For Kurt and Lorraine Vella, a friendship blossomed into a unique love story. Their friendship was taken to the next level after realising their undeniable spark whilst on a trip to Vietnam, which later evolved to a marriage proposal in Rome. The couple shared the details of their love story, culminating in a stunning wedding ceremony, with Bliss magazine.
“We were in the same group of friends for three years before we started dating,” Lorraine recalls. “So, we knew each other very well and we were very good friends, although I knew – because he had told me – that he had a crush on me,” she smilingly says. However, a motorcycle ride along the streets of Vietnam changed the dynamic of their friendship. “I rode with Kurt, so this brought us closer, and something changed in my feelings towards him. And I’m sure he noticed! In fact, when we got back to Malta, he asked me to go out to a wine bar for a date, and I agreed.”
After a couple of years, the two decided to move in together. “When he saw that we didn’t kill each other after living together for a few months, he realised that I was the one, and decided to propose,” Lorraine recalls. In fact, just six months after moving in, Kurt planned a surprise proposal for his bride-to-be. “I used to work as cabin crew on a private jet and I had a trip to Rome for five days, together with two pilot colleagues,” Lorraine describes. “Kurt came up for four days to join me and, although he had only just met my workmates, worked out a plan with them over breakfast while I went to our room to fetch my bag,” Lorraine says.
With one of the pilots taking pictures, posing in front of the Trevi Fountain in Rome ended in a proposal. “Whilst we were there posing for the camera, Kurt brought out the ring and went down on one knee!”
After the proposal, the wedding planning was done mostly by Lorraine, who never made a decision without her future husband’s approval. The couple had their hearts set on a lush outdoor space to be used as their wedding venue. “I always dreamed about Villa Bologna’s garden, but when we first met Jasper, he didn’t have any spots available in 2019. Luckily, a few days after that first meeting, he had a cancellation for 15th June.” The stars had aligned for the couple and they proceeded with the preparations.
As for the wedding dress, Lorraine tried on six equally beautiful dresses at Eva Mariee, and ultimately decided on a dress her friend had showed her pictures of prior. “Every little detail about it was stunning. And to top it all off, my mum was speechless and emotional, so I ended up buying the dress 16 months before the wedding!”
The rest of the wedding preparations went smoothly. “Kurt and I have similar tastes, and we would always choose the same option out of the three we would source,” she laughs, adding that she allowed him to take the reins when deciding on the alcohol to be served during the reception.
When the anticipated day arrived, the bride was ecstatic, as all her “expectations became reality.” The bridal party were picked up by Dalton’s Chauffeur Service, which remained on hand throughout the day. Lorraine’s grandfather walked her down the aisle, and later, stepped in for the emotional father-daughter dance. “He knew about this of course, but when it was time for him to dance with me, he panicked and didn’t want to come to the dancefloor!”
“Everyone was clapping and cheering him on and he, eventually, came round. And from that moment onwards, he didn’t stop dancing! He even drank some shots with us and stayed for the after-party! All my friends loved dancing, taking photos and chatting with him. He’s my rock,” she says.
The traditional wedding was filled with “food, drinks, fun, photos and dancing,” Lorraine recalls, with her sister stepping in as maid of honour while her three best friends picked up the mantle as bridesmaids. Kurt had two groomsmen – both old school friends – who also joined the couple as they celebrated late into the night with 400 of their loved ones.
Lorraine admits that she can’t choose one favourite moment because she enjoyed every second of her wedding. “The morning was lovely, as I spent it with my mum, nanna, sister and bridesmaids, getting ready and being pampered.” Yet nothing can compare to the memory of seeing her grandfather’s reaction when she emerged, all dressed up. “When my nannu saw me, the expression on his face was priceless,” she smiles.
For Kurt, their first dance will remain a highlight. “That was a very special moment for the both of us,” Lorraine continues. “There was lots of dancing and it was such a nice feeling to see everyone having fun. We could feel the love and happiness from our guests,” she fondly remembers, saying that despite the heat, there was nothing she would change about the day.
As for prospective brides, Lorraine shares that a wedding is a celebration of the love between the two partners. “So make sure that you are spending it together, making lots of memories. After all it’s once in a lifetime,” she smiles.
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