Daniel & Anastasija

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A Little Nudge From Fate

Our love story was a classic one that began with a little help from the outside.

It all started when Anastasija attended the christening of Max, the son of her good friend Eva. She was seated next to a friendly stranger, Theo, who patiently listened as she shared the ups and downs of her quest for love.

Later that evening, Theo returned home and caught up with his housemate, Daniel. Being the astute wingman that he was, Theo soon realised that we were both on different dating apps and might not have met on our own. Thinking we would be a great match, he decided that fate needed a little help. He made the introductions, and a week later—after messaging—we were on our way to the city for our first date.

The First Date That Lasted Eight Hours

Daniel was ready to bring his romance A-game to our first date. The meeting place? McDonald’s Wynyard Station…

Anastasija arrived dressed in what Daniel described as an elegant maroon dress—still one of his favourites to this day. Daniel had dressed well too, but when he saw the beautiful Anastasija standing patiently waiting outside McDonald’s, he had flashbacks to childhood, when he found talking to girls nearly impossible.

He then led Anastasija to a hidden Spanish bar called Bar Topa. Over wine, tapas, laughter, and easy conversation, sparks quickly began to fly. At one point, Anastasija suddenly exclaimed, “Oh my goodness, you are like my dream guy!” before covering her mouth in shock at what she had just said on a first date. Daniel, trying to stay smooth, offered her his scarf to keep her warm on the chilly winter evening.

Our date continued for nearly eight hours as we wandered through the city, took in the Vivid lights and views, and stopped for more drinks at some high-end wine and cocktail bars. Eventually, in the early hours of the morning, the night ended with us sharing falafel streetside while we waited for the last trains home—each heading to opposite sides of Sydney, but already looking forward to our second date.


Bridges, Beaches and Brandy

Our dating life soon revolved around taking turns crossing the Harbour Bridge to see each other. Daniel loved showing Anastasija around the North Shore and Northern Beaches—Freshwater quickly became our favourite spot—while Anastasija loved introducing Daniel to the hidden gems of the Shire.

It didn’t take long for us to embark on our first road trip together. This included bonding and laughter with friends in Gerringong over making homemade woodfired pizza, meeting Anastasija’s babas and dedas in Bowral and Mollymook, learning Daniel’s first Serbian word, “ziveli” (cheers) over shots of plum brandy, and finishing with fresh scones at Daniel’s mum’s place in Newcastle.

Back in Sydney, Daniel continued to impress Anastasija with his talent for discovering new restaurants around the city, perfectly balanced with our shared love of beach days. Knowing Anastasija’s love for flowers, Daniel often had a fresh bouquet waiting for her (and still does).

As our relationship grew, so did our love. We discovered our differences, but also what we shared.

It was then that we moved in together in Oatley—Ana’s dream suburb—where we continued to fall deeper in love.

From PJs to Palm Beach

After living together for a year in Oatley and dating for three years, Anastasija frequently reminded Daniel of her dream engagement ring and ring size—‘subtle’ clues that did not go unnoticed. To keep her guessing, Daniel playfully showed her random engagement rings in the lead-up to the proposal, all while secretly ordering her dream ring.

Daniel hinted at a road trip for the coming weekend, knowing it would be the perfect occasion to take Anastasija somewhere she had mentioned on our first date as a part of Sydney she had never seen before—Palm Beach.

To kick off the weekend, Daniel joined Anastasija on the couch in her pyjamas, while he wore an ironed shirt. At first, she didn’t think much of it—after all, Daniel never missed an opportunity to be the best dressed! But then she noticed that their apartment had been transformed with flowers and chocolate. Daniel took her hands—slightly sweaty from nerves—and began a heartfelt speech that led into the proposal, presenting her dream engagement ring. Anastasija cried happy tears as she said yes.

The next day, we arrived at Palm Beach to enjoy what may have been the best winter weekend ever. We spent a romantic weekend together, staying in Jonah’s finest suite, enjoying the sea from the highest vantage point, and sharing the joyful news with our family and friends.



Love in Full Bloom

Being engaged has been the most wonderful chapter of our lives so far. Every day, we fall deeper in love, and as we continue to uncover more about each other we’re overjoyed to plan our wedding and build the life of our dreams together.

Daniel learned from his parents that differences can flourish when you share true love, common goals, and a clear vision for the future. Anastasija learned from her parents that creating a life together requires a strong foundation, care, patience, and a commitment to laugh each day and cherish the small moments. Inspired by our families and those who came before us, we hope to build that same kind of life together one day.

We can’t wait to celebrate getting married with all of you at the Serbian Orthodox Church and join in the festivities that follow as we step into this exciting next chapter of our forever, together.






  • Summers in Mollymook

  • The Whitsundays

  • Tasmania

  • Dressed Up

  • The Royal National Park

  • Country NSW

  • Proposal weekend

  • Freshwater