Will you be my one?

jess and carly Wilde double proposal yarra valley weddings

Jess and Carly Wilde’s double proposal

A romantic candlelit dinner in a Balinese resort was an epic location for a proposal and when Carly asked Jess to be her wife in November 2016 the couple, who were both vets when they met, easily embraced the life of an engaged couple and started planning their big day.

But six months later, Jess decided that the love of her life, Carly, also deserved the experience of being proposed to and receiving a ring, so she put a plan in action to create a surprise proposal that was full of personal symbolism and love.

From the first time the couple saw the elegant Cappella at Zonzo Estate they knew they had found the perfect location for their wedding ceremony. Many of their first dates had revolved around wine with Carly sharing her passion for wine appreciation with Jess, and Zonzo, with its amazing food, beautiful design principles and lush surrounds was the ‘everything’ they imagined.

Jess put in motion a plan to get the unsuspecting Carly to Zonzo on the pretext of attending a Bridal Expo one Sunday, and with the help of the Zonzo team, which even included sending a fake email invite to Carly, the plan was put in motion.

Jess had the Cappella set up with Carly’s favourite flowers – muted pastels, roses in pinks, creams and apricots, a poster with all their favourite quotes – and had secreted an iPod into the chapel ready to play their favourite heart song ‘Say you won’t let go’.

“Just as we were about to walk up to the Cappella, Carly veered off saying she needed to use the bathroom. Then she started looking around for the ‘fake’ expo,” says Jess. “Thankfully I was able to distract her, and get her to follow me once again to the Cappella.”

By then, Jess couldn’t wait another second to pop the one big question, “Will you be my one?”

“I proposed to her in front of the Cappella and she was still trying to figure out what was going on. Everyone was crying (including the Zonzo team). I had to keep telling her I’ve done this for you!”

“I guess I knew what the answer would be – we were already engaged but it was wonderful to see the love of my life able to experience all the joy of a proposal that she had given me. Carly was blown away,” says Jess.

In November 2018, the couple married at Zonzo Estate in the same Cappella with a reception to follow. Carly says, “Married life is just as good as pre-married life! We always think along the same lines and make the same decisions. Being together is everything.”

“And I’d choose you;

In a hundred lifetimes,

In a hundred worlds,

In any version of reality,

I’d find you and
I’d choose you.”