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Real Essense of Australia Bride Sammie + Devan

Real Essense of Australia bride Sammie married her husband Devan at the historic Rist Canyon Inn in Northern Colorado. In an outdoor ceremony surrounded by their closest family and friends, Sammie said yes in her Essense of Australia Style D2770. Read along to hear more about the personal touches they added to their wedding. 

real essense of australia bride and groom showing their rings - style d2770 by essense of australia

What was the most special part of your big day?

The most special memory was the moment I finally walked down the aisle and saw Devan. We decided to stay traditional and not see each other until the ceremony. I was emotional all day, with happy tears of course, from being surrounded by all the people I love. Once I saw Devan I felt calm and was ready to finally be husband and wife. 

real essense of australia bride and groom kissing - style 2770 by essense of australia

Tell us about your proposal…

Devan and I went on a trip with my best friend and her fiancé to New York City. The guys made plans to take us to Central Park. Devan mapped out a route to a bridge he insisted upon visiting. I thought his enthusiasm over this bridge was odd but never connected the dots. We finally made it to the bridge, and nearby there was a man playing guitar for a couple that was about to renew their vows. Devan and I got set to take a picture and as soon as we snapped one, Devan got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes! It was so amazing being able to share such a special moment with some of my closest friends in a gorgeous city!

We love how Devan surprised you! Tell us about the other secret element to your proposal…

Devan really took me by surprise with the proposal. He made a video of all the steps leading up to the proposal which I found so thoughtful. The video includes him ordering the ring, asking my parents for their blessing and even when he gave our friend the ring for safe keeping. We loved the video so much that we played it at the beginning of our wedding reception. 

groom carrying real essense of australia bride - style d2770 by essense of australia

How did you know that Essense of Australia Style D2770 was the one?

After many failed dress shopping experiences, I went to Dani West Bridal Boutique on a whim. I showed them my Pinterest board and immediately they got to work on pulling dresses they felt were similar to what I had saved. The very first dress I tried on ended up being my wedding dress. I tried on a few more dresses after, but couldn’t get that style out of my head. The employees at the shop had a way of making you feel very special and were attentive to the little details of how each dress would fit. If it weren’t for the people at Dani West Bridal, I would not have found my dream dress. 

real essense of australia bride samie - style d2770 by essense of australia

What style did you want your wedding to have? 

The theme of our wedding was simple and rustic. Our flowers had a clean look to them with dusty rose as the main color complimented by sage green and white. We used lots of wooden decorations to tie in the rustic pieces from our venue. We displayed greenery from the stunning ring lights that hung from the ceilings of our reception hall. We made our wedding personal to our love story by adding in a bunch of pieces like the hexagon arch we said our vows in front of, and the wooden photo booth wall that I designed and Devan built.

real essense of australia bride wearing style d2770 - style d2770 by essense of australia

 Photography by: Melissa Shanely Photography

Did you wear an Essense of Australia dress on your wedding day? Share your photos with us for a chance to be featured. 

Still searching for the perfect wedding dress? View our latest designer gown collections from Essense of Australia, Stella York, Martina Liana or All Who Wander.