A year has passed since Kate Guy and Shaun Strom exchanged wedding vows in front of guests on the banks of the Murray River.

“Our ceremony was on the Echuca Wharf on April 13, 2013. The weather was perfect,” Kate says.

They met through mutual friends and after a party one night Kate offered Shaun a ride home.

“We arrived at his place and were saying goodbye; he leant into me and gave me a kiss. He is such a gentleman; he asked me first if it was ok,” Kate says.

The proposal had its humorous moments.

“Shaun bought me a milkshake (chocolate) and took me to Lake Weeroona. It is one of my favourite places.

“We sat down on the grass and then he said he’d left his phone in the car and went to get it.

“I didn't realise he was really going to get the ring, or that, as he walked away, the phone began to ring - in his pocket!

“Lucky for him, I was too distracted by the ducks. He came back, sat next to me and then proposed. I said yes after 45 minutes of crying.”

And how are things going now?

“Fantastic,” Kate says. “We’re even more in love and our relationship is much stronger. Shaun’s a concreting foreman and works six days; so Sunday is usually a lovers’ day. We go out for breakfast or lunch or go on a day trip. We also try to go out for a night dinner.

“We watch the V8 supercars together and travelled to Bathurst with my parents last October.

“It’s so easy to be in love with him,” Kate adds with enthusiasm.

Shaun loves golf and Kate has a telescope. “I love looking at the night sky.  I’ve read a couple of books on astronomy and met up with the astronomy club when we had that recent eclipse.

“We had our one-year anniversary at Warrnambool. Shaun took me there for our first holiday after we met.

 “We went for walks on the beach, ate seafood and played mini golf. We loved challenging each other to see who would win.”

A highlight for the couple was an anniversary present helicopter ride over the 12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road.