On a stormy day in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Ian and Cheryl Beaty became man and wife in an intimate ceremony at Secrets on the Lake. Guest spent the weekend in gorgeous cabins as they celebrated their 15-year relationship with their family and closest friends.

HOW WE MET...

Cheryl: We have been friends since we met in high school. My brother and his brother were best friends. We parted ways for many years, but later reconnected when Ian moved back to Brisbane with the Air Force.

WHEN HE PROPOSED…

Cheryl: Ian proposed to me in the fields of lavender at Bridestowe in Tasmania. He got down on bended knee among the lavender and the bees and asked me to marry him, he put a sprig of lavender on my finger. It took my breath away, he was so romantic. That was 10 years ago.

Ian: I was up a ladder painting my son’s house in Newcastle in January this year when Cheryl was rushed off to hospital. She had me extremely worried and it dawned on me that she had stopped asking me when were we going to get married. It was at that moment that I felt I had let her down and it was time to show her just how much I truly love her.

WE CHOSE SECRETS ON THE LAKE BECAUSE...

Cheryl: We have often stayed at Secrets on the Lake as our romantic getaway destination. We’d take a night or two away every now and then and of all the places we stayed Secrets on the Lake was always our favourite. It is so beautiful, very romantic with lovely private cabins and grounds, and we love the personal touch that George and Aldy and the team add to the experience. It was actually Ian who suggested Secrets as a venue for our wedding so that we could have a small, intimate gathering with just our immediate family and close friends. We were able to book out every cabin in the place which made it so special and intimate for everyone. We asked the team at Secrets to include an arrival function on the Friday night, the Saturday afternoon garden ceremony and the Saturday night reception. All of these were catered for beautifully and everyone had a great time and plenty of yummy food. The wedding planner at Secrets, Susan was a blessing, she helped ease any concerns and made sure everything went smoothly.

Ian: Secrets on the Lake is like a family. Everyone is across everything and nothing is too much effort. They value your stay and look forward to you coming back again. If I could buy a treehouse I would!

WALKING INTO THE VENUE...

Cheryl: The venue for the wedding was gorgeous, we had our ceremony in the garden and the whole team at Secrets on the Lake worked like a well-oiled machine to make it lovely and smooth. I was blown away when I saw our cabin and all of the lovely rose petals and little extras, and then on the day the rose petals spread out for the aisle and the lovely bows and flowers as I came down to the garden, it looked magical. The team at Secrets on the Lake is friendly and efficient and a big part of the magic of this beautiful place. George is passionate about what he has created and it comes through in everything he and the team do. Nothing is too much, they are caring and lovely.

MY MOST SPECIAL MEMORY...

Cheryl: My most special memory of the day was when the rain stopped just in time for me to get out of the car and the sun shone through as I walked down the garden to Ian. Seeing his face, he was so emotional, that will stay with me forever.

Ian: I caught a glimpse of Cheryl for the first time. She looked breathtakingly beautiful in her white dress with a ring of flowers in her hair. I choked up and couldn’t take my eyes off her. The rain had stopped, the sun came out and it was all done just for us. What an unforgettable moment.

SOMETHING THAT DIDN’T GO TO PLAN WAS...

Cheryl: The weather. It was a wet and stormy weekend, but the team at Secrets on the Lake had everything organised and were on the ready to relocate the ceremony to the boat house if we needed at the last minute.

IF I COULD DO ONE THING DIFFERENTLY IT WOULD BE...

Cheryl: I think I would have allowed more time to stay at Secrets on the Lake  and encouraged our guests to stay longer too. It went far too quickly.

Ian: I would have loved to have had more time with everyone after the wedding. It went so quickly.

THE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE IS...

Cheryl: If you are planning a resort-style wedding like we had, make sure you plan ahead and that you get good local contacts that you are happy with – especially your celebrant, we researched for a celebrant who was easy going, friendly and had great charisma. Do your research and be happy with the people you choose to help you on the day. The other thing is to take a breath at the start and really relax and enjoy the whole thing. Too many brides and grooms stress over how it will all go and don’t stop to actually really enjoy it.

Ian: Cherish your wife and the rest will look after itself.

REAL LIFE WEDDING
10 September, 2016
Ceremony & Reception venue
Secrets on the Lake Cafe, Montville
Bridal gown
A pale gold with ivory Italian chantilly lace made by designer Lillian West
Flowers
Beautiful bright yellow and purple bouquets by Sandi from Willow Bud.
Guest list
An intimate wedding with our family and closest friends, we had 30 guests
Budget
$40,000, including paying for our guests’ accommodation
Photographer
Mills Photography

For more information about Secrets on the Lake, call (07) 5478 5888 or visit secretsonthelake.com.au.
207 Narrows Rd, Montville.