Inside a dreamy destination wedding in Bali

Wedding photographer: Siempre Weddings

Professional driver Nathan Antunes and gym instructor/dancer, Samatha Antunes, met as so many couples do, through work. But this is not your regular office romance, rather, the two were both booked for the same car launch job in 2015 — Nathan as a driver and Samantha as a dancer — and sparks flew.

“We both were booked on a Mazda car launch job, [me] as a dancer and Nathan as a driver. Through a mutual friend on the job, we both started chatting in the dinner break, finding out we grew up five minutes from each other but never crossed paths,” Samantha shares.

Nathan says he knew immediately that Samantha was “the one” and Samantha wasn’t far behind. “I had gone on a six-week holiday not long after he asked me to be his girlfriend. I missed Nathan so much I wanted to come home and tell him I loved him,” Samantha tells .

Fast forward to December 2017 when the couple were in New York on Christmas Eve and in a scene that could have come directly from a romantic movie, Nathan proposed at the Rockefeller Centre ice skating rink. “The night before Christmas 2017,” Samantha shares, “[at the] Rockefeller ice skating rink, Nathan got down on one knee in ice skating boots in front of 10,000 [people] and proposed. It was a dream.”

After such a romantic proposal the couple planned a wedding that was just as memorable, marrying first in Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral (above) — a place with special meaning to Nathan whose parents had married there — in front of 50 family members on September 21, 2018, followed a week later with a destination wedding in Bali with 130 of their closest friends and family members. 

Click Here: Putters

The couple says they fell in love with their Bali wedding venue, Morabito Art Villa, on Instagram. “We had seen on Instagram this amazing art villa a friend had been to. We organised a trip eight months before our wedding to check it out with our wedding planner, Tash from Plan A Bali, and instantly fell in love with it. We booked it then and there. Morabito Art Villa Canggu was a wonderland for adults. The art in each room had its own story and pool.” 

The theme was inspired by the venue’s beachside Bali location, and the couple shares they ended up with minimalist decorations and flowers thanks to the beauty of the location. “We had envisioned a white wedding with an Indonesian feel. Once we had seen the villa a few months before [the wedding], our ideas had changed a little in terms of cutting most decorations and floral arrangements. Keeping to the white theme, the backdrop of the beach and the art statues and paintings being the main attraction. It didn’t need much decoration just beautiful florals and fairy lights to light up the night.” 

Making the most of having a destination wedding the couple hosted events over a number of days including a sunset welcome party on the Friday evening at their wedding villa that included dancing and an evening dip in the pool. The couple also held an outdoor pool party on the Sunday after the wedding, putting their own spin on it by hiring “shishas [waterpipes] for around the pool”.

The actual wedding itself on Saturday, September 29, naturally also included a number of elements representative of the couple. Professional driver Nathan and his groomsmen (which included three of Nathan’s younger brothers and his best friend) went motorbike riding.

Samantha and her bridal party including her sister and close girlfriends, spent time by the pool before they both got ready in separate rooms before the ceremony.

Samantha reveals that unlike the majority of brides, she didn’t choose either of her Sydney or Bali wedding dresses, “I didn’t pick my dress. I put my trust and soul into my close friends Lillian and Dianne Khallouf who both worked [on] the designing, styling and putting it all together. My wedding dress [or dresses], I [should] say, for both Sydney and Bali were every gir’ls dream.”

The bride says that she didn’t select any of the elements of her bridal look, “Lillian Khallouf styled me head-to-toe, from Ryan Storer earrings to my Aquazurra diamond heels. I left it all in her hands.”

Reflecting back on the wedding, the Antunes say the first dance will be indelibly imprinted in their memories forever. “Our first dance was everything. [It was to the] acoustic version of by our wedding singer Lydia Rose. We were so lucky to have chosen an amazing band and singer in which she had everyone dancing and singing before entrées came out.”

Samantha further shares that her groom’s heartfelt speech had “everyone in tears of happiness” and is an unforgettable moment to be treasured for the rest of their lives. 

The couple opted for a “matemoon”, staying in Bali for another week with friends and family following their wedding. Scroll on to see more of Samantha and Nathan’s beautiful day.

The newlyweds.

A happy moment for the bride and groom.

Samantha and her bridal party.

The bride’s accessories included Aquazurra shoes.

A theatrical element on the day.

The couple on the dance floor.

The groom’s memorable speech.

The bridal party.

Nathan and his groomsmen.

The stunning beachside setting.

A sweet moment between the bride and groom.

The bride and groom share a kiss.