Ro & Sarah – Meeting Young and Navigating Life Together
They were still in their teens when they met one another, but as soulmates, they’ve shared so many firsts together as they grow into adults. They share a proposal and their perfect wedding day.
Words by Sarah, Ro, and their wedding celebrant, Roxy Hotten, and shared during the couple’s wedding ceremony.
We met nine years ago when we walked into our very first psychology lecture at University. We started as acquaintances and then grew into friends.
Almost a year after we met, I began wondering if maybe our friendship was something more and began channeling my energy into our increasingly flirty conversations. That was, until a friend’s 21st party where I partook in maybe one or two too many alcoholic beverages, that it all changed. Being the caring and nurturing person she is, Ro took me home and stayed the night at my house to ensure I wasn’t sick throughout the night.
Two nights later, Ro and I hung out again. With me going to Ro’s house to watch a movie, but instead, we ended up just spooning on the couch for several hours. That weekend definitely brought us closer, but I was still unsure of my feelings towards Ro, let alone Ro’s.
A few days later, Ro required little encouragement to ditch her university lecture and hang out with me instead (I lived very close to campus). As we drove around, I was suddenly overcome with the thought: ‘I don’t want to leave Ro today until I’ve kissed her.’ We ended up at a nearby park. Where we sat chatting in the car, slowly moving closer to one another. Then, just like a scene in a movie, we were magically drawn together and shared our first, incredible, wonderful kiss, fireworks and all. Up until that moment, Ro had been totally oblivious to my feelings. But once she dropped me at home, ‘I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry came on the radio, and this, coupled with Ro’s jelly legs, made her realize that she had kissed the girl, and she very much liked it.
We’ve essentially grown up together. We were only 18 and 19 when we met, and with that has come a lot of challenges but even more amazing memories. Together we’ve both finished under-grad and post-grad degrees. Moved out of home for the first time, co-parented a cat, and traveled both domestically and internationally.
Until finally, after seven years, Ro arranged the proposal. She confided in her friend Paula and, after searching high and low, she finally found the perfect ring. With the ring in Ro’s ownership, she had to wait a couple of months before there was time that they could have a night free together. Finally, finding an evening that worked for them, she let me know that she was planning something special in advance. This set off my suspicions that Ro might propose. However, I tried not to get too excited, just in case, it wasn’t going to happen.
Ro picked me up from university. She was concerned when we hugged that I would feel her heart thumping out of her chest, but she took a deep breath, put the car in drive, and took me to our secret location: New Farm Park. As we got out and walked towards the river, I saw a cute picnic set up and thought to myself, ‘surely a proposal is on the cards!’ We sat and ate some food, while time passed, with people walking past smiling at us, and more time passed… I started to feel disappointed. Where was the proposal?
Deciding it just wasn’t going to happen, I accepted this and chose to enjoy the moment, singing along to ‘Perfect’ by Ed Sheeran, which had just started playing. In my own world, eyes partly closed, I sang along to the words before realizing Ro was trying to get my attention. ‘Hey Sah,’ she said. I opened my eyes, turned to face Ro, and there she was with the ring – ‘Will you marry me?’ I was speechless, meaning poor Ro had to wait for a few seconds. Which felt like minutes – before I nodded my head and said a big, emphatic, ‘Yes!’
We decided to wait until I had finished my Master’s degree to get married, so we would have two years to plan our special day. Little did we know a global pandemic was just around the corner, which threw us multiple curveballs throughout the planning process. Luckily, living in Australia meant we were relatively unscathed by the whole thing, but snap lockdowns, border closures, and rapidly changing restrictions definitely had us worried at times.
We had all but given up hope that one of my best friends and bridal party member, Nigel, wouldn’t be able to come from New Zealand, but luckily just weeks before, the trans-Tasman bubble opened, and he was on his way. This almost lulled us into a false sense of security because we thought we were over the scare of important people not being able to make it.
However, just days before the wedding, the COVID-19 situation started escalating in Sydney again, and we were worried my Mum and Stepdad and another bridal party member, Sienna, wouldn’t be able to come. After a very stressful twenty-four hours, thankfully, everyone could make it to Brisbane, with Sienna arriving just in time on the morning of the wedding.
Our wedding day was absolutely perfect (including the weather), and neither of us would change a single thing, which was definitely attributable to Ro’s meticulous planning. Consumed by wedding bliss, neither of us could stop smiling the entire day, except maybe during our vows – despite me being the more “emotional” one, Ro was the one who broke down in tears reading her vows, and so did most of our guests!
We received so many comments about how beautiful and fun our wedding was, and many guests said it was the best wedding they had ever been to and although we may be slightly biased, we have to agree!
Dancing With Her Recommended Vendor
Celebrant Roxy Hotten
Photography by Renee Towers
Bridesmaid Dresses JJ’s House
Cake Confetti Cake Co Flowers
Ceremony Furniture Hire Borrowed Event Hire
Ceremony Venue Newstead Park
Dress Grace Loves Lace
Flowers Lovers at Brisbane Flower Markets
H&MU Kendall Jayde, Tahnee Anderson
Reception Venue The Refinery
Rings ManariEU
Suit Cue
