‘Best day ever’: Former Port Adelaide captain walks his sister down the aisle

Cancer took Travis Boak’s dad 18 years ago, so on his sister Cassie’s special day, it was the former Port Adelaide captain who walked her down the aisle. See the photos.

For Cassie Boak, sister of former Port Adelaide captain Travis Boak, having her father Roger walk her down the aisle on her wedding day was not possible after cancer took his life 18 years ago.

Instead brother Travis stepped into their late father’s large shoes and walked with his sister at Villa Vineyard near Goolwa on Friday.

Wanting to keep their dad close, Cassie held a beautiful bouquet with a picture of Mr Boak tucked in-between the flowers.

“He (dad) was always going to be with me,” Cassie told The Advertiser.

“He was with us the whole way.”

Cassie said she asked her brother late last year to walk her down the aisle when she married her fiance, former SANFL footballer Anthony Biemans.

Port Adelaide player Travis Boak walked his sister, Cassie Boak, down the aisle this weekend when she married her husband Anthony Biemans. Picture: Captured by Georgie

Port Adelaide player Travis Boak walking his sister, Cassie Boak, down the aisle after their Dad died of cancer 18 years ago. Picture: Captured by Georgie

Travis was having dinner with Cassie, as they regularly do, when she asked him to walk her down the aisle.

“We were both quite overwhelmed with the moment because it’s such a special moment for us both but it’s also obviously hard not having Dad there,” Cassie said.

“I get choked up just talking about it.”

When the moment came for Travis to take his sisters arm, Cassie said it was “magical”.

“It was one of the most special moments we’ve had together,” she said.

Travis told The Advertiser when Cassie asked him to walk her down the aisle he was “so overwhelmed with joy” and “honoured” to do it.

“Then came the day and the moment I saw her in her dress I was really emotional and I was just so happy for her,” he said.

“It was hard to hold back tears walking her down as I saw a picture of dad.

“(I) knew that he would have loved to be there and doing this but I was just so happy to be part of her special day and to give her away to a great human in Bemo.

“It was definitely one the best days of my life.”

Travis Boak walked his sister Cassie Boak down the aisle on her wedding day. Picture: Captured by Georgie

Cassie Boak and Anthony Biemans tied the knot on March 10 among family and friends. Picture: Captured by Georgie

Cassie Boak’s flowers were from Adelaide florist La Jardin. Picture: Captured by Georgie

Cassie met her now-husband Anthony 13 years ago at a netball-football club ball when she was 18.

“It was just an instant connection,” she said.

She didn’t think their connection could grow much more but when Anthony proposed their love went to the “next level”.

On their wedding day Cassie wore a gorgeous silk dress from Grace Loves Lace. Her makeup was done by Adelaide makeup artist Jamie Makeup and her hair was given the perfect wave by Lauren Ciccarello from Salon Lóren.

Calling the wedding “the day we started our forever”, Cassie and her husband exchanged rings from Class A Jewellers in front of 126 guests. Anthony’s father’s ring was used to make his.

The pair are currently in Noosa where they’ll be until Sunday soaking up the sun and newly married life.

Travis Boak with his mother Chicki Boak and sister Cassie Boak on the red carpet at Port Adelaide’s Best and Fairest awards night at the Adelaide Convention Centre. Picture: Mark Brake

Travis was 14 and Cassie was 11 when their dad Roger was diagnosed with cancer.

He died two years later when he was 48 years old.

“During that period, he just got sick and lost a lot of weight,” Travis told Mark Soderstrom of The Soda Room podcast.

“He became really skinny. And we’re kind of not knowing what was going on … that was the worst period, it was almost that was worse than him actually passing away, was those two years that he was sick.”

When Roger was first diagnosed doctors told him he had six months to live.

“He fought for two years,” Travis said.

“That’s where I feel I’ve got a lot of my drive and determination from.”