Professional dancer and husband wow crowd with wedding moves
Bride Amira tried 50 wedding dresses before she found the perfect gown for her big day. But it’s what she wore at the reception that really caused a stir.
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After trying on 50 dresses, Amira Mollenhauer (nee Younan-Wise) was struggling to find the perfect gown for the big day.
So she went to a dressmaker to design the dress of her dreams.
“I tried on around 50 dresses and was really struggling as I have quite a petite and muscular figure,’’ she says.
“Most wedding dresses in store are size 12-14 so it was so hard for me to envision the final product. I ended up finding an incredible dressmaker and we created a dress from scratch. It was such a special experience getting to build the dress month by month. I think it is every girl’s dream.’’
And the dress designs didn’t finish there, with Amira choosing to cut up her mum’s old wedding dress and turn it into a mini for the reception – with her mum’s tick of approval!
“It was so cute and I have received hundreds of messages asking where it is from and if they can purchase it off me,’’ she says.
“It was really special to be able to wear and honour my mum’s dress.’’
Amira and Jake Mollenhauer married on November 4 at Lilydale Estate in the Lockyer Valley. The couple – who met four years ago – danced their first dance to Anytime of Night by Jesse Roper in front of 120 guests.
How did Jake propose?
Jake proposed in Portovenere, Italy, in 2022. We were jumping and swimming off a jetty and he proposed then and there.
How did you choose your wedding venue?
We chose Lilydale Estate as our venue because it was a very blank canvas. It was a lot of work to pull together but we were happy with the turn out. We loved that we were able to stay quite late at the venue, unlike others. We had an outdoor ceremony officiated by the groom’s best friend. It was very personal and emotional.
What was your wedding theme?
All-white wedding decor. Guests were in formal outdoor attire.
What did you do for your reception? We had a sit-down dinner with hilarious speeches followed by a well thought out first dance. The party was huge afterwards. Our band was incredible, everybody partied hard until late.
What was the budget for your wedding?
We aimed to budget for $20k but ended up around the $30k mark.
What would you spend more or less on?
I would have spent the extra money to stay longer and later at the venue (it was $250 a half-hour later). I would have spent less on all the fresh cocktail ingredients and bar men and just had premixed cans, wines and beers.
What thoughts did you have while waiting at the altar and seeing Amira walk down the aisle?
I wonder if she’ll be crying, I wonder if I’ll cry. I wonder if her dress is like I guessed. Then – hot damn, she looks perfect. Yep, she is crying, oops, I’m crying too. Her dress is what I thought. Let’s do this!
What was the most stressful part of wedding planning?
Amira: The most stressful part was trusting that hundreds of moving parts would all work out at the one time. The set-up was also huge. The weather predictions were changing every few hours and that was extremely stressful as our wet weather plan was non-existent.
Any unique or surprising wedding details?
We made about 50 pairs of white sunglasses with funny writing on them and also purchased white cowgirl hats. They were a smash hit for the party and a lot of people’s favourite part about the whole day. We also had personalised shot glasses and mini tequila bottles for each guest. We used these all at the same time for the main toast and it really kickstarted the party! I loved this detail.
What was the standout moment of the day?The ceremony was more than we could have ever dreamed of. Our vows were so thought out. We spent months and months perfecting them. Our first dance was also a highlight as we put some really fun lifts and moves in there, we also practised this for months.
What was a wedding non-negotiable for you? No kids. I know it is controversial but we didn’t want any guests having to worry and be sidetracked on the day. I was also cautious of having babies crying during the ceremony and speeches. This ended up being quite difficult as a lot of guests left early to get home to their kids which is completely understandable!
Best wedding gift you received?
My mum gathered family recipes and pictures from all the guests – even international guests that weren’t able to make it. It is so sentimental to us and it is the most thoughtful gift we could have received.
Top wedding hack?
I had extreme heartburn from the nerves and Champagne – Gaviscon saved my life!
Where did you honeymoon?
We honeymooned directly after our wedding in Bali for 2 and a half weeks! It was magical.
The Bride
Amira Mollenhauer, 24
Profession Professional dance performer
Parents Sandy & Tony Younan
Bridesmaids Emily Stockwell, Kyra Harrison, Gabby Goodwin and Chloe Parsons
Dress Made by Kait Grace
Hair I did it myself
Make-up I did it myself
Flowers Lisa H (family friend)
Engagement ring Peter Anderson Jeweller
Wedding planner/stylist Simply Kate Special Events
The Groom
Jake Mollenhauer, 31
Profession Fireman & fitness professional
Parents Mellany & Mark Mollenhauer
Groomsmen Joel Brisblat, Rob Beeston, James Schloss, Matt Schloss & Eadan Hockings
Suit Oxford brand
Entertainment Vibe Creators Xy Latu & Ness
Videographer White Leaf Films
Celebrant Joel Brisblat & Kay Graham
Caterer Chef Jon Ozcan
Cake Vanilla cake covered in fresh raspberries, made by a family member
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