Love stories come in all shapes and sizes — some unfold on windswept beaches, others over dumplings and a very well-timed Tinder haiku.
Today, we’re sharing the story of Andie and Toby: two people whose connection was instant, whose laughter was contagious, and whose journey from first swipe to forever is filled with charm, cheekiness, and an awful lot of love.
When Andie and Toby began their hunt for a celebrant and reached out to the Lady Love team they said,
“We’re looking for a modern, heartfelt ceremony, with some humour and a few tear-jerker moments, if we can swing it.”
side note: we can definitely swing it
They were living in the Netherlands but planning to marry on Toby’s family property in three months time. This might sound like a relatively tight timeframe within which to plan and execute a destination wedding, but we can assure you, with the right team on board, it’s easy-peasy. After a quick video call/vibe check with our Stef (type A/list-maker/planner/hype gal/celebrant/MC extraordinaire), they locked her in and got the planning wheels in motion.
Upon Stef’s recommendation, they also locked in super friends/lens lords, Jenny and Cam – AKA Moonshine Lovers – to capture their big day. All of the images shared here are courtesy of Jenny and Cam (thanks, darling hearts).
When we reached out to Toby and Andie again after their wedding took place and asked if we could feature it on the blog, they responded with an enthusiastic YES, also adding, “We could honestly write an essay about how much we loved the day but are doing our best to be chill about it.”
Well, we are not being chill about it. We are fan-girling HARD (and we make no apologies for it either).
Anyway – here’s their love story, as written by Stef.
Love at First Swipe
Toby and Andie’s love story is like something straight out of the 1940s — if Tinder had been around back then.
It was love at first swipe, helped along by Andie’s clever haiku about dumplings in her bio, designed to attract only the most discerning (and food-loving) suitors.
Enter Toby, with a poetic masterpiece that read:
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Poems are hard,
Let’s get dumplings?
Cheesy? Absolutely. Effective? Extremely.
Their First Date: A Night to Remember
Their first in-person meeting was on January 31, 2019, at Ferdydurkes — one of Melbourne’s cosiest bars.
Toby was a bundle of nerves, doing his best to play it cool while sneakily checking the door every 30 seconds. Andie, meanwhile, had one of those days: late to work, bad hair day, outfit woes… but she rallied.
The second she walked up to Toby and said, “Hi, Toby,” she knew she was in trouble.
Cue the text to her friend:
“Huge issue – he is PROBLEMATICALLY hot.”
Toby felt the same. He couldn’t believe someone so stunning and vibrant was sitting across from him, sharing dumplings and wine (some of which was almost spilled mid-conversation).
The chemistry was electric. The banter was effortless. And even though they both had work the next morning, neither wanted the night to end.
Falling in Love (and Missing Trains)
After missing the last two trains, they shared a cab ride home, with Toby walking Andie to her door — a move that both melted her heart and mildly violated her strong feminist instincts.
But by then, it didn’t matter. Their connection was undeniable, and it was only the beginning.
A few months later, as Andie prepared for a trip to Japan, she realised just how deep her feelings had grown. The thought of being apart from Toby made her uneasy in a way she couldn’t ignore. Love had arrived.
What They Love About Each Other
For Andie, it’s Toby’s warm, kind, funny nature, his intelligence, his loyalty to family and friends, and the way he makes her feel like anything is possible.
(Also: his talent for leaving every single light on in the house, no matter how sunny it is.)
For Toby, it’s Andie’s laugh, her caring heart, her love of tiny animals, and her mischievous “rat-like” behaviour — so much so that they created a “rat points” system to track her cheeky snack-stashing habits.
At their core, they simply love being together — at home, listening to music, snuggling their long-nose baby Rey (their adorable dog), or binge-watching “Lord of the Games” and “Game of Thrones.”
An Adventure Abroad and a Life-Changing Question
In July 2022, Andie and Toby packed up their lives and moved to the Netherlands.
A couple of months in, Toby was ready to propose — but how do you buy a ring when you’re joined at the hip with the person you’re planning to propose to?
Luckily, university orientation week gave Toby his chance. After a frantic search around The Hague, he found the perfect antique ring — just in the nick of time.
When it came time to pop the question, Toby had a plan: celebrate their new apartment with cheese, wine, and a surprise on the balcony.
Despite a gnarly hangover from a student party the night before, Andie eventually stumbled out to find Toby, sweaty-palmed and kneeling, ring in hand.
Amid laughter, tears, and a slight delay in answering, Andie gave a very big, very happy “yes.”
Celebrating Love
The engagement celebrations continued in style: a joint 30th birthday and engagement party in the Italian countryside, complete with sunsets, wine, and late-night dancing.
(And a very special nod to Pa, who celebrated his 80th birthday during the festivities.)
Looking Ahead
For Andie and Toby, marriage is a continuation of the incredible partnership they already have.
They look forward to more travel, learning new languages, volunteering, and perhaps one day settling wherever life takes them.
Because as Toby so perfectly put it:
“If dreams were currency, then Andie and I would be the wealthiest people around.”
From Melbourne laneways to the canals of the Netherlands, Andie and Toby have built a life fuelled by humour, loyalty, and deep affection.
As they step into married life, one thing is clear — their greatest adventure is only just beginning.
And if dreams really were currency, these two would indeed be the richest people in the world.
WE ASKED ANDIE + TOBY TO SHARE A FEW WORDS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH STEF AND HERE’S WHAT THEY SAID:
In short – Stef was brilliant. We were so happy to connect with her while we were still living overseas and preparing for our big day. She was so accommodating and helped us navigate all the things we needed to do ahead of the wedding. On the day, she thought of all the little details – from timing the music to perfection, and even planting a (very helpful) tissue in the Groom’s jacket for when the tears started flowing! The ceremony was so heartfelt and warm – all our guests assumed she was a friend of ours from way back.
CONGRATULATIONS, ANDIE + TOBY!
LOVE STORY BY STEF | WEB
Images by Moonshine Lovers | WEB
