Meet The Joshuas

Meet The Joshuas
It’s been almost a month since Weddings Whitsundays, Paradise Cove and us here at The Wedding Planners Whitsundays announced the winners of the $50k Wedding in Paradise giveaway. We’ve been getting to know Joshua Breakwell and Joshua Starr (yep, both Joshua!!!!!) and the best way for you to get to know these two is by hearing their 30-day proposal story….
The FULL proposal story as told by Josh Breakwell

The proposal was a long one. We had talked a lot about getting married. It was always something that we would joke about, saying we would have to get married overseas so it’s a proper wedding.

Regardless, I started to consider how I would ask Josh to marry me as it had been long enough, and I guess you could say I love a little bit of romance. In the middle of these considerations; another month-long trip to Manila was fast approaching and the preparations for my sister’s wedding were also well underway. It turned out that my sister’s wedding would be on February 11th and then I had to fly out to Manila the next day for three weeks work at an overseas call centre. Our 5 year anniversary would also fall on the 17th of February with me being out of the country 🙁 It made me sad to think that Josh would be all alone on that day and that we couldn’t spend it together…so I began planning, what I had hoped to be the world’s most elaborate proposal.

I devoted almost all of my time, in between training for a full Ironman triathlon and work commitments to write clues, riddles and plot a scavenger hunt that would start on our 5th year anniversary whilst I was working abroad. Once I had finished preparing the hunt I placed the clues in their final locations around the house and around the city and I had also considered how I could make sure each step in the journey was spaced out to last as long as possible. I also had to make sure several people were aware of the upcoming scavenger hunt so they could keep it happening and help Josh where they needed to. All of this was prepared so no one actually knew that the scavenger hunt ended with a proposal. Our friends who knew what I had planned, just had the understanding that this was a scavenger hunt for him to find his anniversary gift. I wanted it to be that way, so the end was still a surprise to everyone.
February 11th  quickly approached, my sister’s wedding was an unforgettable day/night and early the next morning I headed for Sydney airport. Both dusty and tired from the night before, we said yet another teary goodbye and parted ways for Josh to start what he thought would be a lonely and boring 3 weeks. The next few days passed quickly, and we were both lonely and sad that we were not spending our anniversary together. Josh sent me a message to tell me he had snuck something into my bag and he had left me a card, some chocolates, MaltEaster bunnies (because they are life) an iTunes gift card because my Netflix would never work and a nice ring. In the card he had written – “this is not THE ring but I want to remind you that you are the one.” I remember reading the card, smirking, thinking; just you wait…
So that morning, I sent him a text message that would kick off the full journey – telling him to have a look inside our monopoly board game for the first clue and this is what it said…

“Happy anniversary!

There are so many memorable moments from the past five years that ill never forget,

They are a lot more than the date we first met.

To help you remember the little moments along the way,

I’ve created a treasure hunt that is more than likely going to take more than just one day!

Starting from here you will find,

the very first clue to test your mind.

You’ll know where to go and what to do when you’ve worked it out,

But you’ll enjoy the journey to its end – there’s no doubt!

You’ll have to give it some thought and move your feet,

Because you’ll find your journey may stretch beyond McCormack Street. 

I love you with all of me you know its true,

So read the clue below and you’ll locate clue number two…”

From here the hunt continued, where Josh had to then search for the correct date of when we got together in a Guinness world record book in our bookcase, to then heading downstairs from a riddle based on time to where an hourglass sits and so on. There were clues located in some areas of our home, in books, records and amongst memories that we had made together. The hunt got even more interesting when a clue led him to the home of one of our good friends and he had to head to a café to order a coffee and they gave him a clue, to then complete the local Parkrun on the following Saturday. He also had to find a four-digit code in street graffiti in our street that I had painted months and months ago. I remember him commenting when I painted the graffiti “that graffiti looks terrible, I want to email the council to remove it”.. when he found out it was part of the hunt he couldn’t believe how long it was all planned for.
Each stage of the hunt was paced enough so that it ran the length of almost 3 weeks which meant when I returned to Australia that I would have the time to hide the very last clue (under his side of the bed) and set up the final part, the proposal. It had been a few days since I had been home and the 17th of March was looming… I had hidden the clue under his side of the bed and I had the ring ready in my trouser pocket. I still remember saying to him “you haven’t finished the hunt” and he laughed and said, “I did though, the last clue went nowhere, it just sort of says you love me”. I reminded him there was still one clue left and he had to get to it today because it had been a month since it started and I couldn’t believe he was so slack and hadn’t finished it! At this point he was laying on the bed after an exhausting week at work, “just tell me where the clue is?” he asked and I said to him that he was very close to it. He instantly started searching around the bedroom and the bed frame and finally located the last black envelope, which he opened very slowly. I reached into my pocket with my sweaty nervous hands as he read aloud, “the final clue…” as his eyes flickered from left to right down the page.

I was standing, as he was sitting on the bed, I could see his face change as he read the words…

I tried so hard not to give it away,

but I wanted you to feel special on our anniversary day.

that I wasn’t there,

to spend that day without you wasn’t fair.

So I guess you have no doubt worked it out,

you should know by now what this hunt has all been about. 

I couldn’t let you get to the end without being able to hold you tight,

so I had to keep you waiting until the time was right.

Will you say yes and be my forever man,

continue this journey together for as long we can?

Love, support, truth, devotion, and an exciting life together is what I propose to you,

If you can promise the same things then let’s stand side by side and say I do?!

The hunt is now over and you’ve travelled near and far,

but I’ve got just one question left – Will you marry me, Joshua Starr?

As he looked up from the page, I was already down on one knee, holding the ring up – to which he first said: “but what finger does it go on?”… I had to remind him he had to say yes first and then he did.