Bride’s Maiden Name: Wilson Occupation: Retail Logistics Manager Groom’s Full Name: Richard Suddes Occupation: Physiotherapist
Contact Email: holliwilson27@gmail.com
Wedding Date: 23.06.18 How many guests? 96 day 190 evening Wedding Budget (Optional):
The Team
Wedding feature thanks to: Adorn https://www.adorninvitations.co.uk/ Wedding Invitations: Dandelion Stationary Dress: Badley Mischka http://badgleymischka.com/ Veil: The Bridal Collection Harrogate Makeup: Megan Bulmer Hair: Laura Collett-Bradley Shoes: Kurt Geiger Bridesmaids Dresses: Ted Baker https://www.tedbaker.com/ Groom’s Suit: Paul Smith Groomsmen Suit: Ted Baker Cake: Made by a family friend! Food: Taste Cuisine Flowers: Leafy Couture Photographer: Lumiere Photographic https://lumierephotographic.com/ Ceremony Venue: Priory Cottages Reception Venue: Priory Cottages http://www.priorycottages.co.uk/ Entertainment: Jonny Ross Music + Simply Strings + Marcus Songs Celebrant: Harrogate registrars Transport: None Wedding Favours: Krispy Kerme Doughnuts Any Other Vendors: Balloons by Funky Muppet
The Details
How did you and your partner meet? We met working together at Ted Baker when Rich was at university and I was just out of school.
How did he propose? We were on holiday in Costa Rica. He had set up with the hotel that we won a romantic meal for two on the beach so I didn’t suspect! It ended up raining so they moved in into a wine cellar in one of restaurants. He had chosen my favorite food and I thought it was strange how the hotel had known! Little did I know he was about to propose
Length of Engagement? 2 years
What do you love most about your partner? His humor
How would you describe your wedding in one or two words? Perfect
Tell us about your wedding gown and how you chose it. It was the last dress I tried on at The Bridal Collection in Harrogate – it was the first time I had ever tried on dresses and I knew I wasn’t going to be one of those people who went from shop to shop! When I first put it on a wasn’t 100% but my bridesmaid said why don’t I try a belt and it completely changed the dress and I loved it! I felt so comfortable which is something I really wanted to make sure of and I felt amazing in it
Did you do a ‘first look’ before the ceremony? No – it was all a surprise!
What sort of style did you envision for your wedding day? We didn’t want to make it too formal. We wanted everyone to feel as relaxed as possible so kept things quite simple but with a touch of elegance. I didn’t want it to become to country themed with it been in a barn so made sure the flowers and the decoration didn’t fall into that and brought out a little bit of glamour!
How did you come to choose the location and venue? It was the first and only venue we looked at. I loved that we could all stay at the venue and has access to the whole site for 2 days and the amazing courtyard! This made the wedding as all our friends and family could enjoy the run up and be together to celebrate with us for as long as possible! The day ended up been really warm so our singer and string quartet ended up been outside in the courtyard and it was amazing. We are both very laid back so as soon as we went to look we knew it was the one so went for it!
Can you describe what type of ceremony you had and how you were able to personalise it.
Any readings?Yes we had both our sisters do a reading each.
Vows – did you write your own vows, if so, would you be willing to share them in the feature. If you didn’t write your own vows, can you share what you said or were asked by your officiant? We didn’t write our own we stuck to the standard ceremony
Were any of your guests involved in the ceremony in any way?No but my flower girl (my niece) decided half way through that she wanted to come up and hold my hand so we had a little guest stand with us for part, which was very cute!
How did you enter your wedding ceremony? (Accompanied? Together? Solo?) I walked down the aisle with my dad
What made you choose the type of ceremony that you had? We wanted it to be simple and short. It’s a lot of pressure to stand in front of everyone saying your vows, so we wanted to make sure we both felt as relaxed as possible, but not putting too much pressure on ourselves
Do please share any other thoughts or feelings that you have about your ceremony, which might help inspire others.We had an amazing string quartet who were playing at the ceremony.
Describe the cake (including the flavors) and cake topper. We had cupcakes and then just a small cake at the top! The small cake was made by Richs mum. They love fruit cake and this was a really nice touch for her to be involved with the making of the cake! The cupcakes where made by a family friend. I didn’t want a huge cake that no one would eat, so went for cupcakes and I didn’t even manage to get one as they all got eaten that quick! We had white chocolate and lemon flavor with a few different icing designs, it was really affective and looked amazing!
What flowers did you use in the bouquet and at the venue? We opted for an all-white colour theme with touches of blush and ivory for contrast and to tie in with my dress and the bridesmaids. My bouquet was white roses, peonies and blush colored stocks with some tiny eucalyptus, we had two amazing floral columns at the ceremony made from white lisianthus, big white roses, white peonies, green bell and white hydrangea.
