Some people believe “when you know, you know” and this is why young couple Meika Wockner and Ryan Smith were married at the ages of 21 and 22.

The high-school sweethearts fell in love at their Nelson, New Zealand high-school and in 2010 they moved to Australia, Meika’s home. After Ryan kept it traditional and returned home to New Zealand to ask Meika’s father for permission to pop the question - it was done, and the couple were wed on October 1, 2013.

Self-proclaimed nerds, the couple were keen to incorporate Star Wars into their gorgeous vintage wedding. “Ryan felt left out that the bride always gets an entrance but the groom only gets to wait,” says Meika. “What started as a joke resulted in a full-blown nerd parade! Star Wars has always been a part of the Smith family, so it was only fitting that he have Darth Vader [his father] and storm troopers present him to the celebrant to the theme tune.”

The couple were DIY champions for their wedding, making their own invitations and cake, among other things. “With the not-so-spectacular income of a midwifery student, we decided that surely a wedding cake wouldn’t be too hard to craft,” says Meika. “Surely, if we could pull of invites, we could bake a cake? Lesson one: testing cake recipes does not maintain pre-wedding weight loss.”

The romance of Carly Hobbs and Luke Daley was destiny – literally.

What Carly describes as a “real-life fairytale” is the story of when she met the love of her life on a cruise ship named Destiny. “I was working as the lead singer on a Mediterranean cruise ship…when a tall, dark and terribly handsome Englishman, Luke, came on board for a holiday,” says 30-year-old Carly.

The whirlwind romance quickly developed, and after spending just 14 days together and exchanging a few emails and Skype calls, Carly booked a one-way ticket to England. Twelve months later, they were engaged.

“Luke [27] and I were on Lake Windermere in England’s Lake District when he proposed on one knee in a tiny little boat that we couldn’t stop!” laughs Carly. “Through my tears of excitement and struggling to navigate the boat, I managed to say yes.”

The pair planned their relaxed wedding over two years, which took place at Mount Eliza on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula on September 20, 2013. Every detail was a reflection of them. This included games such as Dominoes on guest tables, a time capsule box and bubbles – many of which were Carly’s creations.

“Lower on the budget scale, we proved that with a bit of research and creativity a budget wedding doesn’t have to look cheap – even with $10 bridesmaid dresses,” smiles Carly.

An 18-month long-distance relationship between an Aussie and an Englishman was worth the wait for newlyweds Danielle Small and Tarrant Watkins.

The pair were married at their vintage wedding on October 12, 2013 at the Twin Waters Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast with 60 guests.

“Tarrant [24] and I met while I was studying in the UK. I spotted him in the university bar and we were inseparable from then on,” smiles 25-year-old Danielle.

After three months of romancing in Wales, Danielle returned home to commence a long-distance relationship. “We survived the next 18 months with phone calls, text messages, web chats and old fashioned letters!” she says.

Danielle then moved to the UK for two years and the couple now live in Tara, country Queensland. “The distance we’ve literally travelled to be together has made our relationship strong and deep,” says Danielle. “We have literally travelled the world to be together and made so many sacrifices along the way. We feel like we have a very pure love because of these sacrifices.”

A sister stranded overseas, a mother left behind and a wave of Bali belly taking hold of many including the bride: welcome to the wedding of Brenda Carpio and Benjamin Munz.

“Where do I begin,” sighs 28-year-old Brenda. “Everything went wrong from the night before the wedding!”

Brenda’s younger sister, also a bridesmaid, was ready to board a plane to Bali with their mother when she realised her passport had expired. Because she was a minor, their mother had to remain behind also. “There were many tears throughout the night, right up until the second of walking down the aisle, wishing I had my sister and mother there,” recalls Brenda. “To make matters worse, I - as well as some of the bridal party, family and guests – came down with severe Bali belly the day of the wedding!”

A registered midwife, Brenda put her nurse hat on and instead of pampering herself before the wedding, she injected all the family and bridal party so they would stop being sick.

