![\"\"](\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/06\/IMG_0625_28427-200x300.jpeg?_t=1622615687\")
\u201cThat was a big motivation for us \u2013 we thought while we have all the important people here, we have just got to get it done,\u201d Kayla said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLiterally every person who was able to come on the Thursday night offered to help and it was one of those things where we actually had to take people up on their offers.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of being like \u2018oh no, we\u2019re fine, we\u2019ve got this\u2019 we were like \u2018oh no, we don\u2019t have this at all and we definitely need help\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of our friends and family just got together and got it all done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Birregurra Wildflowers offered to supply the flowers at half-price, Sweet Coast Cupcakes baked 72 sweet treats in one afternoon and Sou\u2019West accepted the last-minute challenge to provide a venue and impressive spread of delicious food.<\/p>\n
The couple\u2019s friend Keelly Rae volunteered to take photos, Sila Salon in Geelong made room for a last-minute makeup appointment and, importantly, Kayla finally got to wear her gorgeous Karen Willis Holmes gown.<\/p>\n
Sixty guests joined in the celebration and watched on as a relieved Kayla and Alex \u2013 who met on Tinder four-and-a-half years ago \u2013 said their vows.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were feeling very sorry for ourselves when the lockdown was announced and, instead, we went out and had a big party,\u201d said Kayla, who owns successful Surf Coast business Tribe Skincare.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was also very emotional for everyone because we were about to go into a lockdown.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople were feeling like the wedding was going to be cancelled and feeling so sorry for us and then it was all exciting to find out it was actually still happening.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo there were lots of tears during the ceremony from all of our guests.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hadn\u2019t been to the venue because I was busy dealing with everything else during the day and when I walked in it looked like a really amazing wedding venue with flowers and candles.\u201d<\/p>\n The guests got to take home mementos including a bunch of flowers, custom lollies and a \u201changover kit\u201d for those who over-indulged.<\/p>\n As for the happy couple, they were feeling grateful to finally be wed, even if the honeymoon to Port Douglas had to be put on hold.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had every little thing booked \u2013 every restaurant booking, every airport transfer, accommodation everything \u2013 I shouldn\u2019t be so organised because it\u2019s to my detriment now,\u201d Kayla laughed.<\/p>\n However, the newlyweds have no regrets about the last-minute change of plans.<\/p>\n \u201cWe figured that was the purpose of the wedding \u2013 to be husband and wife so we thought whether we do it with 10 people or 110 people there, it doesn\u2019t really matter,\u201d Kayla said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we woke up the next morning we thought \u2018we have no regrets, we had the best night and we are finally married and we don\u2019t have to think about it for another six months \u2013 it\u2019s done\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cNow we can\u2019t really imagine it being any other way.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" KAYLA Houlihan and Alex White were determined not to let lockdown get in the way of true love a second time. The Torquay couple, who had already cancelled their wedding plans in 2020, found themselves just hours away from saying \u201cI do\u201d when the circuit-breaker lockdown came into force on the eve of their big […]<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/06\/IMG_0346_59626-200x300.jpeg\")