Having flown high above Sydney’s Olympic stadium with the world’s eyes upon her, Nikki Webster should be used to being the centre of attention. But in front of her family and closest friends, Nikki couldn’t have been more nervous as she walked down the aisle to wed the man she met two-and-a-half years ago on a blind date, Matthew McMah.

“Put me in front of 1000 people to perform, and I’m fine. Make me say vows and a speech and I’m a wreck,” Nikki tells Woman’s Day. “I’m also the clumsiest girl ever. I said to Dad, ‘You better hold me up in case I trip over my dress!’”Just like on that magical night 12 years ago at the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Nikki felt like her feet never touched the ground as her dream wedding came true. Nikki, 25, and Matt, 32, spent more than 18 months planning their big day, but there was still plenty of room for the unexpected.

While Matt handed Nikki the reins to create her dream wedding, he still managed to surprise her with a fairytale grand entrance. “He got me a horse and carriage,” gushes Nikki. “It was so romantic!” “I did it because her grandmother and her mother arrived at the church on their wedding days in a horse and carriage,” explains Matt. “I thought it would be a lovely gesture, especially since her grandparents came all the way from the UK for the wedding. I looked at a few and picked the one that most looked like a princess carriage.”

Unfortunately, due to a technical hitch on the roads, Nikki wasn’t able to travel to the church in the carriage, but she still felt like royalty arriving in a Rolls Royce in her breathtaking Arushie gown she designed herself. “I felt beautiful in the dress,” says Nikki. “Like a princess. I couldn’t wait for Matt to see me in it.”

Read more, plus see all of the stunning pictures from Nikki's wedding exclusively in this week's Woman’s Day on sale Monday November 19, 2012.