It truly was the wedding that Canberra built and on a clear autumn morning by Lake Burley Griffin, Evatt couple Valentina Simonetti and Alex Pascoe tied the knot with much of the national capital listening in.
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The couple was married on air on MIX 106.3 during the breakfast program Kristen and Nige. The wedding was given away by the radio station and everything, from the dress to the cake to the music, selected by the listeners.
Family and friends flew in from interstate to be part of the celebrations, which also included the couple's kelpie puppy Cielo, who had flowers in her collar.
Breakfast presenter Kristen Davidson recently became a celebrant and officiated at the nuptials while co-host Nigel Johnson wrote the hilarious but also heartfelt vows for the couple.
While news breaks and the occasional Harvey Norman ad put pause on the ceremony, more than a few times, it was still an intimate, special event, held in front of an open fire at the Boathouse restaurant.
I feel it was a wedding we all enjoyed together as a city.
- MIX 106.3 presenter and celebrant Kristen Davidson
The wedding was especially triumphant as the couple had overcome major obstacles along the way, not least Valentina's cancer diagnosis in 2020.
"I feel elated and so thankful that Canberrans voted for us," Valentina, 37, said.
"It really is our dream day. Alex and I met in Canberra but it almost never happened because Alex was a marine and he was moving back to the US when I met him. So, he decided to propose to me and it was only a few months later I was diagnosed with cancer."
Valentina, who is a consultant for the Synergy Group, battled acute myeloid leukemia for a year, the treatment taking its toll on her physically, but also emotionally, as she told Alex to leave the relationship if he wanted. But he wasn't going anywhere.
"I told her I'm not leaving," he said.
Thankfully, Valentina is in full health and some of her carers from Canberra Hospital were at the wedding on Friday. She was a stunning bride, attended by bridesmaids in vibrant dresses and her cute niece Elena, 5, and nephew Lucas, 2, the flower girl and page boy.
"I'm in complete remission and this is a dream for us," Valentina said.
"I'm Valentina Pascoe now."
The wedding was livestreamed so Alex's family could watch, from their home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
"I feel relieved that the build-up is over but extremely happy," Alex, 28, said, after the ceremony.
"She's amazing and we're going to have an amazing life together.
Alex, who now works in security, was grateful to all of Canberra for the wedding and "thankful we didn't get a Raiders-themed wedding", which was on the cards.
"It was an amazing wedding, beautiful venue, amazing service," he said.
The couple met in Canberra at the Kmotion Dance Studio in Civic.
"We met because I was in the military and one of my buddies is Latin and he liked to go out dancing so I went out dancing with them, because I was new here and wanted to see what there was to do here," Alex said.
"So the first time we met she said, 'Hey, do you dance?' and I said, 'No' and she walked off and danced with someone else."
Kristen and Nige were thrilled the ceremony went off without a hitch. Well, just one, with the couple officially hitched.
"It's the exact mix of exhausted and elated," Nige said.
Kristen, who is expecting her second child in October, had another baby to deliver in the wedding.
"It's so much bigger than what we thought it was going to be," Kristen said.
"When I was training to be a celebrant, this was just an idea I pitched to our team. Getting into this industry, I've realised how many people have had to press pause on weddings and I thought, 'We should give away a wedding'.
"We never knew Val and Alex's back story would resonate so deeply with Canberrans and listeners would be just so involved in his wedding.
"I feel it was a wedding we all enjoyed together as a city."
Kristen and Nige also thanked all the wedding suppliers who donated their goods and services.
"They have gone above and beyond," she said.
The wedding was donated by Canberra wedding suppliers via weddingsofcanberra.com.au, with owner and celebrant Michael Bower saying all up about $35,000 in goods and services were donated to the worthy couple to make their day special.
"It was a wonderful experience, he said.
"There was a lot more involved than what I thought when we started but there's a whole bunch of wonderful members that made today absolutely amazing.
"It's been wonderful."