Hitched & hatched
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Darwin locals Kira and Sam met at the tender ages of 17 and 18 through a mutual friend, and it was love at first sight. “We were inseparable from day one,” Kira said. “Sam was very shy and softly spoken, and I’m very loud and confident, but that only drew us closer.” They got engaged two years later, although the proposal did not go as smoothly as Sam hoped. “He took me to dinner at our favourite restaurant, Hanuman, where he had planned to propose, but it was an extremely busy night and all the people were making him nervous,” Kira said. “So he suggested ice cream down the beach after dinner, and that’s where he proposed.” The wedding ceremony took place at an equally beautiful spot, the Secret Moonlight Garden in the Darwin Botanic Gardens. Elegant and simple, fresh flower arrangements and a string duet completed the intimate feel. The reception was even more personal with guests celebrating the big day in the garden of the couple’s home. “We spent the better part of a year renovating with the hope to use it for our wedding, and it worked out beautifully,” Kira said. A highlight for the bride was the arrival of one of her best friends, Tim, from down south for the wedding. “He flew in from Victoria on the day and had to return the following day because he couldn’t get time off, so it was great he made it,” Kira said. “And Sam had close family fly in from New Zealand and interstate to share our special day, which was lovely.” Both Sam and Kira were delighted to declare their love for each other in front of their nearest and dearest — although Kira experienced a small stumbling block. “I forgot how to pronounce my own name during the ceremony,” she laughed. “I have a Polish middle name and both Sam and the celebrant pronounced it better than I did.” The first dance was to ‘Samson’ by Regina Spektor — Kira said she cried like a baby because she was so happy — and the newlyweds enjoyed a “mini moon” in Victoria, with plans to go further afield in the future.