How did you choose your table décor? We decide to go for half the tables decorated with an arrangement of candles which we did ourselves and the other half with big floral center pieces that where high and had floating candles to tie in with the other tables.
What was the menu for the reception?
We had an informal BBQ type menu. We didn’t have starters and we increased the number of canapés. For main we had the taste surf & turf grand skewer which included, smoked rib eye steak, Giant Szechuan king prawns and Butter grilled chicken with Chunky hand cut chips, Classic Caesar salad and garlic and tomato herb breads. For dessert, we had sticky toffee pudding and a cheese board.
What were your favorite moments from the day? The speeches. They were all amazing and I don’t think these was a dry eye in the room!
Name your wedding soundtrack (aisle entrance & exit, reception entry, first dance songs):
Aisle entrance: Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley (played on the string quartet)
Exit:Think I Want To Marry You – Bruno Mars (played on the string quartet)
First dance:Tenerife Sea – Ed Sheeran
Any DIY décor elements? We decorated part of the ceremony room ourselves. There was a large opening which we wanted to fill so thought what’s better than flowers. My mum loves flowers so we ordered from a wholesaler and got some vases and it looked amazing! We also did half the table decorations ourselves which were simple but affective
Any sentimental personal touches? My bridesmaids were my cousins who are my best friends. We have grown up together so for their gift we got them a picture of when we were younger and framed into a lovely frame with a nice message at the bottom.
How did you save on costs? By doing some of the decoration ourselves. I have a very creative family which helps but where able to make it look like it was done by a professional by just keeping it simple and setting it all up at home until it looked perfect!
In hindsight, anything you would have done differently?
Absolutely nothing
Where did you go on honeymoon? Mexico – we spend the first week on our own and then family and friends came to join us for the second week to extend the celebrations!
Any tips that you can give to future brides? Don’t overthink it! The little things that you stress about are not worth the stress! It was all work out perfectly
If you could sum up your wedding in one sentence, how would you describe it? Best day of our lives!
Shoes: Ralph and Russo Styling: Zara and Daniel Groomsmen’s suits: Arthur Galan
Hair: Sammy Fyfe Make-Up: Victoria Jade Ceremony Venue:Stones of the Yarra Valley (Chapel) Reception Venue: Stones of the Yarra Valley (the Barn) Catering:Stones of the Yarra Valley Cake:Miss Lady Bird Cakes, Melbourne Entertainment: Saxophonist and DJ from Rutherford Entertainment
Personal Information
Photography by Rick Liston
How did you and your partner meet? – We met 4 years ago when Daniel came to dance for my Ballet School in Canberra.
How did he propose? – It was Christmas day and he took me on a very long walk around a beautiful part of Melbourne. When we arrived back at his parent’s house, he took me into a quiet room and knelt down on one knee and asked would I marry him. I cried and laughed and jumped into his arms. Mind you, at first, I was just as excited thinking he had adopted a dog for us and that I was going to get it as a present. But a diamond ring from my wonderful man more than made up for the lack of a dog that Christmas day.
What sort of style did you envision for your wedding day (in terms of venue & décor + styling)? – We love design and we started by choosing our colour pallet which was soft rose pink & rose gold. We went for a rich, warm rustic Italian inspired vibe following a trip to Italy and falling in love with the Tuscan countryside.
How did you choose your venue? – We chose The Stones purely based on how much it made us feel as if we were back in Italy.
Tell us about your wedding gown and how you chose it: – My gown was made in Russia by a beautiful designer, Milva, who I found online following my first local dress fitting, after which I felt a tad despondent about how much I’d have to alter all the dresses I tried on in order to even remotely resemble and reflect my taste. When I searched on Pinterest to find more of what I was after, I came across this gorgeous design. It took hours to locate this picture to the designer but finally I managed to track down the website and immediately got in contact with her via email.
After seeing her range of very unique and stunning dresses, it was so hard to choose the exact one for me, especially as I wasn’t able to try any of them on. But Milva was able to describe each of the dresses I loved and how I would feel in them on the day. She also asked me lots of questions about the setting of the venue so she could picture exactly what I was after. I finally made a decision to purchase a beautiful soft pink gown with a milk lace overlay. The dress felt very elegant to wear and the quality of the fabrics were divine. As I wanted to dance all night, I also decided to get a very pretty and more fun inspired short wedding dress made by the same designer.
As for my husband’s attire, he has been an Arthur Gallan fan for some time, and he was beside himself when he inadvertently walked up the stairs of a ‘local tailor shop’ in a little side street in Toorak near the same corner of Arthur’s boutique store to then be greeted by Arthur himself. Daniel couldn’t say no, hehe, and the rest is now history. He wore a stunning tailor-made pink (that his dad preferred to call salmon) suit designed and made by Arthur himself with fabrics ordered from Russia and Italy to complement the wedding dress.
What was your favorite moment from the day? – Everything! But a few very special highlights were: Seeing each other for the first time that day as I entered the Chapel, and our first dance as husband and wife! Amidst a lot of smiles we also cried a lot.
