A “perfect” day” for Rachael and Matthew

Selina Venier editor@thedailyjournal.ink

Lifelong friends with shared faith in God, Rachael Paech and Matthew Carnell, tied the knot in beautiful, rural style on November 27 but the groom called on the virtue of patience after promptly arriving on a motorbike.

“As I was standing up the front, the nerves started to get to me and it didn’t help that they were running late,” Matthew shared with The Town and Country Journal. “When Rach was walking down the aisle, the nerves all started to go away, and everything felt right.”

The duo married at Savina Lane Winery following a threeyear courtship where they felt drawn to the other in a Godconfirmed way, faith formed in their individual family of origin and also as members of Your Church, Stanthorpe, they said.

“After dating Rach for three years, we both questioned where this relationship was taking us,” Matthew continued. “I had started to pray about whether she was the one God had put in my life, to be with forever. After about six months of prayer, I was welding at work and felt that God had put in my heart saying, ‘Yes, she is the one for you, Matthew’. After this I thought I should mention it to my parents … (and) although at first, they were thrown off guard, they were both very supportive of my decision.”

Rachael said what she most admired in her now-husband was his “value for family and friends”.

“Ever since high school began, Matt had given up his Saturdays to help his dad and work on the family farm,” she said. “I have always admired his passion for wanting to help his family and be with them.”

Matthew is the eldest child of Scott and Rita Carnell (nee Gasparin), and has a brother, Joshua (Josh), and two sisters, Megan and Rebekah.

Rachael is the daughter of Chasley and Michael Paech, and a sister to Hannah and Alicia, as well as their own Joshua (Josh), the couple affirming both sets of parents for helping them prepare for the wedding.

“They were all so organised in making bookings and appointments and arranging for the day to run smoothly and helping set up the ceremony and reception,” Rachael said. “They were supportive of our ideas for the wedding and also had great ideas that I simply hadn’t thought of. Our special day wouldn’t have been possible without them.”

Of Rachael’s special characteristics, Matthew said his nowwife “always tries to make others happy, even if it’s just saying, ‘Thanks, have a good day’ to a stranger that works at the gro- cery store”. “Rach is also passionate about everything she does and very smart even if she doesn’t like admitting it,” he added.

The wedding day itself might have been running later than predicted but the outcome was as glorious as hoped for.

“We had planned to have our wedding shortly after I had finished university exams,” Rachael said. “This resulted to the lead up of the wedding being pretty stressful as I had exams, and placements just weeks before the wedding. I even had assignment due mere days before the wedding. This would have been quite stressful however I stayed on top of my studies and submitted them earlier.

“The week leading up the wedding was stinking hot however when Sunday came, the day begun overcast with a few drizzles scattered throughout as we all got ready. We prayed for the day to clear up and by the time the ceremony started, as I started walking down the aisle, the clouds separated, and the sun shone upon us.

“It was the perfect weather for the ceremony and the rain stayed away for the rest of the day.”

Today, Mr and Mrs Matthew and Rachael Carnell live and study in Brisbane, Rachael in her final year of a dual degree in Mathematics and Education and Matthew continuing a boiler making apprenticeship.

They credit God for helping them find a rental in a difficult Brisbane market and for the happiness they experience in life.

“I think God has had a fairly big part in our relationship from the youth groups and church we attended which brought us closer together,” Rachael said. “(And) like every relationship, there are ups and downs and every time there’s been a tough spot, I’ve had a sense of peace that can only come from God that everything is going to be fine.”

Best of all, they return to our rural parts for the serenity of what they have always known, Rachael saying, “Although we aren’t at home anymore, we take every chance we get to come back to Stanthorpe and hang with Matthew’s lovely family and watch them grow up.”