“Not a dry eye in the house”: The touching way Brooke Warne plans to honour late dad Shane at her wedding

Wedding preparations are reportedly already in full swing after Brooke Warne announced her engagement to long-time love Alex Heath last week.

The eldest child of the late, great Australian cricketing legend Shane Warne and ex-wife Simone Callahan is said to be eyeing up a no-expenses-spared European extravaganza paying tribute to her beloved dad next summer.

“Brooke wants the wedding to be elegant, relaxed and all about family and friends,” an insider tells Woman’s Day.

“She wants everyone to feel like they’re on one big holiday.”

According to those close to the couple, European hotspot Greece has long been a favourite destination for Brooke and Alex, both 29, and they can’t think of anywhere more fitting to exchange vows in front of their nearest and dearest.

With her father sadly no longer around to walk her down the aisle, we hear her brother Jackson, 27, will step up and fill that role in what’s expected to be one of the day’s most emotion-filled moments.

Her sister Summer, 24, will be maid of honour.

In a further nod to Brooke’s late dad, it’s expected that close family friends Ed Sheeran and Chris Martin will both attend and perform.

“Brooke would love Ed to play Perfect, one of Shane’s favourite songs, as she marries Alex, and for Chris to perform at the reception,” our source notes.

“Honouring Shane is incredibly important to her. There won’t be a dry eye in the house when his memory is acknowledged.”

Meanwhile, Brooke is reportedly considering an Australian designer when it comes to her all-important wedding gown.

“She absolutely loved Delta Goodrem’s wedding looks and has been taking plenty of inspiration,” says our insider.

“Paolo Sebastian is one of the names at the top of her wishlist.”

ROMANTIC PROPOSAL

While on holiday in the US, Alex got down on bended knee and popped the question to his girlfriend of almost seven years in Bozeman, Montana, on July 11.

Brooke shared a series of photos of the romantic proposal as well as a close-up look of her stunning pear-shaped diamond engagement ring, captioned, “It was always us.”

“Wowwww I have a brother!!” Jackson replied to the post, while Summer added, “The most perfect representation of soulmates.”

Mum Simone, 56, was also quick to send the happy couple her congratulations, noting the symbolism of the rainbow in one of the images.

“Truly a beautiful match made in Heaven, beyond happy for you both, endless LOVE and the rainbow, Dad’s sign for you Brookie and Alex, he will be over the moon celebrating,” she wrote.

Shane tragically died of a heart attack in Thailand on March 4, 2022, aged just 52.