You never know how things will turn out on a blind date. On the one hand it could be a total disaster, on the other there’s a chance you might meet your soul mate. It was a risk Roxanne Stols and Joshua O’Dea were prepared to take after a mutual friend suggested they meet.
For their first date, they kept it simple and met for breakfast, with no great expectations from either party, just a desire to meet and perhaps, just a little hope. The first date did go well and they planned a second. This time, they were both more relaxed and shared so much conversation and laughter, before they knew it, they had spent five hours together.
There was no doubt about it, the couple had feelings for each other and so they planned for their third date, this time a bushwalk in Springbrook National Park. It may have only been three dates, but by the time the walk was finished they were beginning to feel they had found in each other a certain easiness that made for open, honest communication and respect.
In those three dates, Joshua found that Roxanne was his kind of girl and Roxanne knew he ticked a lot of the boxes for her.
“It was a connection of the heart,” Joshua says. “I appreciate honesty and being real and we can talk about anything.”
Roxanne says, as a woman who wears her heart on her sleeve, an open-hearted person was a perfect match.
“Joshua has a gift for making the space for people to be themselves,” she says.
Their conversations proved they were on the same page and although it wasn’t a whirlwind romance at first sight, the couple developed a strong friendship that laid a path they could build on in the future.
Plus, there is another reason why Joshua is such a great match for Roxanne.“I’m six-foot-one and when my friends asked why I wasn’t married, I’d say, ‘All the short girls took the good tall guys’,” she says.
Turns out she was wrong; Joshua had one big advantage – he was taller than Roxanne.
“This meant he ticked another box for me,” she says.
In fact, the ticks continued to add up until on December 24, 2021, Joshua made a daring, dashing and surprise proposal.
“It was Christmas Eve and we were having a family barbecue get-together at Shelly Beach,” Joshua says.
Roxanne’s family was invited along and there was a lot of planning to ensure the proposal went off without a hitch.
“Joshua was calling me to go further down the beach and see him,” she recalls.
“But I was busy and just stomping along. Then Joshua’s mum came flying around the corner, jumped out of the car without shoes on and said, ‘You need to get down the beach straight away’.”
Roxanne took the hint and stepped up the pace. Before her lay a garden scene so beautiful it made her heart skip a beat. Arranged on the soft white sand was a magical setting featuring a love seat, plants, flowers, champagne and a ‘will you marry me’ board.
At that moment, Roxanne realised she was about to be a part of a life-changing event. In another amazing moment, Joshua came into view, elegantly dressed in a salmon coloured shirt and white pants.
“That was when I began to stand taller and walk more gracefully,” Roxanne says with a smile in her voice.
After Joshua knelt down and proposed, and Roxanne had accepted, the charming beach scene was filled with celebrating family members.
The wedding, some six months later on July 15, was organised with just as much love, style, romance and thoughtfulness.
“I would have tried on 45 wedding dresses,” Roxanne says. “Everything was lovely, but it just wasn’t me.”
Finally, Roxanne found the gown that suited her requirement to be “covered in flowers, whimsical and romantic”.
“I definitely wanted flowers,” she says. “Because Joshua had showered me with flowers – at home, at work and during COVID with virtual flowers.”
The floral A-line gown featured a deep sweetheart neck and of course the flowers, which were incorporated as covered floral re-embroidered lace appliqués.
As it was a winter wedding, Roxanne teamed the dress with an exquisite feather jacket, while the bridesmaids made a statement with faux fur stoles. Joshua matched the bride with classically elegant formal wear.
It was the small details that made it a memorable event.
“Mum sewed Grandma’s wedding ring into my dress and wrote a card in my grandmother’s handwriting style, saying the words she believed she would have said to me.”
Joshua didn’t miss a trick, writing a message of love on the soles of Roxanne’s wedding shoes.
Her wonderful wedding attire was complemented with lush bouquets bursting with a rich palette of blush pinks, red and burgundy. The designs featured textural native foliage with soft petalled garden blooms, including proteas as a nod to Roxanne’s South African heritage.
The wedding ceremony and reception were held at the beautiful Montvale at Montville and the exquisite decor was styled in a sophisticated fairytale theme. The stylish wedding cake was created by Zoe Clark Cakes of Peregian.
Everything about the wedding went according to plan and the new married couple attribute much of this to their wedding planner, Hinterland Wedding Planning and Events, and associated businesses who guided and supported their effort to make a perfect day.
Looking back at the wedding, the couple agree there are too many special moments to mention, except perhaps one.
Roxanne recalls the spare space of time between the bridal photos and heading to the reception.
“The photographer asked if we would like to do more photos,” says Roxanne. The couple decided to let that opportunity pass and instead shared a private moment.
“We just sat on the bench with each other and reflected on the day that was just going so quickly and our new future.”
Roxanne says the couple looked at each other and said in absolute joy and wonder, “Hey, we’re husband and wife, and now, now we have a marriage ahead of us.”
WEDDING DAY ROLL CALL
Venue
Montvale at Montville
montvale.com.au
Dress
Angelic Bridal at Chermside
Flowers
Bloom and Bush
bloomandbush.com.au
A Rustic Affair Floral Designs
@arusticaffairfloraldesigns
Rings
To Hold and to Have
toholdandtohave.com.au
Cake
Zoe Clark Cakes
zoeclarkcakes.com
Wedding planner
Hinterland Wedding Planner and Events
@yvettemahonweddingplanner
Photography
NSI productions
nsiproductions.com.au
ABOUT THE RINGS
Roxanne and Joshua found their wedding rings at To Hold and To Have jewellery store in Buderim. Founded in 2014 by creative Jo Saxelby and jeweller Shiree Hobson, the women shared a vision to provide impeccable customer service and create a jewellery store like no other. Jo says Roxanne chose the Nevaeh engagement ring, a tourmaline and diamond 18-carat white gold ring with a fitted wedding band to complement. Jo explains that Nevaeh is heaven spelt backwards and the design manifested from a dream she had of Heaven.