Animal attraction: Tammika & Brodie’s rustic wedding

A three-month African adventure brought zookeeper Tammika McIvor and her builder beau Brodie Stasiak even closer together.

The pair met in 2010, but it was their holiday to Africa two years later that sealed the deal.

“We fell in love with the wildlife, the people and each other all over again. On the final leg of our big adventure Brodie proposed on a deserted beach on a beautiful little island off Madagascar,” Tammika, 29, explains.

Tammika and Brodie, also 29, then spent the next two years planning their vintage-themed rustic wedding in front of 85 close friends and family.

The Healesville pair married at Kangaroo Ground’s Inglewood Estate on October 11, 2014.

Tammika says the greatest surprise in the wedding planning was discovering how keen Brodie was to get involved.

“He made the favours for the gents (bottle openers made from railway spikes), went on five shopping expeditions to find his and his groomsmen’s perfect outfits, came along to help me find bridesmaid dresses, made all the props and, even made the bridesmaids headpieces,” she says.

Tammika explains it was these personalised features that helped make their day even more special.

“We are just two ordinary people who made our wedding perfect by putting our own unique touches on things without spending a fortune,” she says.

Photos courtesy of Mike Semple Photography.