Any tips that you can give to future brides? – Elope haha I’m so kidding. But just remember to plan your day never losing sight of why this day exists. That is, to mark the beginning of a life with the person you love the most.
Anything else you’d like to add? – Personalized vows make for a very special and emotional moment that you and your guests could never forget given the verity of words coupled with a moment of raw emotions that just cannot be anticipated. We would also love to especially thank Rick Liston, Andrew Redman, Nick and team from Rutherford Entertainment, Victoria Jade, Milva and Arthur Gallan, for going above and beyond in so many ways and bringing our dreams for this wonderful special day to fruition.
Given our line of work and the number of hours we commit, we are not often ‘out there’ kind of people, however, these wonderful people truly made us feel comfortable and worthy of the attention that such a day bestows on you.
A great wedding is made up all those who special and who love and support you. And for this we would also like to acknowledge all our family and friends who very presence contributed to such an amazing day and evening.
Wedding feature thanks to: Giant Invitations http://giantinvitations.com.au Dress: Enzoani with alterations https://www.enzoani.com/ Veil: Rosa & Marys Bridal Makeup: Tanielle Jai MUA Hair: Evalyn Parsons Hair Shoes: Stuart Weitzman Accessories: Mimco Bridesmaids Dresses: Jadore from White runway Groom’s Suit: Male Manor Groomsmen Suit: Male Manor https://malemanor.com.au/ Cake: Studio Cakes Food: Moda Events Flowers & Event Styling: Stylised http://stylised.com.au Photographer: Pelizzari http://www.pelizzariphotography.com.au/ Ceremony Venue: Newstead Park & The Macedonian Orhodox Church, Newfarm Reception Venue: Moda Events Portside https://www.modaevents.com.au/ Entertainment: GM Events & Macedonian Band Celebrant: Michelle Anderson Transport: Mercedes C200 & Chrysler Limos Wedding Favours: Engraved stemless wine glasses
The Details
How did you and your partner meet? We met through mutual friends whilst attending a music festival on the Gold Coast.
How did he propose? Jase surprised me when I arrived home from a week long work trip. He surprised me with flowers and made the room look amazing. He prepared a will you marry me tick a box (I had told him how cute I thought it was in school when boys would pass around notes to ask a girl out and include a tick a box at the bottom) so he made sure I got to tick yes for last time!!
Length of Engagement? 1 year- together 5 years
What do you love most about your partner? He is the most genuinely caring man- sometimes he thinks he covers this up but you can see it in his eyes every day.
What’s your most important piece of advice for creating and maintaining a strong relationship? Talk to each other and be real. Too many people speak to everyone else but their partners about how they feel when that is the person they should go to first.
Tell us about your wedding gown and how you chose it. I loved so many gowns but I was forever drawn to anything with a hint of colour outside the usually whites and ivory. The lace was intricate and detailed and the exposed boning and buttons perfection.
Did you do a ‘first look’ before the ceremony? No, we had so much going on bringing together a traditional wedding with Macedonian cultural wedding. Plus, I wanted Jase to see me for the first time walking down the aisle.
What sort of style did you envision for your wedding day? I wanted a soft romantic style with punches of glam. Charlie for Stylised made this happen combining Grey and Gold to perfection.
How did you come to choose the location and venue? Coming from a big family I have been to so many weddings in Brisbane and Jase and I wanted ours to be different so we chose a location that not only suited our style but was one that we hadn’t been to before.
Did you have any symbolic gestures during your ceremony i.e. a hand-fasting, candle ceremony, wine ceremony or something else? We had a many of these elements in the Macedonian ceremony including; the crowning, ring & wine and first steps as husband and wife wrapped together with a beautiful piece of chiffon.
Did you have a wedding party? Did they do anything special during the ceremony?Nothing special- My sister Branka Lukic as MOH, Cousin Katrina Bogoevski & Best friend Jessica Millman
Were any of your guests involved in the ceremony in any way? Godparents Brad & Jacinta Ploeg
How did you enter your wedding ceremony? (Accompanied? Together? Solo?) With my step dad for the traditional ceremony and with Jason for the church ceremony.
What made you choose the type of ceremony that you had? We chose to do both as having a traditional ceremony was important to me and I didn’t want Jase to miss out on a wedding as he knows it.
Describe the cake (including the flavors) and cake topper The wedding cake was a simply designed 4-tiered cake with brushed gold accents and 2 large white magnolia style flowers. We had 2 different flavours a white chocolate caramel tier and an almond & coconut mud which we served the following day at my parent’s place.
What flowers did you use in the bouquet and at the venue? Cream blooms mixed with abundant greenery
How did you choose your table décor? Grey and gold theme- Charlie went to great lengths to source the table cloths in a beautiful grey that matched the bridesmaids’ dresses.
