Marisa & Rory

Cousins Dom, Hayden, Maddy, Kyall, Theresa and Ben

Aunty Ange, Aunty Mitch, Aunty Claire & Mum

Mum and Dad with Marisa

Mum placing her lei tupe on the bride

It's been years since I have caught up with my Father's side of the family. The last time I had spent time with them was at my grandfathers funeral and that was five years ago, so it was definitely lovely to catch up for a celebration.

On March the 22nd 2014, my family and I met up in Adelaide to witness my gorgeous cousin Marisa wed her beau Rory. Set amongst the glorious trees and blue sky, we were warmed by the sun and by the love and kindness that these two showed towards one another. After the ceremony we sat amongst hay bales and wine barrels and feasted on Marisa's favourite food, local plump red strawberries.

We then made our way to the wedding reception venue run by an Italian family who built the venue for their daughter's wedding. Overlooking the ocean and catching the last of the day's sun; we ate freshly baked bread, gnocchi with local almonds and basil, pumpkin ravioli, and lamb on the spit. The food was AMAZING. Everything local and fresh prepared by one family, using recipes that their grandmother passed down.

We laughed at how they met; in the middle of a dance floor it would seem, both sober drivers for their friends and they danced the night away. Marisa was devastated that the boy didn't ask for her number but was absolutely delighted when she saw him being pushed towards outside the club by his mates. And that's how it all began, this love story of Rory & Marisa who are now affectionately called Rorisa. It ended with loads of dancing and laughter and of course love.

Hope you are well.

Big love,

Falala Mele.

Happy Birthday Cleone

Mum is wearing my DIY flower foufou.

We decided to make our own version of a mask after being inspired by the Vogue Masquerade Party pics.

My sister Theresa & I also decided to TWIN it to the party. Napolean eyes and Mac lips with bling embellishments  to stay in theme when we decided to take our mask off.

Cleone's dress was 2 different pieces altered by her nephew Jordan Timbery.
Both Theresa & I wore dresses from Target.

Last weekend one of my closest friends celebrated her 30th birthday. It's really crazy to think that we've been friends for so long and I can't really pin point the moment in time where we stopped being friends and transitioned into family, but it has happened. Every 'big deal' in my life has been shared with her and even though I'm usually off galavanting somewhere, time or distance never seems to dull the friendship. 

We share similar world views and we're both still growing into ourselves, learning about what it means to be a woman; and a strong woman of culture and family. We still giggle about the high school things like finding the right man, and who's doing what around our hometown but that's amongst the sharing of wild hopes, deep dreams and aspirations for the future. I've been blessed with plenty of 'sisters' who now live all over the world. I've shared precious moments with them all but this is something in a league of it's own. 

I remember in kindergarten when our teachers gathered us all in the quadrangle in what I would recall as an attempt to get us all together. I was so scared. I was so shy. There was no one there like me. A swarm of people, but no one there like me. Then amongst a sea of faces I found her. That girl who was a little bit like me, and looked as scared as I felt. That was the first time I met Cleone Wellington and we've been legit ever since. 

Happy Birthday Sis. 

I delight in your accomplishments and success and I look forward to the next 30 years of sisterhood. 

Big Love,

Falala Mele.