It’s the afternoon of May 11 and we’re here, on the 25-hectare property in the Sunshine Coast hinterland which triple Olympian, Lisa Curry, and her true love, Mark Tabone. They bought the property last August with this very day – their wedding – in mind.
Lisa’s “jungle buddies”, Keira Maguire, Natalie Bassingthwaite, Tegan Martin and Julia Morris (whom she met on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!) are here to witness the happy couple’s declaration of love, along with many of Lisa and Mark’s nearest and dearest.
Harry Gallagher, 94, who was Lisa’s very first swimming coach, is there and all smiles. And of course Lisa’s mother, Pat, is the happiest mother of the bride. The guests have been asked to wear white but Pat was given special dispensation to ignore the dress code because “the mother of the bride can wear whatever she wants” – so Pat’s chosen green.
Before we know it, a pink and white Kombi van pulls up. It’s the groom’s party, and they step out onto the rose petal-covered carpet which leads to the outdoor altar. Mark’s son Jesse is his best man and his daughters Tahlia, Aliana and Leticia are right by his side, carrying long-stemmed fuchsia roses.
Lisa and daughters Morgan and Jaimi (with grandson Flynn) get wedding-ready.
The bridal party arrives in a convertible Cadillac. Lisa’s son Jett smooths the long pink tulle veil as Lisa alights from the car in her 60’s-inspired, powder-pink show-stopping dress. In a nod to tradition, it’s a dress that Mark hasn’t seen yet. “I asked him to draw what he thought I would be wearing and he was way off,” Lisa tells The Weekly.
Flanked by Jett, daughters Jaimi and Morgan and grandson Flynn – Lisa makes her way down the aisle.
Tears are shed at the altar and by family and friends during the ceremony.
It was a very moving ceremony for all those involved.
Mark speaks of their unconditional love. “Lisa is beautiful inside and out,” he says. “We share the same dreams and plans. She is my soul mate.”
“He makes my heart sing,” Lisa adds. “He cares about me, he listens to my stories, even if I tell them to him three times. He laughs at my jokes and fixes anything and everything. He massages me when I am tired and sore, and keeps me peaceful with his reassuring nature.”
From left to right: Keira Maguire, Tegan Martin, Lisa Curry, Natalie Bassingthwaite and Julia Morris.
Lisa promises that she will “age gracefully with you and continue loving you just a little more every day”. They both promise to remember that, “neither of us is perfect but we are perfect together”.
For the full story, pick up the June edition of The Australian Women’s Weekly magazine. Plus, in this month’s collector’s edition, don’t miss our extensive coverage of the Royal Wedding, including more than 50 pages of pictures of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as well as your very own sets of vintage royal postcards.
