Florence and Carlos’ autumn-inspired, Cockle Bay wedding

The night Florence Altarejos met Carlos Gabila clubbing at Sydney’s Kings Cross, it may have well been a ‘blind’ first date.

“The club was really dark so it was hard for me to have proper ‘once-over look’ but I did remember he had a sweet smile,” laughs Sydney bride Florence, 31, of Carlos, 38. A Facebook friend request and a game of golf later, and Florence says, “the rest is history!”

As the eldest daughter of a traditional Filipino family, the couple’s Cockle Bay wedding on April 24, 2016, became a huge international family reunion for Florence, with a whopping 80 friends and relatives flying in from the Philippines for the big day.

“This involved airport pick-ups, a tourist designated driver, pre-wedding dinners and catch-ups and, the logistics challenge of gathering everyone in one place for the bus pick-up,” recalls the bride.

Dressed in a gorgeous fit-and-flare gown by Rajo Laurel, Project Runway Phillipines judge, Florence married Carlos before 200 guests at St Mary’s Church in North Sydney. An autumn-inspired reception at Dockside, Darling Harbour, followed, where speeches were short and a band, as well as Dockside’s in-house DJ, kept the crowd on the dance floor most of the night.

“Our wedding was not your typical Australian wedding,” smiles Florence. “But all the effort was worth it because we had the best time, and everyone had the best time.”

Photos courtesy of Luisa Dingal Blanco.

Bright red and orange blooms, including the boys’ boutonnieres, were arranged by a close friend of the bride.

In contrast to fiery autumn colours, Florence’s bridesmaids wore teal coloured evening gowns with mismatched necklines.

Photographer Luisa Dingal Blanco captured some stunning photos of the couple at Sydney Harbour.

The three-tier naked cake was made up of white and dark chocolate and coffee flavours.