First Love Forever

They say that marriage is a marathon, not a sprint, and never has this well-worn idiom felt more fitting than in the case of Caitlin Procter and Luke Richards. For this couple, whose love story began way back in high school, the marathon metaphor couldn’t be more apt. Although it was the latter (in this case, a literal sprint) that ignited the spark, proving that sometimes it pays to be quick off the mark.

"We met on Orientation Day going into our first year of intermediate school,” Caitlin tells me, delving into her Tauranga upbringing, “but Luke was too scared to talk to me until we were in each other’s class the following year.” When Luke finally did pluck up the courage to approach Caitlin, it was to boldly challenge her to a 100-metre sprint, an unconventional (but clearly effective) approach to courtship. “Luke thinks he won,” Caitlin laughs, “But I think I did.” (On balance, I would argue that they both did.) It was at school camp that the young duo made things official, sealing the deal by holding hands on the bus home while listening to Chris Brown’s ‘With You’ on Caitlin’s iPod shuffle — a canon event for any millennial love story.

“We met on Orientation Day going into our first year of intermediate school, but Luke was too scared to talk to me until we were in each other’s class the following year.”

In the ensuing years, Caitlin and Luke’s relationship evolved as they did, proving itself a strong and resilient connection against the often-complicated ebbs and flows of teenagehood and beyond. As Caitlin tells me, “we were very young when we first started dating, so it wasn’t until much later in our relationship that we truly understood the kind of love we had for each other.” Luke jumps in, “being able to watch one another grow from pimply tweens to adults and to go through some serious highs and lows across the years has allowed our love to develop in ways most people aren’t lucky enough to experience.” This included a stint after university when Caitlin and Luke made the very difficult decision to spend some time apart. A period that the couple cites as being the most challenging in their relationship. “We actually rekindled during Covid,” Caitlin tells me, “and we were in different countries so we would FaceTime every night.” She continues, “we began to build this new version of us based purely on friendship, which has become the foundation of our relationship today.”

After picking things back up again and deciding to make Sydney their home, Caitlin and Luke began building their lives together with a view to forever. For these two, the strength of their bond lies in longevity — in the advantage that comes from growing up together and from knowing all the versions of one another so intimately. It is a rare thing. It also means that it is the small moments that mean the most. “Whether it’s a random, competitive game night on a Tuesday playing Yahtzee with a few too many glasses of wine. Or quiet Sundays watching TV and reading on the sofa,” Caitlin says, “we recognise how important quality time is so we really cherish these moments.”

When it came time to take their relationship to the next level, Luke decided to use the opportunity of a camping trip — one of the couple’s favourite things to do to escape the city — to ask Caitlin to marry him. Surprising her with a Laura Meirs ring while parked up at Wairo Beach on the coast of New South Wales (and even managing to set up his phone in the dunes to record the moment), Luke’s proposal was executed perfectly, and the pair set about planning the kind of wedding that would reflect their unique history.

"We are always the first to put our hands up to host friends at our place so we felt like for our wedding, we wanted to bring everyone together for a big party,” Caitlin explains. As such, the couple turned to another duo who have become the go-to for elevated, bespoke weddings — Place of LB. Helmed by Laice and Doug Bollen, Place of LB was tasked with overseeing every detail of Caitlin and Luke’s nuptials, from tiny touches (like the business cards that were handed out at the reception with seat details on one side and an after party invite on the other) to grand gestures (like the exquisite swathes of draped fabric that were used as dramatic decoration). “Laice and Doug immediately understood us as a couple,” says Luke, “they almost knew what kind of wedding we wanted better than we did ourselves.”

The wedding took place over three iconic Sydney venues, starting with the ceremony at the Sydney Mint, followed by a reception at the very chic Shell House, and finishing up at the Ivy Penthouse. Here, classic elegance met a contemporary, inner-city vibe, resulting in an event that felt busy, vibrant and exciting while maintaining the sense of intimacy that felt necessary to the telling of this couples’ story. And from the second that Caitlin took to the aisle in her custom Floure gown, a moment underpinned by Florence & The Machine’s version of ‘Stand By Me’ with live violin, (a real tear-jerker, apparently) the stage was set for an unforgettable celebration.

From floral structures cleverly placed by the team at Ffoliar to add depth and striking effect, to the curation of music conceived in collaboration with Mickey Dable (ceremony) and Tom Spira (reception and after party), designed to guide guests through the different phases of the night, every aspect of this wedding was carefully considered. “I truly wouldn’t change a thing,” says Caitlin, “only maybe that it had gone on for longer, or that we could have done it again,” she laughs.

Indeed, there is something incredibly romantic about a couple honouring their love after so many years together. It brings an energy that cannot be fabricated. For Caitlin and Luke, the day was not only the perfect representation of what had already been a life-long commitment, but the start of an exciting new chapter.

“I truly wouldn’t change a thing, only maybe that it had gone on for longer, or that we could have done it again.”

When I asked this couple what each loved most about the other, their answers were (somewhat unsurprisingly) similar. Both value the qualities of dedication, loyalty and commitment in the other. Both hold the values of family in the highest regard. Both credited the other with supporting them without fail, through everything. For Caitlin, Luke lights up a room. For Luke, Caitlin puts 100 percent into all that she does, in work, relationships and everything in between. Now, the couple is turning this shared outlook to the future and what the next few years might look like.

"We are incredibly excited to start a family," says Caitlin. "We are missing our families more and more so we definitely feel the pull back to New Zealand, but we love our life here so we are looking forward to seeing what the future holds as our own family begins to grow."

This wedding was originally published in VEIL Issue One. Discover this celebration, along with many more inspiring weddings, editorials, and stories in the full issue. Purchase your copy here.