OCTOBER 5, 2008
MARIE PAEK & BENN LIM
McKell Park, Darling Point, NSW

Romance in the air
Marie, 29, wore the scent Romance by Ralph Lauren on her wedding day - a perfect symbol of her relationship with Benn, 32, which all began at a 50th birthday party for Marie's tai chi friend who happened to be Benn's uncle. "We hit it off and he walked me home and asked for two wishes – a goodbye kiss and a date for the following weekend (both were granted)," Marie recalls. "I knew he was special because I came back home and was jumping up and down, something I had never done before! I haven’t looked back since."

Parisian proposal
Benn’s surprise proposal was equally as romantic when he popped the question on the lawns of Palace of Versailles, just outside Paris. "We were lying on the grass looking up at the sky on the second to last day of our Italy/Paris adventure remarking that we had had so much fun, when he suddenly said he had one more surprise for me and pulled out the ring and asked me to marry and grow old with him. I was absolutely ecstatic," recalls Marie.

Elaborate reception
Marie's dream wedding was transformed into reality when she and Benn exchanged vows at McKell Park, Darling Point, with Sydney Harbour as their backdrop. "I had always dreamed of a garden wedding where I would be getting married in a summery white dress with no shoes on," she explains. "Our ceremony had all the elements of an enchanted secret garden - lush green foliage, vibrant spring flowers, hidden alcoves and maze-like gardens with the bonus of a jetty, beautiful sandstone stairs and Sydney Harbour views." The couple’s 160 guests were treated to a sophisticated black-and-white themed reception at Wildfire restaurant, at Sydney’s Circular Quay. In addition to a three-course meal, guests enjoyed a chillout lounge area on the top floor, signature lychee cocktails and canapes outside on the wharf, along with traditional Korean and Chinese-tea ceremonies, held upstairs in the private dining room.

Sources list
Charmant Jenots, INDONESIA (SHOES) +62 21 3192224
Classic Bridal Cars (TRANSPORT) classicbridalcars.com.au
Faye Cahill (CAKE) fayecahill.com.au
jenny packham (GOWN)
red Amaryllis (FLOWERS) redamaryllis.com
SugarLove Pictures (PHOTOS) sugarlovepictures.com/weddings
White Designs (VIDEOGRAPHY) whitedesigns.com.au
Wildfire sydney (RECEPTION) (02) 8273 1222