Weddings of the week: Two hearts find destiny on Australia Day date
ALICIA Sun and Lawrence Chen might have both grown up in China but it was a decision to move halfway across the world that brought them together.
ALICIA Sun AND LAWRENCE CHEN
Dress: Lazaro bespoke gown with chapel train
Honeymoon: Five weeks in Dubai and Europe
When and where married: October 18, ceremony at Hickson Road Reserve, The Rocks, and reception at The Altitude Restaurant, Shangri-La Hotel, City
ALICIA Sun and Lawrence Chen might have both grown up in China but it was a decision to move halfway across the world that brought them together.
“We both spent our childhood in China, but in different cities. Lawrence moved to Sydney with his family at the age of 16,” Alicia says.
She was the same age when she also moved to Australia, and ended up attending the same senior high school as Lawrence,` albeit in different years. It was on January 26, 2013, after
both had completed university, that they reconnected, with the help of a mutual friend.
“It was an unintentional setup,” says Alicia, who works as a financial adviser.
“We both were invited to a dinner party hosted by our friend, and I happened to sit next to Lawrence.”
There was a mutual attraction between the pair but it took Lawrence, who works as diagnostic radiographer, a few weeks to pluck up the courage to ask Alicia out.
“I was wondering what was he waiting for after dropping him major hints,” she says.
Lawrence was considering the best strategy, when he finally took the plunge and sent Alicia a friend request on Facebook.
“I responded within seconds and we went on a movie date,” Alicia says.
“From that moment there really hasn’t been a moment of silence between the two of us and we have been inseparable ever since.”
Their time as a couple has been marked by old-school romantic gestures. “Lawrence always opens the door for me, gives me his jacket and insists on walking on the outside of the sidewalk,” Alicia says.
“He always holds my hands tight when we are crossing the road.”
Lawrence says he immediately fell for Alicia’s compassionate nature and caring personality.
“She always puts everyone else before herself,” he says.
“She’s always supportive no matter what career decision I make. “I could see my future through Alicia’s eyes — everything we hope to achieve, because she stands by my side.”
Lawrence proposed to Alicia on February 11, 2015.
After considering some grand plans, including proposing at a public event, he decided to keep the moment private.
He spent a day decorating the couple’s apartment with rose petals, candles, fairy lights and photos of the couple. At the end of an aisle of candles, Lawrence waited, on bended knee, with a bunch of roses and a burning question.
“I said one very big yes, it was a magical moment,” Alicia says.
Lawrence then produced a solitaire diamond ring from Cartier called Destinee, a nod to the hand of fate that brought them together.
The couple were joined by 80 guests, many who have come from overseas, at their October wedding ceremony at Hickson Road Reserve.
They continued on to the reception at the Altitude Restaurant on the top floor of the Shangri-La Hotel, which created a dramatic backdrop for the evening with the location’s panoramic views of Sydney Harbour.
There was a floral theme to the decorations, and guests were entertained by live music from a grand piano. The couple’s first dance was to Like I’m Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor and John Legend.
The couple describe the day as “unforgettable” and enjoyed sharing their love with family and friends.
“We’re blessed to have family and friends be part of our special day, it was a fairytale wedding,” Alicia says.
Even though they’re now married, the couple still fondly mark the time they first met.
“We leave notes — old school love letters — for each other. From time to time, we still surprise each other because the 26th is the date we met, so we celebrate that on monthly basis.”
Picture credit: Mark Bond from GM Photographics
FIONA HUGHES, 31 AND CHRISTOPHER BARRON, 34
Dress: Vintage style with white lace by Játon, Melbourne
Honeymoon: Dubai, The Seychelles, Rome, Sicily, Epernay, Paris and the Maldives for three weeks
FIONA and Christopher met in June, 2011, at the Golden Sheaf Hotel in Double Bay.
They chatted for hours and the rest is history. Chris proposed at Villa d Éste on Lake Como in Italy in May, 2014.
Chris had booked a suite with a balcony on the lake looking towards the mountains. They wed on October 23, 2015, at The Chapel at Stones of the Yarra Valley with 130 guests.
Picture credit: Danelle Bohane
ZOE PAPADOPOULOS, 24 AND MASSIMO TADDEO, 26
Dress: A silk gown with beaded bodice by Personalised Weddings Couture, Earlwood
Honeymoon: Hawaii for 14 days
ZOE and Massimo met on her 18th birthday in July, 2009.
They were inseparable from the moment they met. Massimo surprised Zoe with a trip to the Hunter Valley to celebrate their four-year anniversary in December, 2013.
It was on their last stop at top of the waterfall in Hunter Gardens that Massimo proposed. They wed on October 3, 2015, at The Annunciation of Our Lady Theotokos, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Redfern.
Picture credit: Paeonia Wedding Photography & Films
CHRISTINA TABET, 27 AND DANIEL SAVONA, 28
Dress: A couture French beaded lace gown by Personalised Weddings Couture, Earlwood
Honeymoon: Thailand for seven days
CHRISTINA met Daniel in 2008 when they were working at Woolworths. In 2010 they started hanging out after work and soon became inseparable.
The pair went on a picnic to Gordon’s Bay in June, 2014, and, as they were admiring the water, Daniel started telling Christina how much he loved her before dropping to one knee.
They wed on November 7, 2015 at St. Joseph’s Church Croydon with 220 guests.
Picture credit: Capture Happiness Photograph
Originally published as Weddings of the week: Two hearts find destiny on Australia Day date
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