Dream in a bottle: Jen & Troy’s rustic beach wedding

For Troy Steven, Jennifer Smith was just the girl next door.

The pair met in a bar and soon realised they were neighbours. They dated for a couple of years before going their separate ways so Troy could make his dreams of travelling the world a reality.

But three years later the Perth pair crossed paths again.

‘’We talked for hours, a few months later we caught up at a bar and rekindled our love and relationship,’’ Jen, 36, says.

On an annual holiday to Rottnest Island, Troy, also 36, hid a note inside a bottle – the last line containing the all-important proposal.

The couple kept with the seaside theme for their gorgeous rustic beach wedding at Castle Rock, Dunsborough, Western Australia on March 14, 2015 in front of 112 friends and family.

‘’Our wedding day was amazing, we had everyone there we love, we planned the entire wedding ourselves which meant we could personalise every single thing,’’ Jen says.

The reception followed at Meneghello Estate in beautiful Margaret River.

‘’The great thing about our wedding was that we stayed at the homestead where the reception was held, we got to enjoy the days leading up to and after the wedding with our bridal party,’’ Jen says.

Photos courtesy of Tameika Brumby Photographer.

”Troy is the most caring, compassionate, considerate person I have met, he always makes me feel so special, always makes me laugh and brings out the best in me,” Jen says.

The weather was less than ideal, but Jen says everyone still got into the spirit of the day. ”The bridal party was amazing we all got wet and it didn’t bother any of us,” she says.

Troy says of Jen, “She is kind, honest and absolutely beautiful. I just can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her.”