We're getting married!

Daniel and Laura met in February 2014, but before the day they finally crossed paths, they actually ALMOST met several times. You see, they had a ridiculous amount of mutual friends, and Daniel had even been to several of Laura's Uni houses when she wasn't there, but they just kept missing each other. When they finally started hanging out in May of 2014, they completely hit it off and became instant friends. Daniel and Laura were constantly chatting, laughing, and yes, developing little crushes on each other. But there was one problem: Laura had a six week trip to Nepal planned... and she had long-term plans to move to England at the end of the year. So Daniel decided it was best to forget about his feelings for her, but as soon as she returned from Nepal, so too did his feelings... and the date of her real departure loomed. Nevertheless, after another month of flirting, watching 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' together, and trying to resist liking each other, Daniel finally bit the bullet and just said "let's start something special."

Daniel and Laura had spent most of their first year together in a long distance relationship - Laura had lived in England for 8 months when it was finally Daniel's time to come and join her. Together, they made the little English town of Ely their new home. Ely had all the magic of cobble stone pathways, a punting boat river, a 1000 year old cathedral, local community theatre, and pubs. Pubs galore. But the best part of living there was that they got to travel and experience all of Europe with their best friends. Together, Daniel and Laura adventured in Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Nice, Monaco, Geilo, London, Amsterdam, and Prague. It was a whirlwind of a time, but they were just happy to be with each other again.

Homeward bound and extremely tired, they got back to their loving families on one of the hottest days of the year. Being acclimatised to English weather was super unhelpful. Although they would miss their friends and home in England, they were happy to start their lives together and get settled in Australia. They moved back to Wollongong (into an incredibly crappy apartment) and they made new life long friends, got used to full time work, and just started to feel like real adults... all the while, learning how best to love one another and make time count.

If you know Daniel and Laura, you know that their dogs Ellie and Zuko are a big part of their lives. A life-long wish for canine companionship was a goal Dan and Laura both shared, and finally, they had found the right house, the right time, and the right co-puppy-parent. In June of 2018, they travelled to Western Sydney and picked up their gorgeous puppies. The name 'Ellie' was chosen by Laura; she actually wanted to name a dog 'Jellybean' but Daniel couldn't agree to naming a dog 'Jelly'... so 'Elliebean' was the next best thing. 'Zuko' was chosen by Daniel in reference to the Prince from this couple's favourite show: 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'. Now, Daniel and Laura can't imagine life without the dulcet screams of these little cuties.

After five years, Daniel and Laura both knew that this was something special, and that this would last a lifetime. Daniel had secretly bought a ring, but was terrible at keeping secrets. So Laura decided to buy a ring for Daniel too. They waited for the arrival of each ring, and had the perfect opportunity to go for a lovely picnic at Stanwell Tops. They enjoyed the sunset, the food, and each other, when Daniel finally plucked up the courage, pulled out the ring, and asked Laura to marry him. Little did he know that Laura had her own proposal ready: a video of all their friends and family asking Daniel to "Say Yes!"... and "yes" was the easiest answer ever. They stayed together on that mountain, far beyond sunset, not wanting the moment to end. It was when the moon started to rise that they decided it was time to go... and then they quickly realised they'd left it too late and they were locked in the park.

A Christmas Miracle! With more time at home during 2020, and wedding plans pushed back, Daniel and Laura found themselves in a position where they were able to purchase their first home together. They scoured the market, scrimping and calculating, until they found the one. With a beautifully unmaintainable garden, a big kitchen, a granny-flat for Maree, and enough space for their future, Daniel and Laura had researched, bargained, and saved their way into their ideal home. They couldn't have done it without the support of their families, and they are still grateful to them for every day they get to share there.

TBA