Moroccan, Spatchcock supreme, pumpkin puree, pepitas, petit salad
Mains
Fillet of beef
Fillet of beef, garlic mashed potato, sweet corn salsa, and red wine jus
Breast of chicken
Breast of chicken, parmesan polenta, roast onion, chorizo, salsa Verde
Dessert
Sticky date pudding
Sticky date pudding, ripple ice cream, vanilla sauce
Ice Cream Sandwich
Ice cream sandwich, marshmallow and praline.
Tea & Coffee
What were your favorite moments from the day? The super excited feeling of getting ready with my girls and my mum in the morning, reading a letter from Jase in the morning, seeing him as I walked down the aisle and off course partying the night away.
Name your wedding soundtrack (aisle entrance & exit, reception entry, first dance songs) Isle entrance was Angels by The XX- First dance- XO John Mayer (Beyonce cover)
Any DIY décor elements? No
Any sentimental personal touches? No
What was the biggest splurge of the day?
Wedding Stylist
Where did you go on honeymoon?
Europe- Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Florence & Berlin
Any tips that you can give to future brides?
Start planning early
If you could sum up your wedding in one sentence, how would you describe it? Perfect would do it again in a heartbeat!!
Location: Hainesport, NJ, US Event Date: Feb 10, 2018
Client Info
Name: ♀Annie Mazur & ♂David Maier
Album Story
David and Annie never thought that they would find love again after each of their spouses passed away. After being married for many years and losing such an important part of their lives, finding love again was not something that was on their radar. But, God had a different plan for them. Unexpectedly, they found themselves crossing paths at the church they attended. Before long, they had fallen in love and knew that they were meant for each other. Their simple and traditional wedding was full of joy and love and unexpected details, revealing the spunky side of their personality.
Another couple showed us again that distance isn’t really a big problem when you’re truly in love with each other. Love will truly find its way. Abirami and Dilshan, after meeting and falling in love while they are both working in Deloitte, maintained a long distance relationship.
But, the distance was simply too much. Dilshan decided to propose to Abirami by surprising her at her apartment – on one knee, holding a beautiful diamond ring. And after the wonderful proposal is a magnificent wedding, full of vibrancy, vivacity and colors- all inspired by their South Indian and Sri Lankan cultures.
Abirami and Dilshan Real Wedding
Our Favorite Moments of the Wedding…
Our favorite moment was when we first saw each other at the Hindu wedding, we could not stop grinning at each other. We were completely oblivious to all the wedding commotion happening around us.
We had the most fun…
We had epic levels of fun during our first dance. We had choreographed a special number to the song You Give Me something by Jamiroquai, which incorporated plenty of twirls to show off my layered lehenga skirt. It was such an upbeat way to open up the dance floor for the evening.
I cried when…
I was overcome with emotion during my Reception speech as I looked around the room at our family and closest friends. We were grateful beyond measure to have so many loved ones celebrating our love with us.
My wedding Style was…
Modern and elegant, staying true to key traditional elements.
It was most important to me that…
Making sure that our personality as a couple was reflected in our wedding events. We wanted to keep things simple, fun and above all, we wanted our loved ones to relax and enjoy the celebrations.
Most Valuable Advice for Future Brides?
Make decisions together and back each other. With Indian weddings, it’s not unusual to find yourself in a position where you feel like you need to balance everyone’s views on how things should be. Make sure you prioritize own vision as a couple, above all else.
take it all in. Your wedding day will fly by in the blink of an eye. Make sure you have mediative moments to revel in the energy, the love and the fun of your wedding day.
Look at the bigger picture. There will be things that go wrong. Despite all the meticulous planning. On your wedding day, just breather and let these little issues pass. After all, the day is only as fun as you make it!
Communicate your vision with confidence. Don’t be shy to articulate your wish list with suppliers. They’ve seen it all before and can provide valuable advice. When possible, meet with your suppliers in person. Putting a face to a name will help with all your subsequent dealings.
About the Couple
How we met
We both met in our graduate year at Deloitte. Our first meeting could not have been more unromantic. Despite us having very contrasting personalities, we became good friends over the year. It took a long time for us to admit our feelings, despite our closest friends subconsciously pushing us towards each other. Our friendship evolved into love, and as they say, “The rest is history.”
When I knew he was the one
We both knew that we had a good thing quite early on into our relationship. We were good friends before we started dating, which made us comfortable around each other, whether it be acting the fool, debating those serious topics, or laughing out loud at a good dad jokes.
Marriage to us means
This line from RM Drake beautifully captures what love means to us: “Love is a touch of magic and a handful of dreams.” To us, marriage celebrates this love for a lifetime.
The Proposal
During the year leading up to our engagement, Dilshan had moved to Melbourne for work. At that time, we had both met each other’s parents and we were starting to discuss the prospects of sharing our lives together. Out six-year anniversary came and went. We had a romantic dinner reflecting back on our relationship. A mid-dinner call from my father to Dilshan’s phone did arouse my sneaky suspicions, but, at the end of the evening, there was still no proposal, nor a ring.
