The nautical-motifed invitation encouraged guests to share in the nuptials of Lucian Aurel Banea, maritime warfare officer in the Royal Australian Navy, and Kimberly Elizabeth Perrins, knowledge officer at Crowe Horwath International. This milestone occasion took place on Saturday, January 11, at the scenic Trident Hotel in Portland The reception followed on the lawns of the glorious Trident Castle. VOWS was in attendance to share in the couple’s wedding bliss.

THE WEDDING

t five o’ clock, an international contingent of guests from the American cities of New York and Miami, as well as the capital cities of the United Kingdom and Australia, gathered by the infinity pool at the Trident hotel, overlooking the Portie coast, to both witness and celebrate the union of the couple and their multi-cultural families. With the officiating Reverend Delroy Farr and groom — dressed in a black tuxedo — firmly at their posts at the sheer curtain-covered altar, the gathering was serenaded by Jessica Yap on violin and the Versonic Vibes Entertainment band on steel pan and drums.

Proceedings got under way with the appearance of Perrins’s mother, Dr Pauline Goosby, and aunt Lorna ‘Connie’ Hallett (who also doubled as de facto wedding planner and consigliore) on the ceremonial pathway, followed by Banea’s nephew and niece, Philip and Celine Stylianou, serving as sibling groomsman and bridesmaid. Rounding out the bridal party were maid of honour, Perrins’s sister, Kelly and Lucian’s nephew and best man stand-in, Alex Stylianou, dressed in a one-shoulder navy mermaid dress, with lace overlay at the bodice and satin ribbon detail at the waist, and a black, single-breasted tuxedo respectively. Banea’s best friend and original choice for best man, David Jones, had to remain behind in Australia to tend to the birth of his daughter. With a gear change from Yap’s violin to Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion’s The Prayer, it was time for Perrins to make her entrance. Escorted on the arm of her stepdad, Dr Dorsey Goosby, the bride stunned in an ivory, fit-and-flare gown which featured exquisitely embroidered tulle overlay and crystal-encrusted embellishment at the waist.

Perrins and Banea, under the guidance of Reverend Farr, were walked through the exchange of vows, blessing of the rings and their union. After the signing of the marriage registrar, the couple was presented as husband and wife and led the lively recessional to Bob Marley’s iconic Jammin’ reimagined on the strings of Yap’s violin.

THE RECEPTION

After a light interlude, guests and the bridal party reconvened, after sunset, on the well-manicured lawns of the castle, where they mingled and refreshed beneath a white reception tent ably decorated by MC Décor, complete with bar service provided by Trident. There were two treats in store for guests. First, there was the cater-waitered gourmet dinner menu, courtesy of Trident Hotel’s Executive Chef Collin Brown, which featured a harvest salad, pan-seared snapper fillet, curry goat, tofu parmegean, starchy sides and desserts of white chocolate cheesecake with fruit coulis, plus, naturally, portions of the Selena Wong two-tiered confectionary centrepiece.

For the unexpected second treat — which followed the blessing of the cake, the moving speeches, presentations and touching first dance by the couple to the strains of Lenny Kravitz’s I Belong To You — guests were invited to leave the confines of the reception tent and lift their gaze upon the constellation-laced night sky. What followed was an emotive fireworks display that was so spectacular one could easily think they had been transported to an epic 4th of July celebration. This was the couple’s surprise thank-you to their friends and loved ones who had come from far and wide to make their big day extra special. This jump-started the party aspect of the night, which saw the deejay happily spinning.

THE HONEYMOON

En route to their home in Australia, the couple honeymooned, first in the City of Angels followed by a beachy break in the Fiji Islands. Perrins and Banea plan to revisit their honeymoon later this year in Bali or Vanuatu.