‘Epic scavenger hunt’ that ended with magical marriage proposal
At first a very confused Louise Emanuel didn’t know what to do when she was handed a clue at her regular coffee spot. Then the journey began.
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When it came to their first dance, this couple knew how to put on a show. Bride Louise Emanuel knew her groom Bradley Anderson was “not a dancer by any means”, but the couple decided they would make their first dance fun regardless.
Louise taught Brad a choreographed dance to You Spin Me Right Round by Dead or Alive for the big day, to ensure their wedding guests would have a laugh at their expense.
“I choreographed the dance based on the hilarious music video and it was hilarious teaching it to Brad, and so much fun to perform,” Louise says.
The Bracken Ridge couple, who have been together for four years, married on June 11 this year at Bundaleer Rainforest Gardens, in Brookfield in Brisbane’s west, in front of 100 guests. The couple put a lot of effort into putting their own personal touches into the day.
“I wanted it to be very eclectic and feel like ‘us’,” Louise says.
“For the decorations at the reception we had all different colours of flowers, lots of candles and repurposed wine bottles for the larger centrepieces.
“The favours for the guests were vintage stemmed glasses – all of different shapes and sizes that I sourced from various op shops around Brisbane.”
The couple also curated their own music for the playlist – mostly 70s and 80s dance party classics – and put some gold velociraptors dressed as a bride and groom on the top of their cake for a little humour.
How did you meet?
We grew up together so we both don’t really remember when we first met, we have always been in each other’s lives in some way. Brad realised he had a crush on me on one of our family holidays to Tangalooma when he was about 16.
I always thought he was pretty cute as well but he was more like “that one friend’s hot older brother that’s off limits”.
We lived our own lives for a while, travelling, working, going out and then eventually got together when Brad invited me over for tacos after we had bumped into each other at a trivia night.
How did he propose?
When Brad and I first started dating, he kept asking me to be his girlfriend and I kept saying no because I knew if we ever got together it would be forever.
Eventually he got tired of it and decided I had to ask him out.
So when I asked him to be my boyfriend, I made a super cheesy scavenger hunt around my flat that ended with a painted banner that said “will you be my boyfriend?”
Brad proposed by sending me on a much more epic scavenger hunt that involved our family and friends.
As far as I was aware, Brad was interstate for work. I went to the Carseldine Markets in the morning where I always get my coffee from our friends Jeremy and Ev at Honey Badger, and they gave me my first clue. I was so confused I tried to give it back. Once I figured the clue out, I knew exactly what was happening.
Eventually, all of the clues I was given matched together to form a picture of where I would find my last stop. Brad was waiting with the banner that I had painted when I asked him to be my boyfriend.
He had crossed out the “boyfriend” and replaced it with “wife”.
Where did you honeymoon?
To NSW where we stayed at Tallaringa Luxury Camping in the Tweed Valley for a few days – drinking wine, visiting the gin distillery, playing with cows and watching movies under the stars.
We stayed at an Airbnb on the way back in Mudgeeraba.
Any unique details about your wedding?
We had a lot of comments on the day that it was the most unique wedding people had been to in a while.
We just wanted the day to reflect us and our quirks so I think it was a success. We wrote our own vows and even replaced the guest book with a custom artwork of us as Rick and Morty (our favourite cartoon).
Hens and bucks night?
It was a combined event where we stayed with our friends and family on the Gold Coast in a penthouse.
On the first night, the girls went on a sunset boat cruise and out for drinks and dinner later. The boys went axe throwing dressed as lumberjacks and also went out afterwards. The next night, our wonderful best man as a wedding gift to us offered to perform his first ever drag show, with lip sync battles, judges and even a trivia game.
What was the standout moment of the day?
When we were trying to get the champagne bottle to pop and it took Brad about 10 attempts so by the time it popped we were all so in suspense that the reaction was genuine shock. I popped the clasp on the back of my dress because I jumped so much.
What would you do differently?
I would have eaten more!
I was so busy enjoying myself, running around, talking to people that by the time I got back to my food I scoffed down a few mouthfuls and kept going.
One thing you wish people told you about planning a wedding and best advice for other couples?
I wish people had told me how confronting it can be. We put so much time and effort into planning the day, picking the dress, flowers, and venue but we can forget the reason why we are doing all of that in the first place – we are committing to a life with each other.
It’s a life-defining time, so just remember to take it all in and communicate with each other about how you are feeling about getting married, not just about the wedding plans.
Lastly, don’t plan the day for anyone but yourselves, don’t worry about what people will think, do it for you.
The Bride
Louise Emanuel, 23
Profession Art therapist
Parents Sharlene Emanuel
Bridesmaid Tatum O’Toole
Dress Angelic Bridal (ceremony), ASOS (dance floor)
Hair Elizabeth Crossley
Make-up Karissa McLaren (KM Makeup Studios)
Flowers Northside Flower Market
Engagement ring KR Jewellers
The Groom
Bradley Anderson, 27
Profession Medical technician
Parents Brett and Katrina Anderson
Best Man Rylie Thompson-Bagshaw
Suit Hockerty
Photographer Amanda Hamilton (Peppermint Photography)
Videographer AJ Cinematography
Celebrant Natalie Enlund from The Celebrant Co
Caterer Bundaleer Rainforest Gardens
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