Making the moment even more special, Lisa’s siblings were also by her side.
‘My brother and sister were there to celebrate with me, which was wonderful as we are not together very often and it all turned out perfectly,’ she says.
‘Putting on my wedding dress was emotional. Often a wedding is for a few hours, and it was really special to do it again.’
Sharing their experience, they explain that Malta, where entertainer Mark spent his childhood, was better than they ever imagined and the perfect start of their new adventure ticking off New Delhi, Agra, Cairo, Gozo, Malta and Abu Dhabi – where they took photos in their wedding outfits.
‘Mark is a very romantic man and makes every day fun,’ gushes Lisa.
‘He constantly looks out for me. My most memorable part was sitting on the camel in the desert at sunset and looking around at Mark, who is so very handsome, and thinking: “That’s my husband, and we are on a camel!”’
‘It was never ending,’ says Mark.
‘A fabulous memento in all those locations. The Taj Mahal, with its romantic history, was excellent at 5.30am with no-one around.’
With so many grand plans the newlyweds say not everything was perfect, but the odd mishap was worth it.
‘The first place we went for photos in India was full of tourists and locals and I didn’t want to get out of the car and get tickets in my wedding dress,’ says Lisa.
‘As we walked in, we got bombarded with people wanting photos, which drew a lot of attention. Security said we couldn’t do a modelling shoot.’
Luckily Mark managed to explain it wasn’t a professional shoot, and that they simply wanted more wedding photos.
Now back home in their 25-hectare property on the Sunshine Coast hinterland, normal life has resumed. Making time to see her new grandson Flynn was a priority for the swim champ.
Now it’s all go again for Lisa, who is busy planning adventure retreats in Fiji, while Mark’s bookings at Crown Casino are filling fast.
But while they launch various events and retreats, one thing will never be the same.
‘I love when he calls me “my wife,”’ gushes Lisa. ‘It puts a smile on my face every time.’
For the full story and more amazing pictures see this weeks issue of New Idea - out now!
