From first date to the wedding day, nothing about Micaela and Caleb’s journey has been straightforward.

In February 2020, Micaela and Caleb met by chance at a birthday party in Sydney, and it was certainly crush at first sight. But Caleb lived 1,200 kms away in Broken Hill, and was due to fly home the following day. With some pressure from mutual friends who could see the obvious flirting unfolding, Micaela ‘shot her shot’ and texted Caleb later that night to arrange a date for the next day, which he excitedly accepted. What started as a completely ‘obligation free’ date with the assumption that neither would ever see each other again, ended as what both describe as the perfect date, and one of the most incredible days of their lives.

They had to see each other again, so within a few weeks of texting and phone calls, the second date was booked: four nights in Adelaide, including two days glamping together in the middle of nowhere. More than one family member questioned their sanity. But after five magical days together came a heart-rending goodbye at Adelaide airport, each wrestling questions like, “What the fuck now? How do I not see this person again?”. 

It’s like living in a modern fairy tale.

Within 24 hours of Micaela landing back in Sydney, NSW experienced its first COVID lockdown. The improbability of seeing each other had now become an impossibility. But the Zoom revolution took hold, and even couples who lived in the same city were forced to endure ‘long distance’ relationships. Beyond the impracticalities of distance, shift work and building a relationship from only 7 days’ face-to-face time, Micaela and Caleb pulled to each other like magnets. “I just have no choice,” they would say to each other, and themselves. “I need this person in my life.”

By July, Micaela had packed up and moved to Adelaide – for work, sure, but certainly also to reduce the Broken Hill commute time from 12 hours to five. The night before they were due to cross the NSW/SA border, the borders closed, and they almost didn’t make it through. Now they were geographically closer, but it made no difference. Borders remained closed, and Caleb searched for any excuse acceptable to border authorities that would grant him a reason to visit Micaela in Adelaide. Finally, he cracked. Leaving his home, his job and his family, Caleb made the move to Adelaide, and in November 2020, they at last became permanent roommates. 

A puppy followed the next year, and by November 2021, the family of three moved back home to Sydney. In March 2022, in their pyjamas on the couch, Caleb proposed and Micaela said yes.

The wedding rings were stolen, hope was almost lost.

The wedding day is an epic saga of its own. Severe weather warnings for the Sydney Harbour outdoor wedding, a sick bride, stolen wedding rings, police intervention, an arrest, and some heroic work by Nick Watson, the photographer (and Micaela’s brother). The day turned out to be truly magical, with Caleb and Micaela able to share their love – and many tears – in an intimate wedding with immediate family and a few closest friends. 

They wouldn’t change their story for anything.

Loved this intimate & wild wedding? Check out the other Intimate Weddings for more inspiration, and be sure to scroll through my blog!