. She works for the Australian Government, enjoys Latin dancing, and spending time with family and friends.

We have two very active dogs, Nala and Mille. Nala is a Belgian Tervuren Shepherd (named after a character in one of Paulina’s favourite Disney movies – The Lion King) and Mille is a merle Border Collie (named after Amelia Earhart, the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic). 

How Long Have You Been Together, And How Did You Meet?

We first met at work in December 2019 in Canberra. Due to the nature of our roles, we spent a lot of time together. At first, we only agreed on our disliking of one another. Paulina was new to the Military world, and Stacey was undertaking her second posting to the office. Over time our relationship evolved. 

Stacey made the first move by expressing her interest in Paulina during a catch-up over breakfast one weekend, however Paulina politely declined and said she was “not interested in females that way.” 

As time progressed, Stacey invited Paulina to celebrate her birthday. Over dinner, sparks flew, and by the night’s end, a cheeky little kiss confirmed our indisputable chemistry. 

From the first kiss, we’ve had an undeniable connection, it was an emotional rollercoaster as we both tried to deny the feelings knowing the trajectory of our lives were vastly different. Stacey was destined for Townsville in Queensland, and Paulina’s life aspirations and professional career were in Canberra. The thought of a future together was irrational. There was no option for us to be together in the long term, logically. 

However, on 16 August 2020, the day before Stacey deployed to America for four months, she asked Paulina to be her girlfriend – no rejection this time. It was a prompt yes! Frequent communication through exchanges of stories and life aspirations, our relationship flourished, “it felt like unlocking a new level of life with Stacey,” Paulina recalls. When Stacey returned to Australia, Paulina visited Townsville to help Stacey set up her house. After many unforgettable adventures and many tears, we discussed how we could make the relationship work. So Paulina took the chance, packed her life, and moved to Townsville. When something is meant to be, it will be.

Aside From Your Wedding, What Is Your Favorite Memory Together?

It isn’t easy to pinpoint one favourite memory together as we have shared so many. However, we often reminisce about a weekend away at the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. The weather was crisp, the coffee was aromatic, the freshly baked bread with locally sourced honey was divine, and we enjoyed the majestic scenery of rolling mountains as we visualized a lifetime together while exploring the Eastern New South Wales region. 

Tell Us About The Proposal.

We had spoken about our ‘forever together’ for a little while, and when we found out that Stacey’s sister and her wife were visiting Australia for Christmas in 2022, we thought it would be a great idea to get married while the family was together – however, a proposal had not happened, yet.

Stacey’s first attempt at the proposal had it all, and it was going to involve an aircraft and a picnic located at the Whitsunday Islands just off the Queensland Coast until she was deployed at short notice.

Nevertheless, another opportunity presented itself. We enjoyed a wonderful getaway with family at Lizard Island, an island near Cairns in Queensland. The following day, on route back to Townsville, Stacey cunningly planned the proposal at the Babinda Boulders. Surrounded by lush tropical greenery, Stacey got down on one knee and proposed.  

Any Stories From The Lead-Up To The Wedding Stressful Or Funny?

Weddings can be stressful for many reasons. However, we felt well-organized and comfortable with the things we could control.  

We ordered customized outfits from Greece for the reception and paid express postage to ensure they arrived on time. We thought four months’ notice was sufficient, although as the wedding day approached, we discovered there was no chance the items would arrive on time – they were scheduled to arrive in Townsville literally the day before the wedding! We tried everything within our power to redirect the delivery address, including international phone calls, and just couldn’t make it happen. We madly researched alternative options; otherwise had settled to wear our ceremony outfits to the reception (Paulina was not impressed). As we scrambled to find backup outfits, thankfully Paulina’s father was in Sydney and able to save the day by collecting new outfits. The new outfits were spectacular and perfect for the occasion! 

Talk Us Through Your Wedding Day.

Having rested at our lovely venue the day before, the morning of the wedding commenced before sunrise. We welcomed our talented hair and make-up artists to set up in a beautiful heritage train carriage. We enjoyed bubbles and breakfast while getting ready and singing along to our favourite artists, including Luke Coombs, Chris Stapleton, Harry Styles, and Beyonce.

Greenfields Beach is a special place for us. We had spent a lot of time exploring the area, swimming in the most magical crystal clear waters, and walking on the whitest sand you will ever see in Australia. It was the perfect location for our ceremony. We had an intimate wedding with our loved ones, including cardboard cutouts of Stacey’s sister and her wife, who unfortunately couldn’t join us in person. As Stacey waited for Paulina to walk down the aisle with her father, there wasn’t a dry eye on the beach. Paulina recalls seeing strangers on the other side of the beach also cheering her on. 

The reception venue, Eleven Eighty, offered everything we wanted. It enabled us to host a cheeky salsa dance class, delicious catering, and ample entertainment space and welcomed our four-legged members of the family. Our reception entrance song was Cuff It by Beyonce as we walked through the most beautiful white floral arbor and popped a few champagne bottles to fill a spectacular champagne tower. We took all our guests and all the support staff, including our caters, musician, event coordinator, and photographer by surprise when we invited them all to join us for a salsa class for a taste of what Paulina has put Stacey through! We remember hearing laugher all round, and it was such a great experience and one that not everyone had experienced before. 

As the sun began to set, our photographer whisked us away to capture the most magical sunset photos and made the most of a picturesque fairy light tree.

We feel very fortunate to have been surrounded by family and friends to enjoy great food, drinks, and dance the evening away.