Luckily, a stunning setting in Uluwatu and a loved-up bride and groom from Perth was enough to save their Bali wedding from complete disaster. The pair were wed on October 26, 2013 with 80 guests at a white-themed simple wedding. “We had a beautiful venue, beautiful family and friends, and for those who stayed standing – said it was the best wedding they had ever been to,” smiles Brenda.

Their marriage was 10 years in the making and on November 9, 2013, Willow Atkinson, 27, and Ben Steward, 28, wed on the Sunshine Coast.

AnnaBella the Wedding Chapel in Ilkley is owned by Ben’s family and therefore a fitting country setting for the couple’s rustic wedding in the company of 75 family and friends.

Willow and Ben began dating as teenagers and in the years that followed they faced many challenges together. Their love never waivered and as a result Ben took the proposal plunge – initially planned to take place with a beautiful beach backdrop.

Unfortunately, Willow didn’t feel like heading out that afternoon and Ben, too excited to wait, instead asked for her hand in marriage while in the shower! Not long after their engagement the pair found out they were expecting a baby girl, Maddison, who arrived just two months before their big day.

The peaceful farm atmosphere with marquee set-up created the ideal party vibe. Vintage props from Wholehearted Studio including hay bales, mason jars, roses and Festoon lighting decorated the space.

Willow said the wedding day was designed to be relaxed and fun, and therefore they opted to drop many of the usual formalities. “We wanted a party…we didn’t want the typical wedding reception filled with speeches, bridal dance, etc,” she says.

Forbidden love, escape to another kingdom and happily ever after are the fairy tales of princes and princesses.

In this case, it was the true love story of Laetitia Signoret, 27, and Gregory Perrot, 33, who wed on May 18, 2013 in their homeland of France.

The couple, who moved to the Gold Coast earlier in their relationship, overcame many challenges before becoming engaged after eight years as an item. “The main one being that my father would not accept Greg and banned me from the ‘castle’,” says 27 year-old Laetitia. “But our love was strong and together we travelled to faraway places an ended up in Australia; our promised land.”

After recognising their love for one another and success as a couple, Laetitia’s father finally blessed the relationship.

When it came to planning their big day back in France, the theme was obvious: a fairy tale wedding. “We hired a castle with a beautiful garden, the finest caterer and invited guests from all over the world,” recalls Laetitia.

One-hundred-and-sixty guests from Australia, the US and Europe attended the afternoon ceremony. “It was made of both Australian and French usages, aimed at thanking the people who made our love possible, while giving them hope and living proof that love conquers all,” smiles Laetitia.

True love is hard to find and that is why Marisa Dickenson, 29, and Naithan Van Der Linde, 30, created their wedding day under the theme of the fisherman’s knot – the true love knot.

The couple of nine years married by Tinaroo Lake, Atherton, QLD on August 24, 2013 and shared their simple wedding at the Lake’s resort with 108 guests.

To complement the tranquil outdoors, Marisa opted for a fresh colour scheme including Tiffany-blue coloured dresses for her bridesmaids.

The theme of the lakeside wedding was carefully selected by the couple to represent their relationship journey. “As both Naithan and I enjoy fishing and adventure we based our wedding around the fisherman’s knot,” explains Marisa. “As the tale goes, there are two chords that represent both our lives before today.

“Our past lives will now be joined to create one new life as the ropes are intertwined, creating the strongest knot that will symbolise our future marriage.”

She explains the power of the knot – one that will not break and only become stronger when there is pressure or hard times. “In fact, as the rope tightens, so will our union.”

For teacher Daniela Moreira and lawyer Adrian De Luca, perseverance was the key to their romance.

After a failed match-making attempt by Adrian’s mother where Daniela mistook someone else for her potential suitor, the couple met two years later by chance.

An electric New Year’s Eve pash set the ball rolling, but with a broken heart from a previous relationship, Daniela was hesitant to date. “Over the next couple of weeks, I dodged several of Adrian’s requests to take me out,” says the 29-year-old bride of her 30-year old groom.

Weeks later Daniela dropped Adrian home from a party they happened to both attend, and that is when the penny dropped.

