- Feb 1, 2023

Dawson + Tegan

"It was the final question and Dawson started coming towards me and saying really nice things. He dropped down on one knee and asked me to marry him."

Married on 20 November 2022.

Dawson and I first met when I moved to Canada with my best friend Amy to do a working holiday visa. We intended to stay for only 6 months.

Both Dawson & I worked at the ski resort in Vancouver called Grouse Mountain. I first worked in the lupins kitchen and Dawson worked in the coffee bar as supervisor. I remember seeing Dawson on my first day and telling Amy how attractive I thought he was and I thought he was just the best. We soon became friends as we hung out with the same group of people.

I kept trying to flirt with Dawson but he was quite oblivious at first and didn't realise that I was trying to hit on him! Amy and I got invited to Dawson's New Years Eve party. I had never had a New Years kiss and knew that I wanted Dawson to be my first one! Even though I had a little bit too much liquid courage and Amy helped me out, Dawson was my first ever New Years kiss. (even though he didn't know that at the time).

After that, I got to know him more and loved how goofy, funny and weird he was… not just a good looking face. We would occasionally hold hands and secretly kiss when out with a group of friends. I decided that it would be ok if Dawson didn't feel the way I did as I knew we could still be friends, so I finally summoned the courage to tell him that I liked him. We were at one of my favourite bars called the Two Lions which has now sadly been demolished. He was at the bar and I went up and said "Dawson, "I really like you,"and he answered that he liked me as well and asked me on a date to Science World. We went on a date the next day and I can tell you, it's the best date I have ever been on. I have never laughed so hard and we had such a genuine time while just being ourselves. I thought it was too good to be true and continued to feel that way for a little while. Amy also met her current boyfriend, Mattias, at the same time, and we decided to stay for the whole two years. Those two years were some of the best days of our lives, no responsibilities, all the adventures, parties, meeting new people and hiking!

It was getting towards the end of my visa, and I never wanted to put any pressure on Dawson coming back with me and decided if this was it, then I would remember this for the rest of my life and always wonder "what if". However, Dawson sent me a snapchat and said that he got his working holiday visa for Australia and he would be coming back with me. I couldn't believe it. This amazing guy didn't want to leave me and wanted to continue our adventure together!

We moved back to Perth together where we have been since. Over the years together we realised we didn't want to leave each other. Dawson got his partnership visa and we adopted my 15 year old cat and got our gorgeous border collie Peach. We settled into living in Australia and didn't want to move anywhere else.

In 2020, coming up to Dawson's birthday during COVID19, it was a time where you could only have very small group gatherings, so I had the thought to plan him a surprise small birthday party which was a 90’s themed quiz night. We both wore double denim, which in Canada would be known as a Canadian Tuxedo. Dawson also had big plans for that night that I had no idea about. We had talked a lot about getting married and I remember the day before saying to Dawson that I would definitely know when he was going to propose. Little did I know it would be that very next day. At his birthday party we were all having a great time and I was very invested in the quiz because the girls were losing. It was the final question and Dawson started coming towards me and saying really nice things. He dropped down on one knee and asked me to marry him. At first I was in so much shock that he had planned this and it was all happening! But of course I said yes and then turned around to find our friends had champagne ready and were filming. It was so lovely and a memory we will have forever.

Because of COVID19 we put the wedding off for a little while as we wanted Dawson's family and friends to be able to come from Canada and we are so happy we did. All the planning and organizing came together beautifully and it was such a beautiful day at Chapel Farm Estate. We had "flower dudes" instead of flower girls, our good friend Andy (comedian) was MC and did a great job. Emily, who looked after our music was just fantastic. It was such a beautiful day and I loved every part of it.