Lauren and Kieran's love story started as colleagues, working alongside one another for many years before anything more began. Lauren admits her first impression of Kieran wasn't exactly love at first sight — a little bit geeky, and very Pokémon-loving! But as she got to know him properly, it was the way he made her feel that changed everything. Completely comfortable being herself, understood, secure and loved, she soon discovered just how kind, funny and thoughtful he was underneath it all.
Kieran proposed at the top of Cradle Mountain in Tasmania, choosing it as the closest place he could take Lauren to snow and to the feeling of home. Alone together at the summit, Lauren noticed he seemed unusually nervous — and once he got down on one knee, his strange behaviour suddenly made perfect sense. It was a private, deeply meaningful moment in one of the most beautiful places either of them had been.
As this was a second marriage for both Lauren and Kieran, marriage held a different kind of significance for them. Not about creating a perfect fairytale, but about recognising a genuine partnership — choosing one another not just in life's exciting moments, but through the ordinary, busy and sometimes challenging days too. To Lauren, marriage means feeling safe, understood and completely accepted. It's friendship, laughter, and knowing you have someone always in your corner.
Lauren and Kieran wanted their wedding to feel intimate, relaxed and genuinely reflective of who they are, choosing a registry ceremony to keep the focus on the commitment itself and the people sharing it with them. For their reception, Walter's Steakhouse felt especially meaningful — it was one of the very first places Kieran took Lauren on a date, and returning there to celebrate their marriage felt like bringing their story full circle. With a shared love of beautiful food and the venue's elegant, timeless atmosphere, it gave them exactly what they wanted: an intimate lunch with their closest family and friends, without losing any sense of occasion.
Lauren's dad travelled from the United Kingdom to be there, and her daughters, Grace and Millie, stood beside her as her beautiful bridesmaids — an incredibly special part of the day for them all.
Lauren knew she wanted a gown that felt romantic, elegant and bridal, while still feeling comfortable and like herself — fitted and feminine, with beautiful lace and a touch of drama, without being overwhelming. She found exactly that in her When Freddie Met Lilly gown. The moment she put it on, she felt beautiful and confident — comfortable, photograph-ready, and completely right for the romantic yet relaxed style of their wedding.
Kieran wore a sage-green suit, wanting to step away from the traditional dark wedding suit, keeping everything feeling romantic and relaxed.
For Lauren, the best part of bridal shopping was sharing it with her daughters, who felt completely at ease in the boutique — helped along by two resident sausage dogs, who entertained the girls and brought a calm, fun, welcoming energy to the whole experience. Rather than feeling formal or pressured, it felt warm and genuinely special, and having her girls there while she found her gown is a memory Lauren will always treasure.
What mattered most to Lauren on her wedding day was marrying Kieran and being fully present with him, their girls, and the people they love most — a day that felt like them: intimate, romantic, relaxed and filled with laughter, beautiful food and meaningful personal touches.
Those touches were everywhere. Grace and Millie wore matching white Nike Air Force 1s with their bridesmaid dresses, a sweet and playful tribute to the sneakers Kieran wears all the time. Lauren and Kieran wrote their own vows, complete with references to Diet Coke and inside jokes that only truly make sense to the two of them. And Lauren walked down the aisle to "Your Nonsense Makes Sense" — a song that couldn't have suited them better, perfectly capturing how their individual quirks somehow fit together.
Their colour palette of sage green and soft pinks carried the romantic, relaxed feeling throughout. Grace surprised everyone by wanting to wear a dress, and both girls chose their own outfits so they'd feel comfortable and confident — Millie's dress featuring lace that echoed Lauren's own gown, and matching headpieces tying the girls together alongside their tribute sneakers. Kieran's sage-green suit brought the whole palette together against the soft pinks and greenery.
Lauren's bouquet carried deep personal meaning: thistle representing her connection to the UK and growing up near Scotland, and eucalyptus representing Kieran, Queensland and the place he calls home, brought together with soft pinks and natural greenery. She also wore two treasured family pieces — a bracelet belonging to Kieran's mum for her "something borrowed," and her grandmother's engagement ring, once given to her by her first love before she lost him during the war, for her "something old." Quiet details, but ones that carried enormous emotional significance, letting Lauren carry a little piece of both families with her throughout the day.
Lauren's advice to future brides is, stay true to yourself and your relationship, choose a gown that makes you feel beautiful, confident and comfortable, and once the day arrives, let go of the planning and simply be present. It passes far too quickly.
The absolute highlight of the day was feeling the extraordinary amount of love in the room— looking around at their girls, Lauren's dad, and all their closest family and friends who genuinely wanted to celebrate with them. Warm, joyful, and full of love (with, as Lauren happily notes, some fantastic steak thrown in too). As Lauren walked down the aisle with her girls, Kieran told her she looked absolutely beautiful and stunning, and shed a tear as he watched her approach — a moment where, for a little while, it felt like just the two of them.
Reflecting on her experience, Lauren describes her time at When Freddie Met Lilly as wonderful from the very first moment — welcoming, relaxed, and a place where both she and her daughters felt truly listened to and included. The sausage dogs, she says, were an added delight. She found a gown that made her feel beautiful, feminine and confident, exquisitely made and perfect for their wedding — and she remains completely in love with it.
Vendor Tags:
Photography: @photographywithantonio
Flowers: Northside Florist
Makeup and Hair: @laragansler
Venue: Walter's Restaurant
Groom: @kirincaldwell
Bride: @laurensmith
