IN THE BEGINNING…
Melinda (Mel) and Jon were connected via a mutual industry colleague, who had made it her personal mission to set an eligible young Mel up with a boy she promised would: ‘be nice, treat her right, and be someone to have fun with’.
One night, that boy took a leap of faith and slid into Mel’s Facebook DMs. It all started with a rhyme. He wrote…
Rumour has it that you’re pretty great… impossibly pretty and a wonderful date.
A rare combination of sexy and cute, with a brain and a laugh and a smile to suit!
It appears you could be one hell of a woman,
I’d like to know more because I guess the proof is in the puddin’
When Mel woke up to discover this message in her inbox, she was instantly uplifted… and impressed. She hit him back with a rhyme of her own and from there, the messages began flowing. It wasn’t long before they’d set their first date – breakfast at a cafe in New Farm, Brisbane.
Just like Jon’s initial choice of message in penning a poem for a girl he’d never met, opting for a first date, first thing in the morning, could perhaps be seen as a bold choice too. As Mel said, “there’s nothing quite like a breakfast date to really see each other”.
She arrived on that chilly morning to find Jon already there, wearing a dark navy tailored coat, and boy did she see him. Her first thought was… “What a handsome man!”
Jon clearly recalls this moment too. He remembers Mel presenting as a strong, confident, and (of course) very good-looking young woman, with a very nice… *ahem* backside.
And while their initial attraction might’ve been one based on mutual beauty and witty message banter, as breakfast went on and they discussed everything from their friends and family, to their upbringing, interests, and hopes for their future… they began to establish a deeper connection that had them constantly wanting to know more. So they extended their date with a walk along Brisbane River, and at the end of the morning parted ways, already looking forward to when they might see each other again.
Their second date – and first kiss – happened two weeks later. And by the third date, Jon had taken things up a notch further… No longer content with mere poetry, he’d progressed to full-blown serenades, romancing Mel with his rendition of Sam Smith’s Latch, as they sat at Burleigh Headland. It’s safe to say that by this point, Mel was sufficiently wooed.
But at this early stage, with the excitement of their blossoming relationship and their time spent spanning Mel’s home of Brisbane and Jon’s of the Gold Coast, they were still very much in the honeymoon stage. So when Jon said “I love you” about 3 months into dating, Mel said “I’ll get back to you”.
Kidding!
But she did want to make sure that when she said it, it came straight from her heart, and not the happiness bubble filled with anticipation, excitement, and oxytocin that surrounded them during that time. A few weeks later, she realised, she knew it to be true, so she said “I love you too”.
THEN WHAT HAPPENED?
After 18 months of inter-city dating they knew they were ready for the next step, so when the opportunity came up to move to Sydney, they jumped at the chance to be closer to one another, and to create a life together. Over the next few years, they established their life in Sydney, explored new career opportunities, travelled internationally, bought their first investment property, and on Mel’s 30th birthday – the 16th of June, 2020, Jon asked the question which ultimately led us to this day (almost 4 years later).
THE PROPOSAL
It was a Wednesday, and Jon had asked Mel to take the day off work, to ‘celebrate her birthday’. They went for breakfast and a walk, then set off for a planned picnic in Elizabeth Bay. When they arrived, Jon realised his nervousness about his impending plans had caused him to omit the crucial crackers and knives from his carefully-planned spread, leaving nothing to cut the cheese, nor anything to put it on. They made do though, combining bites of soft cheeses, with bites of chorizo… as Jon described it – “an awkward, yet satisfying, outcome”.
Afterwards, Mel was treated to a massage, and on returning home she found a special outfit carefully laid out, ready for dinner. They took the ferry from Double Bay to Circular Quay; it was a crystal clear night, the harbour was dead calm and the sky clear and twinkling. As the ferry rounded the Opera House, nearing their destination, Jon knelt down and asked Mel to be his forever.