“When I arrived at his house, his mother had just arrived home too,” she recalls. “We both looked at each other with a look of familiarity. We realised we had met before, two years back.”

Needless to say, Daniela accepted fate had played a part in her and Adrian’s life and accepted his next request for a date. “Our romance soon blossomed…I could not fight fate,” she smiles.

The couple exchanged vows on April 31, 2013 at their elegant black tie wedding in West Melbourne at the symbolic St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church. “It was the church were Adrian was baptised and his parents and grandparents were married,” says Daniela.

A text-book proposal on a private dinner deck in Fiji was the perfect beginning to the romantic wedding of Jessica Randall, 27, and Joel Davidson, 29.

The Sydney couple married in their hometown on November 2, 2013 with a church ceremony in Darling Point and reception at Aqua Dining in Milsons Point under the Harbour Bridge.

Jessica, a dental receptionist, admits her relationship with Joel, a builder, took a little time to develop in the beginning. “Joel and I first met through a mutual friend back in 2006,” she recalls. “And although it wasn’t love at first sight, after spending every weekend together for the next few months, we became inseparable.”

She says their wedding with 75 of their closest family and friends was exactly how they dreamed it would be. “After almost seven years together this amazing day was definitely worth the wait,” she smiles. “Joel surprised me with a beautiful old car to take my Dad and I to the church the morning of the wedding.”

Jessica’s most cherished memory of the day is of walking down the aisle. “I was walking into the church and saw Joel standing there. I was trying so hard not to cry so I just looked at him and no-one else.”

Meet 26-year-old Kirsty Schubert; the queen of do-it-yourself brides.

Once engaged to her true love, 29-year-old mechanical engineer Matt Bowering, Kirsty began what she calls a “DIY spree” for their rustic affair. “You name it, I probably did it!” she laughs. Everything from the ring pillow and flowergirl basket to the invitations, centrepieces and venue decor were her creations, including 80 metres of handmade bunting – just to name a few.

“Then there were the handmade fabric flower bouquets that took over 100 painstaking hours to make,” she says. “Each flower was individually cut and melted and shaped, not to mention the painful hot glue gun and tea light candle burns I sustained doing it!”

Kirsty and Matt met online and he later proposed on Kirsty’s parents’ country property. The couple planned to marry at Perth’s Bardon Park on October 5, 2013 however the ceremony was moved at the last minute to Maylands Yacht Club.

“As I turned up unintentionally late at 3.45pm, the rain absolutely poured,” recalls Kirsty. “The guests got drenched and the wedding had to be moved inside the yacht club nearby while I drove around nervously for 20 minutes while they set up inside.”

Kirsty says her DIY wedding was a huge undertaking, but one she does not regret for a second. “We also have spent the past 641 days literally living out of a suitcase while we build our first house,” she sighs. “That includes six house sits, moving house 12 times, looking after seven dogs and living with my parents in between house sits.”

What happens when Buzz Lightyear and Tinker Bell get hitched? Colourful love!

Brisbane couple Terri Hayes, 26, and John Nielsen, 31, were married at their Kangaroo Point rainbow wedding on October 26, 2013 after meeting a dress-up party.

Terri said it was a chance union as both parties shared a mutual friend, Camille, and had decided they needed to get out more to socialise. “Upon picking me up and taking me to the party, [John] proceeded to spend the night forgetting my name – ‘It’s Tara isn’t it?’ – obviously love at first sight,” laughs Terri.

Overcoming the identity issue, the pair arranged to go on a date at which point Terri thought John may have been the dreaded “Mr Nice Guy”. “But after years together, a proposal under the Eiffel Tower and a year-and-a-half of planning, our special day arrived where I married the ‘nice guy’ – apparently there is no such thing as too nice,” Terri smiles.

The pair wanted to stand out from the crowd when it came to their big day and consequently chose a colourful theme. “After 17 weddings for our friends and family in the past two years…we wanted something that made ours different,” Terri says. “Bright multi-coloured dresses and oversized balloons were used for our love-lock unity ceremony.”

The couple used the balloons to set keys free – inspired by their visit to the love lock bridge in Paris.

