Peter & Anthony: A Love Story 16 Years in the Making

Peter and Anthony’s love story began 16 years ago during a game of laser tag, where an instant connection sparked between them. That night, Anthony’s charm caught Peter’s attention, leading to a conversation that felt like the start of something special. Since then, their journey has been filled with love, milestones, and a wedding inspired by their shared passion for Italy.

Photographer Petter Karlstrom | Location Hunter Valley, AUS

“Marriage is a lifelong promise of love, commitment and unwavering partnership. It’s about having someone by your side through every laugh, every challenge and every joy—”

How and when did you meet?

We met about 16 years ago through a group of mutual friends while playing laser tag. It was one of those moments that felt both random and significant.

Tell us a little about that first time you met…

We met while playing laser tag with a group of friends. It might sound cheesy, but there was an instant connection. We admit we both were immediately drawn to each other and Anthony made it his mission to get Peter's attention that night. After the game, we all went for a drive and dinner and the two of us ended up talking about our life plans and dreams. It was such a simple, unexpected moment, but looking back now, it feels like the start of something truly special.

What was the first thing you noticed about each other?

Anthony: I noticed Peter's beautiful smile, still till this day it is my favourite thing about Peter.

Peter: One of the first things I noticed about Anthony was that he had this awesome entangling thirst for life. He wanted to enjoy it to the fullest (singing and dancing).

Tell us about the standout moments in your relationship…

Over the years we have had many standout moments that have defined our relationship and us as individuals. Some of the greatest ones include, becoming uncles, buying our first property together and getting married after being together for 15 years.

What does marriage mean to you?

Marriage is a lifelong promise of love, commitment and unwavering partnership. It’s about having someone by your side through every laugh, every challenge and every joy—someone who lifts you up when you’re struggling, holds you when you’re sad and stands beside you no matter what. For both of us, marriage is a sacred bond and a profound blessing—the gift of finding ‘your person.’ Peter sees marriage as a devotion he treasures deeply, a commitment to love and cherish forever. For Anthony, it’s about sharing life with someone who brings light and strength, a promise to stand together through everything life may bring.

Who proposed, and how?

Peter proposed to Anthony. I wanted the proposal to be something special that we would tell our kids one day. We were in Capri on the water in front of the Faraglioni, and as we were passing through the rock, I got down on my bent knee and popped the question. They say if you kiss under the Faraglioni, your love will last forever.

When did you get married?

November 9th, 2024.

What was the main influence behind your wedding day?

Following our engagement in Italy, we wanted to replicate this day for our family and friends. We wanted to bring the love we shared in Italy back to Australia for our special day. We wanted an intimate celebration with our closest and most cherished. Our shared love for Italian food was one of the main influences for our wedding Day. Our good friends and caterers Pepi's, really understood this influence and transported our guests with their tastebuds.

What was the most important thing to you surrounding your wedding? 

We wanted to make sure our guests had an unforgettable experience, surrounded by love. Redleaf as a venue stood out to us straight away - it was the only venue we considered. It allowed us the opportunity to give our guests an experience that is out of the ordinary.

Did you incorporate any family sentiments or traditions?

Since we’ve locked in Redleaf as our venue, we've always pictured ourselves walking down the aisle with our mum's. We’ve decided not to have a traditional bridal party, but instead, we want to include all our nieces and nephews. In our hearts, we know that having children may be a more complex journey for us, and because of that, we've always wanted to have a special connection with our nieces and nephews.

Where did you find the bulk of your inspiration?

Being creative individuals, the inspiration and mood for our wedding came easily. Once we selected Redleaf, the venue was the perfect place to build upon. The collaboration process from our invitations, florals, food and all things in between was curated and executed by Laice Bollen at Place of LB - who honestly was our biggest inspiration.

How did you choose your suppliers?

Leaning on Laice's expertise and knowledge, we were fortunate enough to be introduced to some of the most exciting and creative suppliers and vendors within the industry. We were able to connect with each of them on a personal level and felt they were perfect collaborators for our wedding.

What was the most difficult thing about planning your wedding?

The most difficult thing about planning this wedding, was when we decided to organise hair and makeup for our families, planning the schedule/run sheet is no easy task. On a more serious note, we were quite fortunate that we both felt planning this wedding wasn't difficult or unenjoyable.

Where did you spend your honeymoon?

We spent 7 nights in the Maldives, in a villa at the Six Sense, Kanuhura.

Any advice for other couples planning their day and finding it difficult to navigate the journey?

Plan and execute as many items as possible, as early as possible. Allow the lead-up to the wedding to be enjoyable, exciting and stress-free. Remember who, what and why you are doing the wedding for and keep that as the main focus. Finally, the best piece of advice we received from our celebrant, Pip, was allow yourselves to feel each emotion, your guests will mirror your emotions so allow yourselves to be present and enjoy your special day.

Anthony and Peter’s Team

Venue Redleaf, Wollombi

Wedding Planner Place of LB (Laice Bollen & Doug Bollen)

Photographer Petter Karlstrom

Videographer Sam Battin Films

Florals Boutierre Girls

Celebrant Pip Best - In Light Ceremonies

DJ Dj Trey

Catering / Bar / Cake Pepi's

Hire Simply Seated

Marquee KataLane

Transport Grape Experience

MC The Timeless Co (Johnny Zakarian)

Violin Maria Music

Illustrations & Design Coyote Studio

Peter's Suit P. Johnson

Anthony's Suit Belancē

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