A couple of weeks later, my girl friends wanted to organise a catch up at my apartment, but little did I know that Dilshan was orchestrating this ‘catch-up’ behind the scenes. Friday night came, and the girls played their roles well, routinely texting me saying they were on the way. When the doorbell rang, I buzzed the girls up and was busy doing some last minute frantic cleaning. I was mid-way through unloading my dishwasher and in bursts Dilshan, who had secretly flown in from Melbourne that afternoon!
I was in such as state of shock that I didn’t even register the fact that he was down on one knee, holding his hand the most beautiful diamond wedding ring, set in a rose gold band (exactly like the one I had dropped so many hints about). When it all finally sunk in, of course, the answer was yes! I did love that he was successfully able to outwit my cluey and suspicious nature. He told me to pack an overnight bag and whisked me away to a romantic dinner at Flying Fish Jones Bay Wharf, which boasted magnificent views of Sydney harbor.
The Details
Wedding Planning
13 months seems like ample time to plan a wedding, but time literally flies. We enjoyed our post-engagement bliss for one month before locking in a venue. We had attended many friends’ weddings and had a fair idea about Sydney wedding venues. The only challenge was trying to coordinate auspicious dates with our pundit and the availability of our preferred venues. As a result of the to and fro, and because we wanted to celebrate both my South Indian Hindu background and Dilshan’s Sri Lankan Buddhist faith, we ended up having our Hindu wedding on a Sunday and our Buddhist wedding on the following Friday. A Friday Reception worked out well in hindsight as a nice gate-opener to the weekend. Securing suppliers for Sundays and Fridays is generally a lot easier than Saturdays. The gap between the two events worked well in terms of planning unique elements for each event.
We prioritized all the major wedding decisions using a checklist we found online. We retained all the key decision making on the major wedding items – venues, outfits, photography, and décor, whilst delegating smaller tasks to family and friends. Tasks we delegated include transport, place cards, wedding favors, wishing well setup and pre-wedding events. We left all the ceremonial ritual aspects to our parents. As a couple, we made final decisions on smaller tasks as necessary.
Key Professionals INVITATIONS: We ordered all of our wedding stationery from B Wedding Invitations. I was obsessed with laser cut details at the time, and they have so many beautiful designs we could choose from. I was even able to send them an image of Ganesh, which they imprinted with ease.
PHOTO & VIDEO: We secured photography and videography services with Splendid Photos & Video. We really thought outside the box in relation to booking wedding professionals (ie. not just Indian suppliers). Splendid sat down with us prior to our wedding days in order to understand the nuances of our respective cultural ceremonies. We were also given a reasonable quote for bundling both photo and video services across two full event days. They were professional and creative and gave us plenty of direction on the day.
HAIR & MAKEUP: Hair and makeup are important to lock in early. I had my heart set on Gather and Stitch Beauty, after hearing so many positive reviews from my close friends. The G&S team was a pleasure to work with. Not only were they fun, they made us all look wow, and were instrumental in keeping me cool, calm and collected on the big day.
Wedding Shopping
With about four days of leave, I had just enough time to do some wedding shopping in Chennai, since my family had good local knowledge of stores, tailors, and jewelers in the city.
During my three shopping days, I prioritized clothing over accessories, as I already had quite the collection of temple jewelry from SukraJewellers and GRT Jewellers, being a Bharatanatyam dancer. I also had plenty of antique gold and kundan pieces I had accumulated over the years from markets and stores in India.
Ideally, I would have loved to have swung by Mumbai to pick out Reception outfits. However, without the time, I took to Instagram and discovered Carma, an India-based online store, which curates bridal outfits and accessories from a range of Indian designers. Upon my initial inquiry, they assigned me a dedicated sales assistant via WhatsApp. They were extremely professional and went above and beyond to help me source the perfect outfit for my reception by liaising with designers and communicating customization requirements.
Some designers were more flexible than others. I had a difficult time finding a pure white saree for the Buddhist ceremony. I had my heart set on a Sabyasachi saree but they were unwilling to customize the colors of their designs. I then discovered Shyamal&Bhumika. I just loved their signature antique gold floral embroidery work. All their designs are fully customizable in terms of color and style. I liaised with them via WhatsApp and FaceTime to customize my pieces.
I was very lucky, as the fitting was perfect for all the items I ordered online. I had a tailor in Sydney take my measurements correctly before passing them on to the designers via WhatsApp.
TIP: I did have one touch-and-go situation with Shyamal&Bhumika when their definition of ivory was closer to gold than white, which is different to what we know to be ivory here in Australia. I luckily caught onto this before confirming the final order. To keep things simple, I told them to simply customize the saree to white, rather than get into the complications of shades of white.