We have a winner! The 12th and final monthly winner of our first ever Wedding of the Year competition is Amy and Ryan of Perth. Their gorgeous black tie wedding at Christmastime in 2012 was elegant, romantic and stunningly styled. We loved it, and evidently, so did you.

Amy and Ryan will shortly receive $500 from Aussie Unsecured Personal Loans and two nights’ accommodation at Rydges Hotels and Resorts.

Plus: they are now one of 12 couples nominated for the grand prize – courtesy of My Holiday Centre – a second honeymoon to Hawaii!

Stay tuned for the commencement of voting to determine which of the 12 couples did indeed have the Easy Weddings Wedding of the Year.

Dinner with friends was the informal setting Emily Falcke and Dean Strauss sought for their special day on December 14, 2013.

Their intimate wedding did away with several traditions – the pair choosing to marry at Emily’s parents’ house and celebrate with 34 guests at Circa in St Kilda. “We wanted to celebrate our day with close friends and family,” says 34 year-old Emily. “We didn’t want a formal or stuffy affair.”

A champagne afternoon tea was held after the ceremony with wedding cake so Emily’s grandparents, unable to attend the dinner, were included.

Other than a thank you from Dean, speeches were skipped, as well as the first dance. “We only had a photographer for the ceremony and then provided digital cameras to allow our guests to be the photographers on the night.”

A mutual love of football and a shared birthday were initially commonalities that brought Emily and Dean, 38, together. It was a sporting bet that helped choose the venue for their wedding dinner. “The first time Dean and I met we made a bet on our two football teams (Collingwood and Geelong),” recalls Emily. “The loser had to buy dinner at the winner’s choice of restaurant – I lost and Dean chose Circa.”

Photo booths are an increasingly popular choice for special events, but perhaps not as meaningful as at the garden wedding of Sheree Mcghie and John Stade.

After more than six happy years as boyfriend and girlfriend, 28 year-old John popped the question in a photo booth at the Sydney Tower Eye. “We could finally plan our wedding!” says Sheree. “I was so excited!”

She adds, “Since John proposed in a photo booth and I am a huge lover of photos, we really wanted a photo booth and we’re so glad we did. Our guests loved getting dressed up and having the photos taken.”

Their special day on November 2, 2013 in Perth was filled with personal touches including a display of their parents’ wedding photos, homemade kids’ activity packs and custom music for those giving a speech.

The pair also wrote their own vows and John’s wedding band used to belong to his grandfather.

For added fun, the shoe game was played at the reception. The game involves placing two chairs back-to-back on the dance floor for the bride and groom. They remove both of their shoes and trade one with each other so they are holding one of each.

A designated person asks a series of questions about the couple’s relationship, for example, “Who said I love you first?”

After each question, the bride and groom hold up the shoe of the person they think is the answer. Matching shoes may indicate a peaceful future!

It was panic stations at every corner in the lead up to Kat Heywood and Michael Iwan’s vineyard wedding inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The Melbourne couple, 32 and 27, had already faced many heartbreaking challenges together in the past, including the loss of Kat’s mum. As a result, they were built to handle anything that was thrown their way.

A DIY event became Kat’s only option as she quickly realised the cost of her dream wedding. “Not many people understood our vision [a vintage woodlands theme] – Michael included some of the time – but days, nights, weeks and months were spent researching, calling, emailing, visiting and creating,” sighs Kat.

“Six weeks to go, the venue was ‘fine’ but not ‘the one’ and now everyone’s gone mad wondering if it’s really going to happen,” she laughs. Thankfully, the Five Oaks Winery in Seville was discovered just in time for the big day – despite needing to start from scratch with the majority of her suppliers.

And the drama wasn’t over. The flowergirl dress was made the day before the wedding, there was a change of suits for the boys, a tough time with flowers during Valentine’s Day week and Kat forgetting to arrange her own transport to the venue!

“A DIY wedding is hard work,” says Kat. “But I love that it was real, unexpected and unpretentious, unique and personal. True love will always overcome life’s obstacles.”

They wanted to travel in style and in what was Australia’s first-ever bridal Kombi convoy, Becki McDonnell and James Huse did exactly that.