She stood – astounded – for *longer than felt comfortable* as three girls nearby watched gleefully, anticipating her response. Jon said in the moment, it seemed like their excitement outweighed Mel’s! But really, Mel just wasn’t quite sure what to do with her emotions. Once she overcame her shock, she of course said YES, and they went for a celebratory dinner at O Bar. They are so thankful for the awkward photos those girls took on the boat that night, which remind them of how fun and funny that moment was for them.
WHEN MEL WAS ASKED WHAT SHE LOVES MOST ABOUT JON, SHE SAID…
It’s the big things – like his moral compass, his support during challenging times, and his dedication to self-awareness and improvement… but the little things too – like making them a delicious meal, contributing to their household’s mental load, and getting up in the morning to exercise together.
She loves how fixated he gets on ’24 hours in Emergency’, and the joyful smile on his face when he’s watching Top Gun, full of awe and appreciation. She loves the strange, hilarious, and sometimes downright weird exhibits of his pent-up energy… and on the flipside, the sense of peace and calm that comes over the house, when he plays his guitar.
She loves the way he dances when the music takes over his body, and how he mimics her signature ‘shoulder shake’. She loves his wit, creativity, and humour.
And although he has refused to play Monopoly with her after *one time* when she cried after being bankrupted by his hotels, she very much enjoys all of the other ways they choose to spend quality time together – reading good books, relaxing, spending time in nature, and planning future adventures.
WHEN JON WAS ASKED WHAT HE LOVES MOST ABOUT MEL, HE SAID…
He loves that Mel notices life’s intricate details, like a beautiful arrangement of flowers, or the right mix of colours on the walls of a house. He loves her incredible memory, for the lyrics to a song he’s never heard, or the details of a conversation he doesn’t remember hearing. 🙃
He loves her infectious laugh, and how much they laugh together, often until their bellies hurt. He loves life’s smallest moments more because of the way they light her up; he loves the way she sees the world, and how she bounces through it with both vivaciousness and determination.
He said that determination somehow extends to her ability to make online purchases work ‘under the radar’ of their budget, but he can’t help but laugh at her excitement to check the post box when they arrive.
He secretly loves her somewhat questionable driving skills, and he loves her eyes, her smile, and still, after all these years, her butt.
OF THEIR MARRIAGE, JON + MEL SAID…
Marriage was not about starting a life together, but instead building on the foundation of the life they had already created. To them, marriage means continuing to remember that the grass is greener where you water it, and that their love doesn’t just mean tending to the roses, but also to the weeds, in the garden of their relationship which has and will continue to require nurturing and nourishment in order to grow. And that they’re willing to put in the work, because they’re worth it.
JUST IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING…
Yes, their reception dinner and afterparty WENT OFF. These two don’t just look like rockstars, they party like them too.
Special thanks to Khara from House of Lucie for capturing every moment of this day so beautifully, and for being such a dream to work with. Jon and Mel raved about Khara, telling us that you simply won’t find a better photographer. All of the images shared here are hers.
There were also a bunch of other top notch vendors who helped bring this day together – they’re listed below. All come highly recommended by the couple (and by us, the Lady Love team).
WE ASKED MEL + JON TO SHARE A FEW WORDS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH LADY LOVE AND HERE’S WHAT THEY SAID:
“We’d love to thank immensely, Briony at Celebrant Lady Love who could not have told our story and ceremony any better if she tried. It felt so wholesome, beautiful and with the right relaxed tone of fun. We were so lucky to also have her stick around as MC at our reception too which all of our guests loved. It brings so much joy to us to have family and friends constantly comment on how great our ceremony and wedding was and we know hands down that Briony was the one that brought the magic!”
CONGRATULATIONS, MELINDA + JON!
OTHER VENDORS:
Video – Bonnie Lass films
Venue & coordination – Kooroomba
Florals – Anamundi
Cake – The Cake Mobb
Entertainment – Chris Hutchison
Hair – Sarah Neill
MUA – Sheridan Meyers
Dress – Anna Campbell
Suit – Theodore
