Why daughters helped make Laura Byrne and Matty J’s wedding day

Laura Byrne and Matty J were on cloud nine during their wedding – because their daughters were there to make it a real family affair.

If there’s one thing The Bachelor’s Laura Byrne loved about her recent wedding to Matty Johnson, it’s that their daughters Marlie-Mae, 3, and Lola, 1, were there to spend the day with them.

“I highly recommend everyone does it the wrong way round,” she said.

“They were both flowers girls and we had so much fun. Actually, we had five flower girls, two pageboys and a dog – there was so much chaos, it was so great.

“I’m not somebody who’d ever really envisaged my wedding. I wasn’t the little girl that dreamt of my big white wedding, so I didn’t really have any expectations of it.

“But it was just the best day of my life.

Matty Johnson, Laura Byrne and daughters Lola, 1, and Marlie-Mae, 3 at Van Gogh Alive, which reopens in Sydney next week.

“It was so special having everybody we loved in the same room, and there was a real moment where we were like, wow, we probably will never have all these amazing people in the same place ever again.

“It’s such a special thing to be able to do that, so we were on absolute cloud nine.”

And there’s something you may not know about the mother of two. She studied fine art history and literature at university, so taking her children to the immersive Van Gogh Alive exhibition when it returns to Sydney next week is a high priority for the art-loving family.

“It’s not just something I love, it’s my real background,” she says.

“That’s how I transitioned into being a jeweller, because of my love for the fine arts.

“I just think it’s so nice, because unless you’re specifically into art, you would never think to go to an art exhibition – it’s quite an acquired taste – whereas this is something that’s so nice, even to get little kids exposed to loving art and to being creative.

“I like the fact that this is very interactive, and it brings art down to their level.

“With fine arts, there’s this real ‘look and don’t touch’ mentality, but this allows the kids to get among it and be part of it, which is so nice.

Laura Byrne and daughter Marlie-Mae at Van Gogh Alive.

“Matt also takes the girls to an art class every Wednesday, which they love. I’m so grateful that I have a dad who, like, prioritises really quality one-on-one time with the kids.”

Life is busy for the young family of four, but they haven’t ruled out adding to the brood when Lola’s a bit older. Byrne had barely slept when speaking to Sunday Confidential, having been at the hospital with her eldest daughter for tummy pains, but they’re keen on organising a honeymoon soon – sans kids and after the summer break, when Matty J will be doing the weather for Channel 9.

“We also want the kids to be a little bit older so, that way if we want to be away for a couple of nights and leave them with Nana, we can do that, because that’s something we haven’t done yet.”

Van Gogh Alive opens at The Grand Pavilion, The Entertainment Quarter, on December 8. Tickets on sale now.