The English-born couple, 33 and 34 respectively, chose their new home of Manly, Sydney to hold their beach chic wedding with an intimate guest list of 35 on January 4, 2014. “As we had to travel 45 minutes up to Whale Beach [after the ceremony], we wanted to do it in style,” says bride Becki. “Why have one Kombi when you can have five?” she laughs.

Kombi Celebrations supplied the transport inside which Becki and James left their guests little surprises. “In each Kombi we left our guests their own little beach bag which had personalised thongs and stubby holders, plus a fan for the journey,” recalls Becki.

Family and friends were greeted at Whale Beach with a vintage-adorned gazebo boasting hanging florals, bunting, lilac paper straws, flowers and bird cages – just to name a few elements. “There was also beach cricket and bowls for our guests of all ages to enjoy,” says Becki.

Later in the evening the reception continued at Ripples Whale Beach where the bohemian vintage themed was carried over with hessian table runners, amber bottles and rustic timber. Lilac featured prominently, matched with pretty pinks and soft peaches.

“For each part of the day we wanted to create different feelings for our guests – so each location had its very own experience.”

It’s not uncommon for a bride and her groom to feel overwhelmed when planning their wedding day.

But marketing officer Hayley Sherack cherished every moment of the journey to her vineyard wedding where she sealed the deal with the love her life, Brad Davis. “I plan events for a living and I was so excited to be planning the wedding of my dreams,” she smiles. “I loved every minute of it, from finalising the venue, to hand-making the invitations and decorations for the day – I wish I could do it all over again.”

She said the Easy Weddings mobile app was great for keeping her on top of things. “It reminded me of absolutely everything I needed to do,” she says.

Hayley, 25, and Brad, 29, met at a musical festival in Sydney through mutual friends in 2007. Five years later Brad took the next step surprising Hayley with a proposal in the Hunter Valley. The pair consequently chose the idyllic region to marry on November 2, 2013 at the RidgeView Estate, Rothbury, surrounded by 91 guests.

A vintage theme was created with soft pink bridesmaid dresses, elegant bouquets, centrepieces using lace and jars, and not least of which, Hayley’s classic gown by Mori Lee.

Well, ladies (and lads), it’s finally here. After more than 150 Real Weddings, 72 monthly nominations and tens of thousands of votes I am super excited to announce the final round of voting to decide whose was Easy Weddings’ inaugural Wedding of the Year. Happy days!

What a tough choice it is. The 12 gorgeous couples represent a diverse range of weddings of every size, budget and style. From modern city nuptials to rustic country affairs, black tie formalities versus relaxed, laid back soirees and destination weddings at home and abroad. Each celebration is a true reflection of the couples and how they chose to show their love and commitment.

As the editor of our Real Weddings blog, I’ve loved getting to know each bride and groom as they reminisced about what was, as the cliché goes, the best day of their lives. I’ll say it again – best job ever!

Here’s a snapshot of the 12 nominated couples, one of which will be jetting off to fabulous Hawaii on a second honeymoon of a lifetime, courtesy of our wonderful prize sponsors, My Holiday Centre.

Oh, and Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!

With love, Rebecca – Real Weddings Editor.

VOTE NOW

JANUARY: STACEY & NICK

FEBRUARY: SINEAD & MATT

At their destination wedding in Santorini, Greek musicians and all 100 guests escorted bride Stacey through the village to groom Nick.

Click here to vote for Stacey & Nick.

Sinead & Matt’s rustic country wedding was a DIY dream, the high school sweethearts creating much of the unique event themselves.

Click here to vote for Sinead & Matt.

MARCH: RIMA & SAMMY

APRIL: CAITLYN & TONY

After a death in the family, Rima & Sammy cancelled their big wedding just six weeks out and booked an intimate, modern vintage affair.

Click here to vote for Rima & Sammy.

Caitlyn & Tony held a destination wedding with a difference, pitching their tent in a NSW national park and saying ‘I do’ among the gum trees.

Click here to vote for Caitlyn & Tony.

