Real Bride Feature: Bonnie & Mason

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May 10

Real bride Bonnie shares her love story, dress journey and advice to future brides.

Wearing Zavana Couture #ZC22410.

How did you and your partner meet?

"Mason and I went to High School together; however we ran in different social circles so didn't cross paths often. It wasn't until a few years later that we met again at a mutual friend's birthday. We were both still teenagers, and after a bit of convincing from him we started seeing each other. It wasn't long until I fell madly in love with him, and we have now shared eight wonderful years together. In 2021, we had our son, who was born prematurely at 27 weeks. We spent the subsequent 3 months in hospital with him, while he fought to come home with us. It was the hardest few months of our lives, yet made us even stronger. Shortly after Archer came home, Mason asked me to marry him. When we tied the knot, we were lucky enough to share the day with our gorgeous and healthy 2-year-old boy, which meant the world to us."

How did you find your dream dress?

"I tried a few different bridal stores before I found my dress. What I thought I wanted when I started actually ended up being not what I wanted at all. With all of the options out there, dress shopping can feel really overwhelming. So my advice is to keep an open mind, and try lots of different styles to help you narrow down what you do and don't like. By the time I visited my third store, I knew what I was looking for, which really helped me feel more confident. This visit was to Raffaele Ciuca in Armadale, who had an incredible assortment of dresses, all of which were stunning. I tried on the ZC22410 and didn't want to take it off. When we added the veil I had that teary moment that every bride dreams of. I had an appointment booked at the RC store in Brunswick the following day, so didn't commit at the time but deep inside already knew this was my dress. At my appointment at Brunswick, we kept this dress until last. Each dress I tried on I felt like I was hurrying through just so I could get the ZC22410 on again. The moment I did, I was certain it was the one. It had all the elements I had been searching for, and more importantly, it made me feel amazing."

What advice would you give future brides to be?

"My advice to future brides is to keep it simple! And to remember the day is about you and your partner! If you see a band you like, book them, a florist you love, book them. Don't feel like you have to compare heaps of different vendors to find the "perfect" one. The one that you love, is the perfect one! We had our entire wedding and vendors booked within 2 weeks of planning, which made the process really enjoyable and stress-free. Don't spend time thinking about what all your guests will enjoy, they are there for your joy, so whatever day you create for you will be the best one."