Wedding Events
Wedding events took place at the beginning of September 2016 in Sydney, followed by an overseas Reception in Colombo, Sri Lanka in December:
VENUE: My family lives in Canberra so in order to accommodate our international guests here in Sydney, we rented a rockin’ holiday home at North Curl Curl via Stayz, just a stone’s throw away from the beach. The garden at the home provided a beautiful canvas to channel all things Boheme.
DECOR: We did all the styling on our own. I bought silk florals and cascading greens from Spotlight; outdoor furniture and cushions from Ikea and used some playful decor found around the house to create a relaxed outdoor environment for the girls. The sun was shining bright but it was still a chilly September day so we created a warm outdoor cocoon using a king size quilt.
FOOD & DRINKS: I wanted my guests to enjoy a hearty South Indian lunch so Taj Caterers was able to set up an outdoor kitchen serving hot crispy dosas fresh off the stove! Our guests kept going back for more and more, just like we wanted.
ABI’S OUTFIT: Beige cropped anarkali with antique gold floral embroidery by Shyamal&Bhumika.
South Indian Wedding
THEME: Modern, elegant with traditional Indian elements.
VENUE: Both Dilshan and I are the eldest siblings and the first to get married in our respective families, so we needed to find a venue that could accommodate a large number of guests. We also wanted to find a venue where our guests could enjoy indoor and outdoor spaces. The gardens at Miramare Gardens are just divine. We opted for an indoor ceremony, as we were concerned about the unpredictable weather in Spring. After the conclusion of the ceremony, our guests moved to the outdoor area to enjoy the gardens.
FOOD & DRINK: Surjit’s Indian Restaurant did a great job with all the catering. Our wedding ceremony had a small intermission of 30 minutes while I was changing into my bridal saree. This allowed our guests to move to the foyer area to stretch their legs and socialize. Guests were served innovative Indian cocktail-style entrees with a twist, thanks to Rasan from Surjits. After the ceremony, lunch was in the usual buffet format but Surjits worked collaboratively with us to select a balanced menu.
HIGHLIGHTS: When Dilshan tied the thaali around my neck, the energy of that moment was unforgettable. So many significant things were happening in tandem, the priest chanting vedic mantras, our loved ones showering flowers on us, and the Carnatic music reaching a crescendo. It beautifully captured the vibrant essence and ritual symbolism of a Hindu wedding.
South Indian Wedding Decor
Irene from VIP Decorating did all the styling in the ballroom. She was able to bring to life my vision of reflecting elements of the gardens indoors, with florals and greens decking the top of the mandap structure and delicate crimson drapes edged with vines. The ceremony section of the ballroom was set up in a theater style with chairs facing the mandap.
In the dining space, we opted for long rows of dining tables, which looked nicer than round tables in the large space. The centerpieces provided by the venue were very eclectic with fresh white florals in mismatched glass vases, dispersed along the tables in a non-orderly fashion. Irene also added tea lights and vines in between the vases to add touches of the garden theme to the dining area.
South Indian Wedding Look
ABI’S OUTFIT: I bought both my kanchipuram silk sarees from Sundari Silks, which is a popular boutique saree store in Chennai. Their designs are unique and elegant. They have plenty of silk weaves in deep jewel tone hues, which were my favorite. I chose two sarees in deep tones of purple and a more traditional, crimson – noyh with pure gold zari thread work. I didn’t want anything over the top since less is always more.
JEWELRY & ACCESSORIES: South Indian temple jewelry from SukraJewellers and GRTJewellers. I made my own saree belts using zari borders, elastic and gold pearl trims.
SHOES: Shimmery gold pumps from Nine West.
HAIR & MAKEUP: Gather and Stitch Beauty.
DILSHAN’S OUTFIT: Cream brocade sherwani with maroon velvet embroidery details, along with a matching chunni, turban and chappals, all from Manyavar.
BRIDAL PARTY: Our bridal party comprised of some of our closest friends and we wanted to make sure they were also dressed to the nines. For the Hindu wedding, I gifted my bridesmaids with more traditional Mysore crepe silk sarees from Nalli Silks. I loved the teal green with contrast maroon zari borders and saree blouses, which tied-in with the shade of my bridal saree.
Sri Lankan Wedding & Reception
THEME: Modern and elegant with vintage touches.
VENUE: We chose Sergeants Mess as we had been to a couple of weddings there and we both fell in love with the elegance of the venue. Sergeants Mess is one of Sydney’s most coveted wedding venues, boasting incredible views of Chowder Bay. Our guests were able to move between the indoor and outdoor spaces with ease, and that’s the sort of relaxed vibe we wanted to create for the evening. The team at Sergeant’s Mess were incredibly professional, we didn’t have to worry about a thing on the day, they ran everything like clockwork.
HIGHLIGHTS: The Poruwa ceremony was set against the beautiful backdrop of Chowder Bay. Dilshan’s family set up the Poruwa structure beautifully, in the traditional style. Elegant Kandyan dancers and drummers led the bride and groom processions to the Poruwa. After the ceremony, Dilshan and I lit the traditional oil lamp as a couple and released doves over the water. The Ceremony as followed by Reception at the venue.
