
Allyson & Andrew wed at Semara Uluwatu
When a fun-loving, jet-setting couple gets hitched, you can bet that their nuptials will be nothing short of a raucous, fun-filled bash – in an exotic location, no less. The couple in question is Allyson and Andrew, who tied the knot amidst the sumptuous surroundings and jaw-dropping cliff top views of Semara Luxury Villa Resort in Bali. Want evidence of an epic party for 50? Right this way!
What made you decide to hold your special day at Semara Luxury Villa Resort in Bali?
Andrew is South African, I am Australian and we both live in London. So where do we have our wedding? The obvious choice was the beautiful island of Bali: we love the idea that our guests can not only attend our wedding but also get the added bonus of an island holiday.
The second we stepped into Semara Luxury Villa Resort, we knew this was going to be the place we were going to be married. The stunning cliff top views took our breath away and it had the intimacy we were looking for, along with the professionalism and individualised service you can only dream of for your big day. It gave us great peace of mind to be in the good hands of the staff at Semara who clearly revel in planning every detail for amazing wedding parties.
What was the inspiration behind your wedding?
We really wanted the day to be relaxing for our guests with a real seaside holiday feel to it. So we had elements of tradition in our wedding but with our own little twists: a photo booth to capture the fun memories of the day, and even little gifts like stubbie holders, flip flops and sunglasses to show our guests how appreciative we are of them travelling all the way to Bali.
So what were the traditional elements of your wedding?
I made sure to follow the ‘something old, something new…’ tradition. The ‘something old’ was my grandmother’s embroidered handkerchief, ‘something new’ was my dress, of course, ‘something borrowed’ was my mum’s diamond tennis bracelet, and ‘something blue’ was my garter!
Which part of your wedding day were you most excited about?
Allyson: Walking down the aisle because my parents were both with me and I knew Andrew was at the end of the very long passage way.
Andrew: Saying ‘I do’ because it’s the start of a very exciting future.
Allyson, how did you find your wedding dress?
I had a general idea of what I wanted and what suits me so I searched for certain styles in Italian silk. I found Jesus Perio online and found a tiny wedding dress shop called White Mischief in Henfield, England that stocked his designs. The second I put my dress on, I knew it was the one.
Tell us a little bit about your love story – how did you two meet?
It happened one night in sunny London. A then-young Andrew knocked on my door to view a room to rent. I was pleased to have a single chap instead of a couple as a prospective roommate so I asked him to move in straight away. Andrew later told me that after the viewing, he thought to himself “Wow, Allyson is rather cute. But no…I can’t hook up with a house mate!”
What happened after that?
Andrew moved in and we quickly became very good friends – supporting each other through the highs and lows while we dated other people. Andrew will tell you that I made the first move. But I’m a proper Australian lass who waited patiently to be courted by him. I guess we will never know!
How did Andrew pop the question?
He planned to propose during one of our holidays together. The sneaky chap didn’t want to leave the engagement ring in our hotel room, so he hid it in his asthma puffer and placed it in my handbag. So essentially, I was carrying my own engagement ring all along the coast of France without even knowing.
Andrew wanted my father’s blessing so he copied my father’s contact details from my phone and left him several pleading phone calls that were left unanswered. Turns out, the number in my phone was wrong! Oops! So Andrew decided to hold off on the proposal until he finally contacted my father through Skype. He proposed when we were back in the UK at the unveiling of my new home office, which Andrew kindly offered to build. He blindfolded me and led me into my new office – and upon removing the blindfold, I found Andrew on one knee and a beautiful sparkling diamond ring on the desk. It was magical.
Thanks Allyson and Andrew!