After 50 years of marriage, well-known Sunshine Coast cookbook author Annette Sym and her husband William have renewed their vows.
The couple have had a love-filled partnership, with three daughters, six grandchildren and a multimillion-dollar business in which they have created eight weight-loss cookbooks that have sold more than four million copies, an online business and hundreds of TV appearances.
Related story: How Coast author ‘symply’ slow cooked an empire
Going back to 1974, when Annette Nicod walked down the aisle of Dee Why Anglican Church in Sydney to meet her groom, little did they know that 50 years later they would be doing it all again, with Annette dressed in her original 1974 bespoke wedding gown and headpiece.
Their renewal of vows celebration, held at The Bower Tree in Sippy Downs last Saturday, marked 50 years to the day since their wedding, and they were surrounded by friends and family, including their original bridesmaids.
Annette’s passion for sharing her weight-loss journey to help others would embody the business and change thousands of lives along the way. Her Simply Too Good to be True books became one of Australia’s biggest-selling series and a staple for households.
She won the Telstra Queensland and Australian microbusiness of the year awards in 2004, and in 2006 was ranked number 27 in BRW magazine’s list of top 50 entrepreneurial women in Australia.
Annette and Bill lived and worked together every day, building a life here on the Sunshine Coast, working and raising their family in Buderim.
Standing together last Saturday, they reflected on a magnificent life together, renewing the vows they made so long ago and celebrating a love and a life that most could only dream of.
After guests were seated, Annette surprised everyone with a grand bridal entrance. The reception doors opened and their adorable granddaughters entered sprinkling rose petals down the middle of the reception room aisle.
Then, to the sounds of Here Comes the Bride, Annette appeared, escorted by her two divine grandsons.
There were so many tears and a wave of emotion as, once again Annette walked towards her groom, her partner who has cherished her every single day.
Bill presented Annette with a pink diamond ring and she surprised him with her gift of a new watch, before they solemnly and joyfully shared their personally written renewed vows.
As their celebrant and long-time friend, I took them on a journey back to August 17, 1974, sharing details of their day: maroon-coloured Mercedes wedding cars; their wedding reception smorgasbord (which cost $3.30 per head) serving prawns and oysters in carved ice bowls and adorned by a swan carved from margarine; a DJ playing records, which was extremely new and trendy for the times; and of course the highest 1970s fashion of maroon suits with huge bow ties for the groom and groomsmen.
Recently retired, Annette and Bill are loving their newly found free time, with many travel plans and aims to spend more time with their amazing family.
- Celebrant: Suzanne Riley
- Stylist: Julie-Ann from Cloud Nine Weddings
- Photographer: Isabel Bond
Wedding Belles is contributed to Sunshine Coast News by Sunshine Coast marriage celebrant Suzanne Riley.
