Their first few weeks on The Block haven’t entirely gone to plan, but that’s an experience that Steph and Gian Ottavio have been through before.
The couple, both 27, had been meticulously planning their wedding day for almost two years when Mother Nature decided to throw a good old spanner in the works.
“It did sprinkle on our day and as perfectionists, we didn’t plan for this!” Steph tells WHO while discussing the details of their stunning May 2022 nuptials.
WATCH: Meet Steph and Gian from The Block 2023. Article continues after video.
A partial solar eclipse on the night also proved a little tricky. “It actually meant that there was no moon at all that night in the Hunter Valley,” Steph explains. “And I know that sounds really funny, but in the country when you’re getting married outside with no moon, you don’t have much light!”
Thankfully, Steph says, the weather provided an amazing mist around Redleaf Wollombi – the incredible 100-acre property where the couple hosted their reception – providing a “very enchanting, fairytale-like” atmosphere.
“Our photographer and videographer are loving it and we’re just looking at each other like, ‘This is not how we planned it!’” laughs Gian. “They’re like, ‘No, it’s perfect for us!’”
While originally wanting their guests to sit out under the stars, the pair opted for their back-up option of a gorgeous marquee to dine, drink and dance the night away. And although it “wasn’t what we envisioned”, Steph says it was the perfect day nonetheless.
“When you looked out, you felt the love in the room … no napkin or floral arrangement can compare to just the love in the room anyway and I think that actually brought us down to earth,” she gushes.
“We had these sort of big ideas and expectations of what we wanted but those are things that don’t really matter.”
For most couples, it would be hard to top such a love-filled experience but it seems Steph and Gian were just getting started.
The pair enjoyed a “perfect” honeymoon in Italy and Greece before heading back to their newly-renovated home in Sydney where they decided, on a whim, to apply for The Block.
“We always said we thought the year prior was going to be our biggest one yet … and then the show happened and we were like, well it looks like this year is going to be even bigger!”
Gian shares of their post-wedding adventures. “It’s been nice though because it continues to like build us up as people and that’s one of the main reasons why we did want to go on The Block.”
So has it been a whirlwind? “A whirlwind would definitely be an understatement!” he jokes. “We got engaged, planned a wedding, built a house, got married, we went on our honeymoon and now we’re going on The Block – it’s been like we’re doing life in four times [the] speed!”
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
