The happy couple.

Dress: Fitted satin by Karen Willis Holmes, Paddington

Honeymoon: Seven days at Shangri La, Sydney

When and where married: October 3, 2015, at Putta Bucca House, Mudgee

DANCING under the stars, with hanging crystal chandeliers for a little extra light, was a high point of the evening for Samantha Luckie and Mark Fergus after their wedding in their home town of Mudgee in the central west.

After a ceremony at St Mary’s Catholic Church where two of their close friends, Mitch and Mike Gordon played live music, the couple held a reception for 110 guests in a marquee at historic Putta Bucca House, overlooking the town.

Mark and Samantha (far right) with their bridal party.Source:Supplied

The bridal party jump for joy!Source:Supplied

Samantha, a kindergarten teacher at Oberon, a half-hour drive east of her Bathurst home, and Mark, an engineer, first met at kindergarten at St Matthew’s Central School in Mudgee in 1997.

Romance took a little longer, flourishing in middle high school when each of their best friends left for boarding school in Year 10.

“We went to the same school and had the same circle of friends,” Samantha says.

“But when our closest friends went to boarding school, Mark and I became closer. That’s what started our relationship.”

Their first date was at a Christmas street parade in Mudgee in 2008.

Samantha moved to Bathurst to study in 2010 and Mark joined her after one year studying at Wollongong.

Samantha’s dress included a long veil.Source:Supplied

Samantha with her bridesmaids.Source:Supplied

After eight years together, which has included some “amazing holidays”, both love their ability to communicate easily with each other, a strong friendship and commitment to common future goals.

“Our favourite holiday would have been to New Zealand,” Samantha says.

“It was right before our engagement.”

The couple hired a car to drive around the south island, and they spent a lot of time alone while driving.

“We only had each other’s company. It was great fun and just reaffirmed our friendship,” Mark says.

He proposed not long after, on Friday, January 23, 2015.

It began when he sent Samantha on a treasure hunt, leaving clue cards that took her first for a massage, then a facial and a new dress.

“Mark proposed at our home and we celebrated with champagne and a lovely dinner at a restaurant on Mt Panorama overlooking Bathurst,” Samantha says.

Their wedding had some special touches.Source:Supplied

The couple married at Mudgee.Source:Supplied

Samantha’s dress was selected at Karen Willis Holmes’ Paddington store.

“It was a very simple but beautiful dress,” she says.

“It was satin, off white, old school with Hollywood glamour.”

They wanted a rustic vintage theme for the reception, held in a marquee decorated by Michelle Rhodes of Domayn Events.

“We had a dance floor under the stars with hanging crystal chandeliers,” Samantha says.

“We also used mason jar candle chandeliers, and had painted chalkboards as place settings and different length wooden stumps to decorate the candy table. The marquee design was absolutely all we could have ever imagined.”

The couple’s wedding cake.Source:Supplied

Their wedding reception.Source:Supplied

They had a two-tier, white chocolate and chocolate mud cake made by Natalie Longmuir of Who Ate the Cake in Mudgee.

Instead of traditional bomboniere, the reception featured a lolly table with takeaway bags, a “massive hit” with guests.

A highlight of their wedding was the videographers, who spent all day with the couple as they prepared.

“They’re two teachers from Bathurst who do videography as a hobby,” Samantha says.

“Their names are Ben and Ash and they work as Bnash Videography in Bathurst.”

The newly-married couple share a kiss.Source:Supplied

Mark and Samantha had a short, one-week honeymoon at Sydney’s Shangri La hotel overlooking the Harbour, and have settled at Bathurst, where they have built a house.

But, after saving during 2016, their next holiday will be a longer, two-month European honeymoon tour.

Picture credit: Nikki Burke Photography

KATE SEAGROVE, 25, AND PATRICK MOORE, 28

Dress: Straplessby Briony Leigh Bridal, Miranda

Honeymoon: Gold Coast for one week

KATE and Pat met in 2006 as teenagers through a mutual friend.

It wasn’t until two years later Pat finally decided to make it official. They were both attracted to each other’s thrill for life’s adventures and passion to achieve great things.

Three months after their first son was born in November, 2012, Pat placed the ring in their son’s lap as he got down on one knee.

They wed on October 3, 2015, at the Sun House in Surf Beach with 116 guests.

Picture credit: Double Exposure Photography

Jamie and Daniel were friends before dating.Source:Supplied

Daniel and Kate met when they were teenagers.Source:Supplied

JAMIE WALSH, 24, AND DANIEL TWYMAN, 24

Dress: Ivory French beaded lace by Personalised Weddings Couture, Earlwood

Honeymoon: New York and Hawaii for 16 days

THEIR story began in 2006, but it was 10 years and 10 days later that Jamie and Daniel tied the knot.

The pair started as friends (Jamie always had butterflies around Daniel) before romance bloomed.

They wed on January 16 at the Garden Pavilion at Miramare Gardens, Terrey Hills, with 120 guests in attendance.

Picture credit: D’Amico Photography

ANNIKA EVANS, 33, AND JAMES FAWCETT, 30

Dress: Beaded A-line from Sweethearts Bridal, Blacktown

Honeymoon: Europe for a month

THE pair were introduced through friends in April 2009 and were mates for two years before officially becoming a couple.

James and Annika were friends before they started dating.Source:Supplied

They were attracted to each other for their mutual love of tennis, NRL and a passion for travel. James proposed in Fiji in October 2014.

After a special dinner, he got down on one knee. They wed on December 12, 2015, at St Michael’s Greek Orthodox Church in Crows Nest with 165 of their closest friends and family in attendance.

Picture credit: Caterina Di Girolamo

FLASHBACK

JOCK AND ANNA STEWART

Married: January 10, 1981

JOCK and Anna Stewart from Croydon Park met at St Peter’s Anglican Church in Burwood East.

They discovered their mutual Scottish heritage and interest in the works of poet C.J. Dennis.

Now: Jock and Anna have been married since 1981.Source:News Corp Australia

Then: Jock and Anna on their wedding day.Source:News Corp Australia

They have just celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary and are as happy as ever. They have two daughters, Katrina and Roslyn.