Pretty Perfect

In the tradition of many modern love stories, Freddie Leckie and Lawrence Pretty met on Tinder, chatting on and off through Covid before finally deciding to meet for a real date — a 6 am, mid-week walk on the coastal path from Sydney’s Bronte to Clovelly. “It was during one of Freddie’s annual no-drinking stints,” Lawrence remembers with a laugh. “So our first date was at the crack of dawn. I thought it was going really well, but he thought I was quiet and disinterested.” Freddie grins. “I just thought he was being too cool,” he pauses, “I later found out it was nerves.” Lawrence continues. “Even at 6 am, Freddie had showered, shaved, ironed his finest walking gear, gelled his hair and spritzed something expensive. I thought it went great and rang my best friend as soon as I got home, turns out the feeling wasn’t entirely mutual from the get-go,” he laughs.

Luckily, thanks to some groundwork by a mutual friend the duo decided on a second date and from that point on, they were inseparable. “When I met his friends, I saw how kind and grounded he was,” Freddie says, “it turned my impression around instantly.”

Realising how aligned their values and outlooks were, they soon moved in together. And it wasn’t long before they cemented their commitment by buying a puppy, a border terrier they named Scruffy. “Our deep sense of teamwork and understanding of each other is where our strength lies,” says Freddie. “We also are just so scarily similar in what we like and in our values.” Lawrence jumps in, “I second that!”

For Freddie, it is Lawrence’s convivial, warmhearted and generous spirit that makes him so attractive. “He is pure fun and I love his silly and carefree side.” For Lawrence, Freddie is genuine and charismatic. “He is also insanely kind and so organised,” he adds with a smile.

A few years into their relationship, the same coastal track that began their story became the setting for their next chapter. Freddie had been quietly planning a proposal for months, choosing a regular morning walk so it would feel familiar and unassuming, “something simple and real,” he says. As they reached the cliffs overlooking the ocean, the sun broke through the clouds and a pod of dolphins swam past. Shaking and teary, Freddie got down on one knee. “At first I thought he was breaking up with me,” says Lawrence, laughing. “Or dying!” But then came the question, and a very quick yes. “We just stood there hugging and laughing,” Lawrence tells me, “For anyone watching it would have looked like a real train wreck! But for us, it was very special and unforgettable.”

They married at Boomrock, a spectacular coastal farm just outside Wellington that has been in Freddie’s family for generations. With sweeping, expansive views and a wild sense of freedom, the location set the tone. “We wanted it to feel like one of our long lunches at home,” says Lawrence. “Casual, colourful and full of love.”

Leaning into a laid back, summery vibe, the pair eschewed busy styling to let the view speak for itself, opting for minimal florals, bold outfits and natural textures that kept the atmosphere easy and open. Guests were encouraged to wear colour, linen or anything that made them feel good. “It wasn’t about rules or formality,” says Freddie. “It was about connection.”

As for the grooms, it was custom P. Johnson suits — Freddie in ocean blue, Lawrence in olive green — that set an elegant and timeless tone. Their rings were by Naveya & Sloane: a classic gold band for Lawrence and a signet ring set with a champagne diamond for Freddie. “We wanted to feel like ourselves, just a little more polished,” says Lawrence.

On the morning of the big day, the pair woke up together at Pipinui Point, the cliffside lodge above Boomrock. “We did yoga, had coffee and just took a moment to breathe it all in,” says Freddie. “We were so calm, there was this beautiful stillness before the joy and chaos of it all.”

When it came time for the ceremony, Freddie and Lawrence walked in to Norah Jones’ cover of ‘Let It Be’, accompanied by their mums. The cliffs, sea and sky laid out before them in a breathtaking scene, while guests prepared to celebrate with mini bottles of Moët & Chandon in their hands. “There wasn’t a dry eye,” Freddie says. “I’ll always remember walking over the rise to see all of our friends and families faces. I have never felt such a huge wave of happiness hit me at once.” At the conclusion of the ceremony ‘Everlasting Love’ rang out over the clifftop as everyone opened their champagne and toasted to the newlyweds.

Instead of a traditional bridal party, Freddie and Lawrence wove their loved ones into the fabric of the day. Their families walked down the aisle together, followed by their fathers. Lawrence’s sister was celebrant, and their siblings all took on speaking roles. Their seven-year-old niece, Mabel, hand-drew every place card, and Freddie’s mum made the cake — her famous zucchini layer cake with cream cheese icing. This sense of inclusion extended to their friends, too. “We didn’t want guests to just watch the wedding,” says Freddie. “We wanted them to feel like they were part of it.”

And so, after the vows, a surprise twist led to a hilarious game of wedding bingo where two guests were drawn at random to sign the marriage certificate, “a way to make everyone feel equally involved,” says Lawrence. Later, just as the post-lunch lull began to settle in, they wheeled out the bingo roller again. This time, six guests were selected for a game of two-up, and the winners joined the grooms for a sunset helicopter ride. “It was completely outrageous,” Freddie grins. “And so much fun.”

Of course, the party didn’t stop there. Espresso martinis kicked off the evening, and The Beat Girls, a retro cover trio festooned in sequins and feathers played a rousing set that had everyone on their feet. “There were family tangos, limbo lines, everyone dancing. It was chaos,” says Lawrence, laughing. “Beautiful, joyful chaos, everywhere we looked.” Freddie adds, “there was this pure feeling of love in the air, it’s so hard to describe, I’ll remember it forever.”

Now, the Pretty-Leckies are ready to settle into married life, where it’s the small, unassuming moments that they tell me they cherish the most. “Our weekend routine of walking Scruffy along the coast followed by a swim and a coffee at Bronte,” Freddie says. “Our Friday pasta nights with delicious wine and a block of chocolate.” He pauses with a smile, “it is so easy marrying your best friend who loves all of the same things as you!”

And hopefully, the couple tells me, it won’t be long before their family expands once more. “We are in the midst of planning our future family through a known egg donor and surrogate in our hometown,” Lawrence reveals, “which is by far the most exciting thing happening in our future.” It is an outlook that feels as expansive and optimistic as their love story so far, a modern romance built on shared values, cemented in friendship and underpinned by the kind of love that lasts forever.