Yi-Wen & Jonathan Civil Ceremony

Ceremony & Reception: Grand Hyatt Melbourne

November 2016

Yi-Wen and Jonathan met at the O’Brien Institute 4 years ago. In the beginning Jonathan was only a shadow underneath the clock in the molecular biology laboratory – meaning Yi-Wen never even really noticed him. Specifically, whenever she looked at the clock, he was just this shadow always standing there. This all changed one fateful day when Jonathan threw out her carefully placed culture slide boxes. After a brief confrontation where Jonathan stood in awe over Evie’s super cuteness, rather than her fury, they did not see each other again for months. They were reunited once again months later when Jonathan asked Yi-Wen’s Supervisor Geraldine to join their group for some laboratory work experience.

Jonathan eventually built up the courage to ask her out for breakfast. Yi-Wen must have really liked him too because later she admitted that she is not a morning breakfast person. Ever since that very first breakfast, there haven’t been very many morning dates. She had no idea of his intentions at the start because she thought the first time they went out was to develop a friendship only. Isn’t everyone so happy that she was completely wrong?

Slowly over time they developed feelings for each other in the close confines of the cell culture room. But I think Jonathan just wanted an excuse to talk to this beautiful lady, not learn about cell cultures!

As they fell deeper in love over the next few years, Jonathan decided it was time to propose. He planned a mid-week proposal on an ordinary Tuesday night because he didn’t want to set anything grand up in order to avoid Yi-Wen’s suspicion. ‘Just wear something nice, because we are going out to dinner with Tim and Lou,’ Jonathan advised her.

Jonathan picked Yi-Wen up after she finished work and drove her to the Botanical in South Yarra. The Botanical was a special location because it was where they had their first date. Jonathan’s whole concept was that he wished to relive their first date. So, at Botanical Jonathan asked Yi-Wen “Will you make me the happiest man in the world? Will you marry me?”, and of course Yi-Wen said yes. Afterwards they went back to San Telmo for Argentinian steak that Yi-Wen has clearly learned to love. Jonathan truly was able to turn an ordinary day into an extraordinary one.

I met Yi-Wen over 10 years at my workplace. I was just working as a sales assistant in a jewellery store and was always delighted to see my favourite customers, Yi-Wen and her beautiful mother Ling visit me on a very regular basis. They regularly spoilt me too much with their time, affection and even little random gifts. After the jewellery store closed, Yi-Wen and Ling still sought me out and asked to meet with me. Once I went to meet Yi-Wen for dinner and she greeted me with a bouquet of flowers – just because. I am grateful and blessed to have met Yi-Wen and I hope this demonstrates to you what an incredibly generous, friendly and loving person she is to have helped keep our friendship so strong for all this time.