“Are you ready for a love story?” the groom called out from the microphone.
It was a blustery day on Saturday, 11 April, when Michael Wong married Sally Brown.
They were wed at the Chapel of All Saints in Corio, Geelong, before celebrating with family and friends at Claribeaux Restaurant at Curlewis Golf Course.
Sally was walked down the aisle by her parents, James and Helen Brown, to Bach’s Second Violin Concerto.
She was accompanied by her sisters and bridesmaids, Catherine Brown and Hilary Mitchell, and sister-in-law Zoe Gannon.
Michael awaited her at the altar alongside groomsmen Simon Gannon, Phillip Healey and Matthew Irons, with flower girls Eloise and Lucy Gannon and ring bearer Henry Gannon.
The ceremony, led by Reverend Gordon Lingard, reflected on the importance of kindness and patience in marriage.
He also shared light-hearted wisdom from children, including 10-year-old Ricky who, when asked the best age to marry, replied, “When you are retired so you can spend all the time with your wife.”
Michael’s mother, Sue Wong, read from 1 Corinthians 13 and Sally’s childhood friend, Ellie Debenham read extracts from Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet.
Sally wore a classic Sophia Tolli ballgown in mikado fabric, featuring a fitted bodice, sweetheart neckline and off-the-shoulder straps.
The bridesmaids wore floor-length cobalt blue silk dresses by Shona Joy, styled with elegant chignon buns.
Florals of purple lisianthus, white veronica, blue sea holly and green chrysanthemums created a vibrant palette.
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds departed in a 1965 cream Jaguar for photos along Cunningham Pier, where the wind promptly carried the bride’s veil into the ocean.
At the reception, guests enjoyed alternate entrées of cold-smoked kingfish or smoked duck, followed by roast beef with classic accompaniments and aromatic rock flathead with champagne beurre blanc.
The couple opened the dance floor with a waltz sung by the bride’s cousin, Sophie Theodosi, before transitioning into a lively Scottish cèilidh.
Soon, family and friends joined in a joyful, semi-coordinated whirl, before the evening closed with a disco set curated by bridesmaid Catherine Brown.
It was a wonderfully romantic day—filled with laughter and wind-swept moments.
As Sally declared in her speech, “I am the luckiest woman on the planet to be marrying Michael Wong,” and by day’s end, no one doubted they had witnessed the beginning of a truly special love story.
Michael and Sally will be honeymooning in Spain and plan to continue to reside in their home in Melbourne.
