Roda and Damien have set up high standards for love. In a time when problems plaguing our everyday lives are playing havoc with our relationships, they have shown that true love is unconditional. Damien has cancer, but instead of becoming depressed, both of them decided to get married in a beautiful ceremony and live each day with courage and hope.
Roda and Damien were high school friends, but after graduation they lost contact with each other after Roda moved to the Gold Coast in Australia. The two lived very separate lives with no contact for fifteen years — but somehow they were predestined to be together. That moment came when Roda received a message from Damien on Facebook.
‘We got talking, three days later he came down to the Gold Coast, one week later he was my boyfriend,’ she told Daily Mail Australia. ‘Three months later he was like “Do you want to get married?”
Source: lou O’Brien /Facebook
From the very beginning, Roda was anxious to make sure they would create a long lasting and stable relationship — she decided to lay down some rules and conveyed to Damien that he couldn’t propose to her until they had been together for at least two years.
But in 2016 – 12 months later – came a terrible twist of fate. 36-year-old Damien was born with cystic fibrosis and had undergone a lung transplant 7 years before. Suddenly his body started rejecting the organ. Then, more bad news — on a routine check-up doctors found a cancer growth on his lip.
Damien was told he could not have another lung transplant as the anti-rejection drugs would exacerbate the dormant cancer cells. He was devastated and faced an uncertain future with his new-found love. A saddened Damien decided to do the only thing he could do — break his promise and pop the question to Roda — 1 year ahead of time.
In order to propose, Damien booked a cruise with Roda. One night on the cruise when she was getting dressed for a glamorous dinner together, a nervous Damien waited on one knee outside the door. The moment she opened the door, seeing Damien as a bundle of nerves, she forgot her rule and said “yes.” Tears of happiness rolled down Roda’s eyes.
Roda started planning the wedding immediately. She had already found her dream wedding destination – when they were on a vacation in Queensland Australia, she had absolutely loved the tourist attraction “Sunshine Castle”.
While taking a tour of Sunshine Castle, Roda shared their touching love story with the owners. The owners of Sunshine Castle then contacted “My Wedding Wish”, a charity that organizes dream weddings to couples facing terminal illnesses. The foundation immediately called the couple and encouraged Roda and Damien to apply. A few days later their application was approved and their wedding wish was granted…
The organization planned an impressive $25,000 wedding in only 3 months. The couple wanted to make sure the mood was light and happy — they wanted their wedding ceremony to be lively and upbeat.
The beautiful pictures show how wonderful their special day was…a perfect dream wedding.
A gallant knight and his beautiful bride in front of their impressive castle.
Images by lou O’Brien /Facebook
Images by lou O’Brien /Facebook
The happily married couple take the opportunity to share a quiet moment together during the wedding celebrations…
Images by lou O’Brien /Facebook
As Roda and Damien walked down the aisle together, the song “Can’t Help Falling in Love” played in the background. The bride wore a ball gown and veil fit, looking every bit a princess. To get into the castle mood, everyone attending the wedding dressed in medieval garb. Everything was planned to perfection and the couple couldn’t have hoped for anything more on such a beautiful occasion.
Roda later said, “I’ve never felt so calm and grounded, there was just a spark.”
The lovely newlyweds will be honeymooning in Melbourne, Australia.
