AMBER & MARTY
#storiesofromance
When award-winning country singer-songwriter Amber Lawrence swiped right on the famous dating site Tinder, little did she know it was the start of her very own love story.
Both Amber and Marty grew up in Sydney and after matching on Tinder this couple instantly hit it off. After dating for several years, Marty popped the big question.
The couple celebrated their engagement while seeing out the year 2017 in Port Douglas and fell in love with the town. The cherry on top was discovering Amber was expecting their baby while still on holiday. They decided then and there that wanted to tie the knot in Port Douglas and the date was set for the 2 May 2019.
Planning a destination wedding was made easy with the help of Port Douglas Catering and Events. Amber told us: “Dean and the team were just brilliant. They made sure we reached decisions we would be happy with for a lifetime.” Amber and Marty flew up for a weekend so they could do a taste testing and they were blown away with the delicious selection of food options.
The couple decided to say their ‘I do’s’ at the historic St Mary’s By the Sea Chapel. This quaint heritage listed chapel is probably the most charming chapel you will see and is conveniently located steps away from our other breathtaking heritage listed building, the one and only Sugar Wharf. With spectacular views of the Coral Sea, melting sunsets and fresh sea air, this venue screams romance. Amber and Marty knew they wanted their reception to be held at the Sugar Wharf the moment they saw the view. They loved the fact they could have the outdoor wedding vibe they desired with an excellent wet weather option just in case.
Amber’s talented sister Peta Lawrence had the honour of making Amber’s dress along with the bridesmaids. Even the marine green colour theme worn by the bride tribe complemented the beauty of the ocean and wow did they look amazing!
Amber and Marty made sure nobody went hungry at their wedding, with chef Tommy from Port Douglas Catering and Events making sure all bases were covered. Starting with a deluxe gourmet grazing table, it was followed by a selection of delicious canapes ranging from your Aussie favourites like peppered beef pies to the more sophisticated sesame crusted tuna. The guests then enjoyed scrumptious substantials, and just in case they needed something to soak up the champagne and re-energise from all the dancing they even had a late-night snack Doner Kebab (amazing). The cake must have been a winner as Amber said it went so quickly she didn’t even manage to get any, definitely a sign of a good cake!
The day oozed with romance and Amber and Marty shared some very special moments dancing with their baby boy Ike.
As expected at a professional singer song-writer’s wedding there were a few impromptu performances throughout the day. Some friends of the couple who are also professional singers surprised Amber and Marty by singing ‘Stand By Me’ in the chapel and Amber performed ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ alongside the Cairns based band Tall Poppies during the reception.
One of the couple’s favourite memories of the day came later in the evening where some of their friends had commandeered the stage and sang Daryl Braithwaite’s classic ‘The horses’ while the whole wedding party came together on the dance floor to dance in the rain. Amber said the day was just a perfect mixture of relaxed and fun.
The newlyweds and their wedding party spent the next three days in Port Douglas and plan to honeymoon in the US later in the year. They said it was great to have the extra days in Port Douglas to enjoy the beautiful town and catch up with friends after the wedding. The couple said they will continue to visit Port Douglas and that “it holds a special place in our hearts and we really do think it is one of the best places in the world to holiday.”
When asked what advice they would give to anyone planning a wedding in Port Douglas they smiled: “Use the skills of Port Douglas Catering and Events. It worked for us and the team were fab!”
Amber also suggested taking the time to spend a long weekend in Port Douglas prior to get to know your way around and choose the perfect venue. Amber said they had a few venues in mind and it wasn’t till they saw the Sugar Wharf and St Mary’s that they fell in love and knew that they were the ones for them.
From celebrating their engagement to finding out Amber was pregnant, to getting hitched, Port Douglas provided the perfect location to celebrate every step of their love.
