{"id":193236,"date":"2016-12-02T20:00:46","date_gmt":"2016-12-02T09:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/au\/real-weddings\/celebration-life-sarah-blakes-beach-wedding\/"},"modified":"2022-03-16T19:22:09","modified_gmt":"2022-03-16T08:22:09","slug":"celebration-life-sarah-blakes-beach-wedding","status":"publish","type":"au-real-wedding","link":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/real-weddings\/celebration-life-sarah-blakes-beach-wedding\/","title":{"rendered":"A celebration of life: Sarah and Blake&#8217;s beach wedding"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"lead\">Many girls dream about their wedding day &#8211; Sarah Mulligan wasn&#8217;t one of them.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I spent my childhood dreaming of making it through high school &#8211; I was born with cystic fibrosis, which was slowly shutting my body down,&#8221; she says. &#8220;My organs were failing and by 20-years-old I was looking death in the face.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>That was around the time she met Blake Sexton.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I was getting more and more sick, but Blake took it all in his stride. He was helping me with all my hospital admissions, physiotherapy and cooking for me,&#8221; Sarah, 30, says. &#8220;In\u00a0September 2013 I was called for a double lung transplant and was immediately flown from Cairns to Brisbane. Blake was by my side the whole time.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>On Christmas Day just over a year later, Blake proposed and the couple set a date for their beach wedding. &#8220;I was scared making a date as being unwell my whole life meant making plans was never an option. I was scared of getting sick again,&#8221; Sarah says.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Ironically [for the wedding] I was the healthy one. Blake got pneumonia the week of and fainted twice during our vows! Being the strong, determined man he always has been, he managed to get through the night.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Sarah and Blake, 30, from Cairns, wed on\u00a0Kewarra Beach on October 8, 2016 in front of 120 friends and family. The celebrations continued at\u00a0Yorkeys Knob Boat Club, where the happy couple and their guests had the chance to spend some valuable time together.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Our wedding wasn&#8217;t just a celebration of love. It was a celebration of life. I spent the night with everyone who has done so much for me over my life. We cried, we laughed, we danced. We made it!&#8221; Sarah says.<\/p>\n<p>Photos courtesy of <a title=\"Matthew Evans Photography\" href=\"http:\/\/www.matthewevansphotography.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Matthew Evans Photography<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117245 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_002.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_002\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117244 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_001.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_001\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117173 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_003.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_003\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117174 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_004.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_004\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Sarah says the wedding was also in honour of her donor family, &#8220;who I will never get the chance to thank personally.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117248 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_004.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_004\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117250 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_005.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_005\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117179 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_007.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_007\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117182 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_008.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_008\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-117184 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_009.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_009\" width=\"1067\" height=\"1600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-117185 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_010.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_010\" width=\"1067\" height=\"1600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The back of Sarah&#8217;s gown was the feature\u00a0of the design with sheer lace detailing which she matched with a <a title=\"Wedding Accessories\" href=\"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/WeddingAccessories\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">statement hairpiece<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117188 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_011.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_011\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117189 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_012.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_012\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117191 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_013.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_013\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117193 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_014.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_014\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Blake looked sharp in a suit from <a title=\"Roger David\" href=\"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/FormalWear\/Canberra\/RogerDavid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Roger David<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117196 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_015.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_015\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-117202 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_018.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_018\" width=\"1067\" height=\"1600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117198 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_016.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_016\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117199 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_017.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_017\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a title=\"Stella Florist &amp; Gift Gallery \" href=\"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/WeddingFlowers\/Cairns\/StellaFloristAndGiftGallery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stella Florist &amp; Gift Gallery <\/a>put together simple but elegant bouquets of baby&#8217;s breath and white Gerberas for the beach wedding.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117203 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_019.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_019\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117265 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_016.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_016\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117266 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_017.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_017\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117209 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_022.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_022\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117215 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_025.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_025\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117218 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_026.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_026\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117219 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_027.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_027\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117221 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_028.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_028\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117213 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_024.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_024\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117275 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_024.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_024\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117276 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_025.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_025\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117223 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_029.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_029\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Sarah chose balloons rather than flowers for table centrepieces. &#8220;As flowers were something I always got in hospital, I did my best to avoid them. \u00a0<a title=\"10 ways to incorporate balloons in your wedding\" href=\"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/articles\/10-ways-incorporate-balloons-wedding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">I chose balloons as they always remind me of fun<\/a> and happiness,&#8221; she says.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-117224 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_030.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_030\" width=\"1067\" height=\"1600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117283 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_028.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_028\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117284 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_029.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_029\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117280 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_027.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_027\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117279 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_026.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_SBS_026\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" title=\"\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117242 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_038.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_038\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117233 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_034.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_034\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-medium wp-image-117243 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_039.jpg\" alt=\"Sarah_Blake_Beach-Wedding_039\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The couple entrusted <a title=\"Cairns Premier Entertainment\" href=\"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/WeddingMusic\/Cairns\/CairnsPremierEntertainment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cairns Premier Entertainment<\/a> to keep\u00a0the dance floor going strong.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":150658,"parent":0,"template":"","au_real_wedding_category":[6855],"au_real_wedding_tag":[6897,6942,8004,7100,7145,7236],"au_real_wedding_style":[9011,9005],"au_real_wedding_location":[9060,9024],"au_real_wedding_setting":[9019],"au_real_wedding_colour":[10577,10592,10584],"au_real_wedding_competition":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-real-wedding\/193236"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-real-wedding"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/au-real-wedding"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-real-wedding\/193236\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=193236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"au_real_wedding_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au_real_wedding_category?post=193236"},{"taxonomy":"au_real_wedding_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au_real_wedding_tag?post=193236"},{"taxonomy":"au_real_wedding_style","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au_real_wedding_style?post=193236"},{"taxonomy":"au_real_wedding_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au_real_wedding_location?post=193236"},{"taxonomy":"au_real_wedding_setting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au_real_wedding_setting?post=193236"},{"taxonomy":"au_real_wedding_colour","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au_real_wedding_colour?post=193236"},{"taxonomy":"au_real_wedding_competition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au_real_wedding_competition?post=193236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}