Despite going to the same church together , Chloe and Elijah hadn ’ t said a single word to each other — at least , not until Elijah and a few of his ministry friends released a song together . Chloe sent a few encouraging messages to the team , which caught Elijah ’ s eye . “ From there , we couldn ’ t stop talking ,” says Chloe . “ It was like we ’ d known each other for a lifetime .” It wasn ’ t long before thoughts turned to marriage . Elijah miraculously kept his proposal plans a secret from Chloe , who admits she ’ s usually good at uncovering surprises . “ He kept throwing me off , so I had no idea when it would happen !” she says . With a little help from his friends ( and a few blessings from Mother Nature ), Elijah proposed to Chloe at sunset with a song he ’ d written just for her . “ Our friends captured it all on video , and Elijah hid the audio in his pocket so we can have that memory forever ,” says Chloe . So , planning began . From the outset , the Gold Coast-based couple wanted something unexpected , stepping away from mountains and beaches for a dreamy city escape . Enter Brisbane ’ s The Lussh , with historic charm and glamour aplenty . “ It was the first and only place we looked at ,” says Chloe . “ We knew the second we walked in that it was exactly what we envisaged — a hidden gem .” It wasn ’ t the only thing the couple were immediately sure of : both knew precisely what they ’ d wear as they exchanged vows . “ We ’ re both people who know what we want ,” says Chloe . “ I ’ d already dreamed about my dress before we got engaged — I didn ’ t even try it on before buying it ! Elijah picked the first suit he tried on , and that was that .” As the pair considered each detail of their day , they made sure it all pointed to their shared lives together . “ We ’ re both creatives , so a lot of our style came from our own vision ,”
Chloe explains . “ Our wedding was similar to our home style : simple and neutral but with pops of soft colour and lots of small details .” The crisp whites of their airy venue delivered the perfect backdrop , with thoughtful elements tucked in for guests to discover throughout the day . Only the most eagle-eyed guest , for example , might have noticed the bride ’ s veil as she walked down the aisle , lovingly embroidered with names of loved ones who had passed . Waiting for Chloe to join him under the floral arbour , Elijah was enchanted . It ’ s a memory he often revisits , and one Chloe cherishes , too . “ The whole day was a dream come true , but the feeling of walking down the aisle was so special ,” she reminisces . “ In that moment , nothing else mattered .” They would say their vows in front of a crowd of their nearest and dearest , promising a lifetime together guided by the pastor of the church where they first met . Elijah ’ s Cook Island / Samoan culture also played a part — his brother taught Chloe a traditional dance to perform at the reception as a surprise for her new husband . “ So many little things made our day so special ,” she says . After a tropical honeymoon in Far North Queensland and “ still crying happy tears ” over their wedding photos , the couple has settled into married life with the same vibe of their wedding day . The self-described “ big kids at heart ” simply love being together . “ To us , marriage is about thinking of the other more than your own self ,” says Chloe . “ It ’ s not about what we can get out of our relationship but what we can give to it .” Oh , and be sure to flick through this couple ’ s wedding slideshow to experience more of the joyous cultural touches , music and dance that made this celebration so special .
108 Winter 2023