1. TELL US YOUR SIMPLE LOVE STORY

CS: We met in NYC while travelling with mutual friends. I had heard about Trav, but didn’t really know much, I was attracted to him at first sight for sure. It was all pretty quick, I was travelling for another 2 weeks after we met and left each other, so it meant a lot of text and phone calls. God had definitely told me before we left NYC that I would marry Trav. When we were both back in Melbourne we hung out all the time and it eventually was pretty clear what was going on. We dated for over a year before Trav proposed. We had bought a house together, and he proposed in the house filled with SO MANY CANDLES! It was so perfect. So simple, but the most beautiful and well thought out proposal. We got married 5 months later in the forest. We chose to say our vows in front of only about 15 people. Emotions were running high that day. And then we had a massive party back at a warehouse in the city. We designed and organized every single part of our day. We are both pretty creative, so wanted to use our love for that to make our day very personalized and a reflection of who we are.

TS: We met in NYC through mutual friends although I had heard about Cat in conversation with other friends in Melbourne, our paths had never crossed. I immediately thought she was pretty hot but I really wasn’t looking to meet anyone, but after a few days together in New York, I knew we had something pretty special, and so I started to think she was going to be the one. We were apart for about a week whilst we both travelled separately, but the day we both were in Melbourne again, we basically didn’t spend a day apart again. I knew pretty early that I was going to marry this girl, but wanted to wait at least 12 months before proposing. So around 14 months later I proposed with a diamond at our house (which we had recently purchased together), where earlier in the day I had 2 friends ‘break in’ and set up over 200 candles down the hallway and living room that they lit right before we got home, and well she walked into this and, of course said yes! We were then able to design an engagement ring together using the diamond I gave.

2. DESCRIBE ONE WAY YOU EACH INTENTIONALLY GROW YOUR LOVE?

CS: We both love going out to eat, so for us spending that one on one time together means so much to the both of us. My love language is definitely quality time and words of affirmation, so being able to eat delicious food and talk for hours is so great. Now that we have a little girl too, time spent alone together is a rarity! We also love driving, so this is often a time we can talk, share, and I always feel closer to Trav after long romantic drives. It’s very simple but works for us because we also work and own run a business together, we have to set time aside to really connect.

TS: We love spending time together both as a family, and one on one. We travel a lot so being together for long periods of time is easy. Eating out and having regular date nights without the distraction of our baby girl is also something we make sure we do. Buying spontaneous flowers or gifts for Cat when doing groceries or, a simple surprise drive somewhere nice for lunch, or just a quick drink. As long as we’re together, we always find something fun to do.

3. SHARE YOUR MOST RECENT, OR FAVOURITE GO-TO DATE

CS: My family have a beach house down the coast and there is a winery down there that we love! We buy a bottle of wine from the winery and drive down this dirt road to an amazing view of the bay. It is so relaxing and always make us both happy no matter what is happening in our life. We love travel… so really anything that is an adventure, whether it be an hours drive away at a winery or a 14 hour flight to our favorite LA, I love doing life with my man!!

TS: We just love either going for a drive down the coast in the middle of the week- just because. Or a romantic dinner and drinks in the city somewhere. One of my favorite things to do it get a bottle of wine from the winery near our beach house, and a little picnic of cheese etc and park somewhere on the water with a view and just sitting in the back of the car, talking or just sitting and enjoying each others’s company. A spontaneous interstate or overseas trip is also a little treat we like to do sometimes.

4. SHARE YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE TO KEEP A MARRIAGE THRIVING

CS: On our wedding day, we wrote our own vows. A snippet of mine went something like this. “I stand here today loving what I know of you, and trusting what I do not yet know ….”
Marriage is a choice. And everyday I make a decision to love Trav. I choose to put him first and to make sure I am the best wife I can be.
Spending intentional time together is our way of reconnecting and just really talking about the important stuff. Life is crazy and busy and sometimes I wonder how months can fly by. At the end of the day, we are a team and if we are on the same page we can make anything work!

TS: Always set aside regular time together and as a family to be together and connect and communicate. Whether it’s a regular date night, or weekend getaway, making intentional time together in our busy lives ensures we are growing together as a couple, and on the same page with our journey