April 2009

Dear Family & Friends,

Gemma and I would like to share with you our wonderful news of being engaged. I proposed finally after 5 years of going out when we were on Bora Bora in Tahiti a few weeks back this march and we are both very excited.

With Gemma's family in the uk and mine here in Australia we have decided to have two celebrations. The first will be a wedding/engagement party this November 1st/2nd here in Cooma to which we would like to extend an open invitation for family and friends to join us. In the afternoon of Saturday 1st we will have a small garden ceremony and celebration in Norris Park (Opposite the Pool and across from Centenial Park) in downtown Cooma around 5pm. We will then have an open invitation celebration at our house (please bring a plate of food instead of gifts) which is in Cooma north about 25 minutes walk or 5 mins drive away. Address 3 Moorong Place Cooma NSW 2630. Later on those still up for it can kick on to the wee hours in any of Cooma's finest hospitality establishments (see Dodds Hotel, Cooma Hotel, Alpine Hotel and Australian Hotel). On Sunday 2nd November we will be hosting family on the Cooma Light Railway at 10am and then onto Tuross Falls for a picnic lunch at 12:30pm (weather permitting). For accommodation options Cooma is blessed with a number of Pubs, Motels and Caravan Parks and for my recommendations try either the Royal Hotel (www.royalhotelcooma.com.au), Alkira Motel (www.alkiramotel.com), Nebula Motel (www.nebulacooma.com) or the Marlborough Motel (www.marlborough.bestwestern.com.au). Others (www.cml.net.au, www.kinrossinn.com.au, www.pubboy.com.au/page/the_alpine_hotel.cooma.html )

For all those interested or available to attend we would also like to extend an invitation to our wedding next year in the UK on Saturday 2nd May. The ceremony will take place at 2pm St Peters Church, Humberstone (www.stpetershumberston.co.uk) and the reception at 6pm at the Brackenborough Hotel (www.brackenborough.co.uk ), near Louth both in North East Lincolnshire. For accomodation options, further details or for a formal invitation please contact us here in Cooma on ph: Aus(0061) (0)2 6452 7460.

Many thanks to all those who have offered their best wishes. We are looking forward to catching up with all those we haven't seen for a while and also hosting Gemma's parents,brother and sister who are coming to Australia over Christmas and New Year. Hope this news finds you all well and we look forward to hearing from you.

Best Wishes

Stuart and Gemma