It was, in almost every respect, a classic kind of romance.
Keely Dunning and Daniel Pop met about two years ago. Daniel is a military man, stationed at Darwin, and Keely is a student at the Univeristy of Newcastle.
They fell in love and were married at the weekend, surrounded by friends and family at the Newcastle Museum on Saturday afternoon.
Keely wore an elegant white gown with tulle and Daniel was done up to 11 in a sharp beige suit and bow tie.
Classic.
Where things took a twist was when the celebrant, Pauline Stow, handed the microphone to the Univeristy radio station's breakfast-turned-first-time-wedding announcer Todd Sergeant to tie the proverbial knot.
"My name is Todd Sergeant and I'm not authorised to marry anyone," Mr Sergeant said as he took the microphone, "This is probably the most special thing I have ever done. I'm going to try not to tear up."
The enamoured couple were one of about 50 to win their wedding package that included car and suit hire, cosmetics, floral arrangements, a travel voucher towards the couple's honeymoon, a voucher for bridal jewellery, and sparkling wine provided at the reception, after entering via the school's radio station.
"Pauline and I know each other and she called and said 'I have this great idea'," Mr Sergeant explained moments after officiating his first wedding, "We got together and she came up with the whole concept.
"Times are tight at the moment and weddings are expensive and we just wanted to give one couple a bit of a hand to make their day a bit special."
Daniel and Keely, who she was walked down the aisle and given away by her brother, Nathan, were duly wed and celebrated Saturday afternoon on Newcastle Beach.
Moments before the ceremony, Daniel, showing just a hint of a groom's nerves, had gifted Mr Sergeant with a jar of his homemade marmalade in thanks.
"I think it was on their first date," Mr Sergeant said, chuffed, "Daniel asked Keely if she liked jam; he makes his own. He knows I love marmalade and the night before his wedding, he makes me this."
"We can't wait to tie the knot, especially with Todd on our big day," the couple said in a statement leading up to their wedding, "It's been a long time coming and we really wanted to make the day special and with Todd there, we think we've achieved something different for our big day."
"We would have loved to have been able to give four or five or six weddings away," Mr Sergeant said after the ceremony, "But (Keely and Daniel) are beautiful and they have worked so hard.
"Obviously, it has been a long distance relationship with Daniel in Darwin and Keely in Newcastle, but if anyone can make it work, it will be those two."