MAY: JESSICA & MATT

JUNE: STACY & MICHAEL

Jessica & Matt’s was a sensational backyard wedding with the theme: vintage garden party. The chef groom did his own catering.

Click here to vote for Jessica & Matt.

They fell in love after eight days on Contiki, survived a long distance relationship, and finally sealed the deal in an iconic Sydney wedding.

Click here to vote for Stacy & Michael.

JULY: KATIE & ADAM

AUGUST: CARISSA & LACHLAN

With the stunning autumn backdrop, Katie & Adam’s vintage wedding was a case of beautiful styling down to the last detail.

Click here to vote for Katie & Adam.

The outback bush wedding of two SA farmers was perhaps not what you’d expect – stylish, modern and jaw droppingly beautiful.

Click here to vote for Carissa & Lachlan.

SEPTEMBER: TALEAH & AARON

OCTOBER: GEMMA & JAK

A year after their bedside ceremony before her father’s passing, bride Taleah celebrated with hubby Aaron in their rustic country wedding.

Click here to vote for Taleah & Aaron.

Gorgeously styled in red, Gemma & Jak wed at Perth’s Kings Park before a cocktail reception that got all the guests mingling.

Click here to vote for Gemma & Jak.

NOVEMBER: KIRBI & NICK

DECEMBER: AMY & RYAN

For their arty rainbow wedding, creative couple Kirbi & Nick crafted 4000 paper cranes that adorned their country Victoria reception hall.

Click here to vote for Kirbi & Nick.

With some breathtaking photos outside Tiffany and Louis Vuitton the black tie wedding of Amy and Ryan at Christmastime dazzled.

Click here to vote for Amy & Ryan.

James Gallagher may be a man of few words, but according to his bride Jessica Thomas, he planned the perfect proposal.

“When he started thinking about proposing to me, he seemed rather uncertain about how to go about it,” recalls 27-year-old Jessica. “I told him three things that I was hoping he would include; a nice dinner, that he would get down on one knee, and that he would say at least 10 romantic words. He did none of these things – but his proposal was perfect.”

James, 24, had chosen midnight fireworks as the ideal backdrop for his simple request, “Will you marry me?” while holding Jessica in his arms.

The pair were married at Mt Evelyn, Victoria, on October 18, 2013 in the presence of 90 guests.

Despite Jessica’s initial reservations about James not being a keen reader, it turned out they shared a love of books. Their vintage wedding therefore surrounded the world of literature.

“We ended up with up with a vintage typewriter for guests to leave messages on, table scatters made from The Book Thief – a book we both love – LED candlelit jars wrapped in Jane Austen and green string, noughts and crosses boards with boxes of buttons made out of Harry Potter, book paper flowers in our bouquets and a hollowed out book for the rings,” says Jessica.

The highlight was the couple’s choice of cake made to look like books. “The third book from the series of a first book I gave James all those years ago was on top – the chapter being called Man and Wife.”

On June 14, 2013, at the fairtytale country wedding of Toriy Durkin and Graeme Brooks, 58 guests stepped off a scenic bus ride into another world.

Marvelling at its beauty, they’d arrived at the historic Paronella Park: an enchanted oasis south of Cairns, created in the 1930s by Spanish dreamer José Paronella.

Boasting lush tropical gardens, winding paths and majestic waterfalls, Toriy, 25 and Graeme, 26 were wowed by the park’s star attraction – a Spanish Castillo –  the perfect backdrop before which to make their solemn promise on a warm winter’s day.

Earlier, Toriy and her bridal party had woken at first light to begin the preparations for the momentus event. The nearby farm-stay where they’d spent an excitable wedding day eve provided the first of many stunning backdrops for “amazing” photos by Azure Photography.

In honour of the country theme, Toriy’s white cowgirl boots got a look-in, partnered proudly with her Alfred Angelo satin and organza bridal gown. “I’ve always loved the country,” she says, “and wanted to incorporate a piece of me that everyone would remember.”

Graeme on the other hand cut a dashing figure in a black tail coat to “fit in with the elegance and history of Paronella Park,” explains the bride.