Wedding plans for a Taree couple are up in the air after the venue where they were to hold their wedding ceremony and reception burnt down on Sunday (August 21).
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“We’re pretty devastated, it was our dream wedding spot,” said Mikaela Norris about Ripples on the Lake at Tiona. “This isn’t something you expect to happen.”
The 23-year-old is due to marry her fiance Cameron Tate, 25, on November 26 and booked Ripples a year ago.
“It was hands down the best venue we could’ve found around here.
“You could get married on the grass or right on the lake, and there was a beautiful big deck that wrapped around the cafe and bifold doors that opened out onto the river. It was beautiful.
“The owners (Bill and Trudy Paull) are such lovely people and it’s such a horrible thing for them. Trudy has been amazing.”
Mikaela said they noticed the owners had been making improvements to the venue and thought it would look fantastic for their day.
The first hint something was wrong came from a post on Facebook.
“When it said the fire happened at Tiona we wondered. Then we were told it wasn’t Sundowner so we knew it was Ripples,” said Mikaela, who was holidaying at the Gold Coast with Cameron when the news came through.
“Our celebrant called the next morning.”
The day after they got the news was a “real blur” but they decided to enjoy their week away before coming home and working to find an alternative.
“We thought we were so organised.
“A big part is now missing and it’s sadly something we don’t have any control over.”
Being locals they want to marry locally.
“It’s a small town, there’s not many options at all and there will be a lot of people trying to re-find locations. We might have to think outside the square,” she said.
“As much as my heart goes out to the owners, nowhere else will compare.”
Mikaela said the couple’s family and friends have been amazing, contacting them with messages of support and concern.
“At the end of the day the wedding is about us and not a place. But we had this beautiful picture in our head about what our day would be and now that is gone.”
Mikaela and Cameron have been together for a couple of years and have built their own home together near Lansdowne.