Our entrance was to Happy by Pharrell Williams, which set a really upbeat tone to the evening. For our first dance, we chose the song You Give Me Something by Jamiroquai. We wanted to open the dance floor with something fun and unique to celebrate how we are as a couple. Our getaway song was Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay, poetically sending us off into the star-filled night sky.
Sri Lankan Wedding & Reception Decor
DECOR: Drosia from Flowers by Drosia dressed up our venue with white florals and cascading greens. For the bridal table, we opted for a lush floral hedge. For the centerpieces, we wanted that touch of vintage, choosing golden candelabras with cascading florals down the stems. Drosia also created an entrance feature for us with florals and vintage candleholders. The decor was perfect and not overdone, letting the elegance of the venue shine through.
SOUND & LIGHTING: Music and lighting tech for the evening was provided by Systematic Solutions. Jana has an extensive music library and was able to switch seamlessly between chart-toppers, old school, Bollywood, and baila to cater to all our guests. We were able to consult prior to the event to make sure songs we wanted on the list were included and musical cues were set for key moments. A good DJ sets the vibe for the entire evening and we couldn’t have been happier to have the professional services of Systematic Solutions.
CAKE: We ordered our wedding cake from Paintbrush Patisserie. We wanted something elegant to tie in with the venue and decor. Our cake was a three-tier vintage beauty with embossed florals with a single statement sugar peony on top. In terms of flavors, we chose coconut with white chocolate icing. She has an extensive range of flavors to choose from and can make cakes in any design you like.
Sri Lankan Wedding & Reception Look
ABI’S OUTFIT: For the Poruwa Ceremony, I wore a beautiful customized white net saree with rose gold floral embroidered borders by Shyamal&Bhumika. The final touch was the white lace blouse I had custom made by Gather and Stitch Couture, which paired perfectly with the white saree.
For the Reception, I fell in love with a modern layered lace lehenga skirt with floral thread work in a beautiful shade of scarlet red by RidhimaBhasin at Carma. I paired this with a Shyamal&Bhumika raw silk blouse with antique gold floral patta work.
JEWELRY & ACCESSORIES: Kundan accessories I’ve accumulated over the years along with pearl and kundan bracelets by Suhana Art & Jewels and a RidhimaBhasin embroidered leather belt, both via Carma.
SHOES: Open-toe nude pumps by Nine West.
HAIR & MAKEUP: Gather and Stitch Beauty.
DILSHAN’S OUTFIT: A navy blue Joe Black suit from David Jones. Formal shoes from Aldo and quirky cufflinks from Malebox.
BRIDAL PARTY: The bridesmaids wore purple chiffon sarees edged with pearl borders, together with gold brocade blouses. These were sourced online from Vogue Loving via Instagram. The owner is based in Gujarat and can liaise with local tailors to customize sarees in a variety of designs, fabrics, and colors.
The boys looked very dapper in tailored navy blue suits from Myer. The red silk ties and pocket squares were also sourced from Myer.
Overseas Reception Soiree
ABI’S OUTFIT: Payal Singhal silk mul lehenga saree in peacock blue with gold/silver embroidery work via Carma.
JEWELLERY & ACCESSORIES: Gold jhumka and bangles I picked up from Indian markets over the years, and a funky gold phoenix clutch by TariniNirula.
HAIR & MAKEUP: Myself.
