Kurt, 29, and Andrea, 28, got on like a house on fire from the very first day they met through common friends five and a half years ago. “When I met Andrea, I knew immediately I wanted to go out with her. But I didn’t know she would stick with me for this long,” Kurt smiles. Andrea, however, knew that the chemistry between them was rare and that they’d eventually end up together. “It was evident we had a lot in common, so, in my heart of hearts, I always knew we were meant to be”, she adds.
Indeed, their relationship grew from strength to strength the more they got to know each other, and, just under two years into their relationship, they decided to tightly tie the bonds between them by investing in property. That commitment led to another, and, barely a year later, Kurt decided to pop the question. “In reality, we had already spoken about fixing a date and, I believe, we had even approached some suppliers before the proposal,” Kurt explains. The sincerity of the couple’s feelings towards each other meant that “the proposal was just a formality”, but one which required waiting for the right occasion and which involved some preparation.
“I had gone to buy the ring with a friend of mine, but I needed to wait for the right moment,” Kurt says. That moment came on Andrea’s birthday just a few short months later and, on a weekend break in Gozo, Kurt asked for her hand. “I actually didn’t over think this. It was a very private affair,” Kurt remembers.
And, the intimacy of their relationship saw them through the wedding preparations, which they embarked on hand-in-hand. “We planned the wedding together. Andrea was the visionary who had all the ideas, but, I guess, I was more of a project manager and I made it a point to set the timings, chase suppliers and so on.” They’d initially decided to get married on 15th December – to make the most of the Christmas season, a time when “everyone meets up, work typically slows down and everyone is more relaxed,” Kurt explains – but, the date coincided with the closing ceremony for Valletta 2018, and they opted to shift the wedding to January.
“We really wanted to get married in the Church of St Catherine of Italy and the Casino Maltese, both in Valletta, so we decided to move the date,” Kurt says. Since, they had already confirmed some of the logistics for December, suppliers had to be informed. But the couple had set their hearts on both locations, so the slight inconvenience was a small price to pay. “We knew we wanted to be in Valletta, since it had been decorated with Xmas lights and much of it had been restored to mark the European Capital of Culture year. At one point, we had spent a weekend visiting all of the churches in the city and we had settled on the Church of St Catherine of Italy because of its location and its beauty,” Kurt recalls. The Casino Maltese became a natural choice, being so close to the chapel, though its distinct interiors sealed the deal. “We had always really liked the venue, and there is something special about it,” Kurt affirms.
The guest list, however, proved a little bit trickier to confirm. “Before we had even thought about the venue, we had compiled a draft list of who to invite. But it kept on changing! It’s always so difficult and, if the budget had permitted, we would have invited a few more people,” Kurt explains. The final list added up to 400 guests, and the couple employed a wedding organiser – Jurgen Briffa – “to ensure everything went smoothly on the day,” Kurt says.
The lush velvet bridesmaid dresses complemented the verdant floral arrangements – done by Alistair Floral Design – as well as the souvenirs, homemade chutneys sourced from With Love from Our Kitchen. These, together with the groomsmen’s black suits “really added to that classy wintery touch,” Kurt states. To match this theme, the invites were also a dark forest green with gold foil printing, the groom continues.
The wedding gown itself, from Eva Mariee Bridal Exclusive in St Venera, echoed this winter aesthetic. Its long sheer sleeves, intricate floral lace and elegant sequins created a sophisticated look, which was “simple in style, but with a lot of detail,” Andrea says. To keep warm, a fur stole was draped across the bride’s shoulders, allowing her to feel comfortable all day long, while the skirt’s bias cut meant that Andrea could “move around freely”.
And, this sense of warmth and well-being persisted from the start of the couple’s big day. The bride and groom got ready at their respective homes, with their wedding party on hand to entertain and pour those first nerve-suppressing stiff drinks. A classic Pontiac Catalina vintage bridal car, courtesy of Ecabs, brought Andrea, her father and bridesmaids to the church in style, where they were accompanied down the aisle by the music of Amber, through Spiteri Lucas Entertainment.
Once the newlyweds arrived at Casino Maltese, celebrations kicked into gear as the couple’s closest family and friends mingled and danced the night away, entertained by The Travellers who played well into the night, making the after-party one to remember. “The whole day was surreal and passed by too quickly,” Kurt laughs. “It was so much fun to see guests enjoying themselves,” he adds.
Getting married in January ended up being a blessing, the couple says. “Tying the knot at the beginning of the year may sound strange to most, but it worked to our advantage. Suppliers were relaxed and, generally, more available, and we were able to book some last-minute arrangements, with no problems.” Would they have any advice for those considering walking up the aisle in January? “Just go for it! But, make sure the guests are sheltered from the rain. We would have loved the weather to be 2 degrees warmer, but, other than that, we wouldn’t have changed anything,” the newly weds smile.
Inigo Taylor