Theirs was a love that survived two years’ distance across continents.
Brisbane couple Ebony Holzworth and Cameron Lawton were teenage sweethearts who started dating at the tender ages of 15 and 17. Both members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints they did all the usual things that young couples do… hang out, see movies… but more uncommon was the long-distance relationship they endured (and survived!) after Cameron, 22, was sent to Africa for two years as a missionary for the Church.
20-year-old Ebony tells, “The time he left for his mission was both special and sad. I was so proud of him but also sad that I wouldn’t be able to see him for two years.”
She adds, “We kept in contact by email and letters. Twice a year he would call home (Mothers’ Day and Christmas Day) and on those days I would go to his parents’ house and we would all have a chat to him on loudspeaker. Those few times we got to hear each other’s voice was so special for us. But it didn’t make being apart any easier.
“Time passed and in February, 2012 we finally saw each other face-to-face for the first time in two years. The second best day of my life. The first of which is the day we were married on 22nd June, 2013.”
Just three short months after Cameron proposed, the couple held a romantically-styled vintage wedding, exchanging vows at the sacred LDS temple in Brisbane and later celebrating at glamour-venue Mirra with 80 of their nearest and dearest.
Ebony’s lovely bridesmaids wore floor-length chiffon gowns with lace cap sleeves in pale champagne, carrying ivory roses to match. In a stunning contrast the bride’s dark tresses were worn down in long barrell curls with 1940s-inspired makeup (that she did herself) and a bouquet of blood-red roses.
Dressed by Roger David, Cameron wore an RDX charcoal slim fitting suit with black-trim shirt and bow tie, whilst his groomsmen traded jackets for vintage-style suspenders.
The bride designed her own vintage-chic wedding gown pairing modest long sleeves in gorgeous French lace with a figure-hugging silhouette and small sweep train. Dressmaker Frida Lagos brought her design to life. Her art-deco hairpiece and earrings were from Lovisa.
With 80 guests to share in their celebration, Ebony and Cameron’s wedding reception was held at Fortitude Valley’s Mirra: a once derelict warehouse converted into a glamourous venue where elegant meets quirky.
Photos courtesy of Benjamin Hurt Photography.
