Take us back to the beginning, tell us about how you met and the early days of your relationship.

I’m originally from the Gold Coast and my first job was working as a casual sales assistant at General Pants Co 12 years ago. My sister was the store manager at the time and hired Marty as a summer Christmas casual before he started his electrical apprenticeship. I was immediately captivated by Marty’s height and good looks but it was his sense of humour that won me over. Marty’s first impression was love at first sight and he can distinctly remember the green dress I was wearing when we first met. We were instantly drawn to each other and spent the early days of our relationship enjoying summer days at Burleigh Beach, and a couple of years down the track decided to move to Sydney together to further our careers. 

Marty, was there a moment when you realised you were in love and going to commit to a life with Julia?

I can’t pinpoint a specific moment in time because it was just an instantaneous feeling as soon as I met Julia, like I always just knew. Our souls were connected from the start. 

Julia, how did Marty propose to you? What do you remember most about this moment?

We travelled to Nice last year and decided to do a hike from the nearby medieval village, Èze, down the mountainside to the beach. Before we started the hike Marty was suspiciously looking for wine to buy in the village just in case the opportunity to propose presented itself. Along the way we could hear running water and decided to take a goat track off the main path to check it out. We stumbled upon a beautiful waterfall and I turned around to find Marty on one knee. I just remember feeling so elated and emotional. It was so special to be in such a beautiful place immersed in nature, just the two of us. 

How did you approach choosing an engagement ring for Julia, tell us about the design!

Julia had dropped a few hints that she liked an oval shaped diamond, and I wanted to go with something simple and timeless which led me to a yellow gold solitaire design. It was overwhelming at first as I didn’t know much about diamonds, but I had a really good experience as soon as I got in touch with Daniel. The NMJ team helped navigate the whole process and create a beautiful ring perfectly within my budget.

We feel so honoured to have played a small role in your special day, what were the highlights?

We had a small intimate wedding with just our immediate families on Marty’s family farm in Nana Glen. We put a lot of effort into preparing the farm and creating a ceremony space under a beautiful tree perched up on a hill. It was so special to get married on the land that holds so much meaning for us and our family. Seeing how excited and mesmerised our nieces were throughout the whole day was a big highlight, I felt like a celebrity! Marty’s dad also built us an amazing timber arbour which was the cherry on top. 

Tell us about your NMJ rings, what drew you to Natalie Marie for your wedding pieces?

I really liked the elegant style of the NMJ engagement ring pieces I had seen online, and particularly love an oval shaped diamond. Yellow gold was my preference as it has that classic look and I think it also highlights the diamond. I chose the 2mm Classic Wedding Ring, I wanted a simple design to complement my beautiful diamond. Marty is an electrician and wanted something durable, so he went with the 6mm Chamfered Wedding Ring, he loved the wire brushed finish as soon as he tried it on. We also added each other’s birthstones (Sapphire and Diamond) to our wedding bands as a small personal touch.

What do you love most about your life together today?

We have been together for over 12 years now but it honestly feels like yesterday that we met. Time is a thief! We understand each other on a deeper level and don’t sweat the small stuff. We have had the most incredible travel adventures together and have recently purchased our first home. We’re really excited about the next season of our lives together as a married couple and hope to create a little family of our own one day. 

At NMJ, at the heart of everything we do is love. Tough question, but tell us, what do you know about love?

For us, love is that deep sense of care and commitment to each other’s happiness. It’s wanting to experience all aspects of life together - the good, bad and ugly. It’s the last person you think of before you fall asleep, and the first when you wake up. It’s that person you can rely on no matter what. Love is not always easy, but it is always worth it.


Photography - Arlingtonlane Photography 

Dress - Made With Love and Nadi Bridal & Alteration

Suit - Suit Supply

Flowers - Euflorial 

Catering - Back Deck Dinners and The Lane Way Events

Celebrant - Clare Bath 

Hair - Izzy from Dimattia and Co

Makeup - Zahli from Beauty Lane