My Egyptian colleague is getting married in a couple of month’s time. He was sharing with me how expensive weddings are in Egypt. The cost involved with hairdressers and makeup and dresses and photographers is exorbitantly high. Weddings in Australia can also be very OTT (over-the-top). Overseas weddings held in exotic locations are becoming increasingly popular.

My wedding was a simple affair. My best friend styled my hair, and I applied my own minimal makeup (touch of mascara and lipstick). A friend of my husband’s did our photography. I bought my dress and shoes in my lunch hour. My dress was a cocktail dress that I enhanced to have the matching chiffon scarf attached as long, flowing sleeves. The dress was from a boutique store and imported from Canada. I loved it straight away and it fitted perfectly, so I bought it on the spot! It is a warm ivory colour, not ice-white.

My husband does not dance so we had a lunchtime garden wedding. It was held in January which is summertime in southern hemisphere land. The sun shone that day. We are still married and have happy, healthy children, so safe to say the sun is still shining!