HEAVEN SENT
On Monday, September 17, exactly one year to the day after the two started dating, Jessica Ferriday and Joshua Willis tied the knot at Preston Peak Wineries.
The two met at Jessica’s church on the very night Joshua decided to attend that particular church for the first time.
There was a definite spark and, not long after Jessica arrived home, Joshua sent her a message, asking her on a date that ended up lasting for four hours.
“About four months in, I knew I was falling in love with him but it wasn’t until we helped a homeless drug–addicted woman together that I was confident we could face this world together as a team,” Jessica said.
She fondly remembers the proposal, which she found hilarious.
“I had a couple of ways planned to ask Jess to marry me but, what came out of my mouth was ‘Jess, would you do me the honour of becoming my husband?’,” Joshua said.
“She said no and my heart dropped, but thankfully then said she would happily become my wife.”
The couple said the wedding day was the best day of their lives, being able to celebrate their love with the people they care for most.
“The overall theme of our wedding was, if it increases stress, we won’t do it,” Jessica said, adding that the decorations followed a rustic/vintage theme.
They kept things simple, with only 30 close friends and family seated around one long table, ‘family style’.
“We used items we’d bought from antique shops, like a vintage suitcase for our ‘wishing well’.”
Jessica took Joshua’s name because it was important to them to symbolise that they had become one.
“It unified us as a new family unit and I wanted to show that I am more about ‘us’ than I am about ‘me’,” Jessica said.
The couple demonstrated vows of service to each other and to others during their ceremony and reception.
They washed each other’s feet (like Jesus did for His disciples) and served dinner to their guests themselves, which Jessica said was a first for Preston Peak.
For seven years, before even meeting Joshua, Jessica had prayed for her husband and kept record of her prayers.
She offered her prayer journal to Joshua during the ceremony, which he said meant the world to him.
For their honeymoon, the newlyweds took a cruise up the Queensland coast before settling down to their life as husband and wife.
They said they have no idea what the future holds, but are working on building a strong foundation for their lives together, come what may.