Elyse and Marc’s beach wedding overlooks special surf break

They may differ on the story of how they got together, but Elyse Doolan and Marc Howlett agree their wedding day was perfect.

“We met at our previous workplace in 2010 and started dating in 2012,” explains Elyse, 31. “Marc jokingly likes to advise people that I ‘chased him and trapped him’, however I believe it just took him two years to realise what is good for him.”

The couple from Shellharbour, NSW married on October 24, 2015 with a beach wedding at Shell Cove. “We had a coastal ceremony over the headland overlooking ‘The Farm’ — one of the beaches my [late] dad used to surf at,” says Elyse. “We had personalised vows and Marc’s were three pages long! There were lots of happy tears and laughs.”

Due to their first-booked venue’s financial troubles, Elyse and Marc were forced to find a new one just three months out before the day – but as Elyse says it was meant to be. “We were so lucky Gabby’s at Berry was free. Richard and Carolyn are amazing people and our confidence in them was proven on the night and everything ran smoothly.”

“Our wedding day brought everyone together and we got to reconnect with people we haven’t seen in a really long time, so it was quite emotional,” reflects Elyse. The couple chose to take the bus back with their 70 guests at the end of the night so they could savour the final moments with them.

“Seeing everyone so happy made me feel happy.”

Photos courtesy of Holly Prins Photography.

 

 

Pepe’s Garden created the flowers for the day, including the groom’s buttonhole.

“My bouquet had a picture of my dad, so he got to walk with me too,” says Elyse of walking down the aisle.

“The morning of the wedding Marc left me a gift of pearl earrings and also a jar titled ‘365 days of Elyse’ which has songs that remind him of me,” smiles Elyse.

A lolly buffet kept the guests’ sugar levels high!