Vendors:
Venue
Miramare Gardens – http://www.miramaregardens.com.au
Sergeants Mess
The Kingsbury Hotel
Photography/ Cinematography
Splendid Photos & Video – http://splendid.net.au
Invitations & Stationary
BWedding Invitations–www.bweddinginvitations.com
Printing:
InkTank Printing.com- www.inktankprinting.com
Decor
VIP Decorating – http://www.vipdecorating.com.au
Flowers by Drosia
Miramare Gardens
DIY
Bride’s Outfits
Shyamal&Bhumika – http://www.shyamalbhumika.com
Sundari Silks
RidhimaBhasin
Gather and Stitch Couture – http://www.gatherandstitch.com
Payal Singhal
Carma
Bride’s Jewelry
SukraJewellers
GRT Jewellers
Suhana Art & Jewels
Carma
Bride’s Accessories
TariniNirula – http://www.tarininirula.in
Bride’s Shoes
Nine West – https://www.ninewest.com
Hair & Makeup
Gather and Stitch Beauty
Henna Artist
Reema’s Henna Designs
Groom’s Outfits
Manyavar
Joe Black – https://joeblack.com.au
David Jones
Groom’s Accessories
Manyavar
Malebox
Groom’s Shoes
Manyavar
Aldo – https://www.aldoshoes.com
Bridesmaids Outfits
Nalli Silks
Vogue Loving – https://www.facebook.com/VogueLoving/
Groomsmen Outfits
Myer – https://www.myer.com.au
DJ & Live Music
Systematic Solutions
Catering
Surjit’s Indian Restaurant
Taj Caterers
Cake
Paintbrush Patisserie
Transport
JC Limousines – http://www.jclimousines.com.au
When you’re getting married, there are an endless amount of details that go into the planning process. Some people have an idea of what must be done at a wedding, and there are traditions that have simply grown tired over the years. Who says you have to follow any of those traditions set up by generations past? Here are five traditions that you don’t have to follow for your wedding:
The whole wedding is paid for by the bride’s family
While it is extremely generous for the bride’s family to offer to cover the bill for the wedding, this tradition just isn’t realistic anymore. Weddings can be very expensive, so why should the mother and father of the bride be expected to drain their entire life savings to pay for their daughter’s wedding? Sit down with both sets of parents and decide who can afford what when it comes to paying for the wedding. Maybe your parents would like to split the price of the wedding, or your fiancé’s parents want to contribute more than to just the rehearsal dinner. Or maybe you and your partner have decided that you want to pay for your own wedding. No matter who is paying, it’s important to get your finances in order and look into your options of footing the bill. For example, you can take out a low-interest personal loan to avoid credit cards with higher interest. Instead of paying for everything at once, you’ll have a monthly payment that will make your wedding costs much more manageable.
Waiting to see the groom until you walk down the aisle
Ah, the age-old tradition of you and your groom waiting to see each other until you’re walking towards them down the aisle. This tired rule is based on the fact that it’s a bad luck to see each other, but if you and your partner are in love it’s not based on luck. Plenty of couples are foregoing waiting and doing first looks so that they can get all their pictures done before the ceremony and enjoy the cocktail hour mingling with their guests! If getting your pictures over with isn’t enough reason to choose a first look, here’s 75 reasons why it’s the right choice. And there’s nothing like capturing photo or video of the first time you see each other with no one else around–priceless!
Providing wedding favors
You’re already doing so much to make your wedding enjoyable for your guests and you don’t need to spend even more money on wedding favors. While a favor is a nice gesture, a majority of your guests will forget to bring it home and some even forget and leave them at their table. If you have a photo booth, let the printable photo strip double as your favor. Or if you’d like, donate the money you would have spent on favors to a charity like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Feeding America. No one is going to even notice if you don’t have a favor, and the thank you cards you send after your wedding will show more than enough appreciation.
Smashing cake in each other’s faces
Cutting the cake is always such a picture-perfect moment during your reception, but leave the cake smashing behind. You’ve most likely spent all day having your hair and makeup done to look beautiful for your wedding day, so no one can blame you if you’re not into getting it ruined within seconds from the cake. Discuss with your partner beforehand exactly what you want to do when you cut the cake, and make a strict no smashing rule if you’re against it. You don’t want to spend an hour getting cake out of your hair and off of your dress, and there are still plenty of pictures to take as the night goes on!
Leaving on your honeymoon right after the reception
You know how the newlywed couples in the movies would always run right into their limo or car after the reception, and everyone is waving them off to their romantic honeymoon together? Well, the tradition of going right on your honeymoon has faded. All of your family and friends have come to town to celebrate you, and leaving immediately just doesn’t always make sense. If you wait, you get to enjoy the day after your wedding with everyone you love and talk about how much fun you all had. You can wait a couple days or a week to go on your honeymoon. Or wait a few months to go. It will give you more time to save money after your wedding and you’ll have more time to plan the perfect honeymoon.
You’re getting married to the love of your life and it’s going to be the most special day of your life. It’s your wedding, so you don’t have to follow any rules or traditions. This day is about you and your fiancé, so do what makes you happy and comfortable.
Boy, oh boy, do I have a beauty to show you lovelies today. From the talent behind Viera Photographics, today’s feature is a very classic and neat DIY wedding that the bride described as “Jonathan Adler meets Great Gatsby”. Nicole + John decided to get hitched in Palm Springs, California since not only does the place suit their sense of style, but also because they wanted to get married by the Father and in the church that Nicole’s late mother was very fond of. Despite the raging SoCal heat of 106F the day of their wedding, Nicole + John planned well for the decorations they were going to use so that nothing is welted.
Enlisting help from her group of friends, Nicole and her girls spent a few get-togethers crafting away. One of the favorite projects that Nicole loved doing for her wedding was the crepe paper flowers project. She opted making these flowers instead of using the real flowers so that these would last a lot longer in the high SoCal summer heat as well as for the ease of packing for travel. She’s even re-purposed some as gift decorations post-wedding!
Since their wedding was on the 13th, Nicole gold-leafed dice on 1 and 3 and mailed a pair with all the invites. She had some leftover so she also used them as decoration around the reception.
In Nicole’s own words about her table runners: “The table runners were stenciled on butcher paper then spray painted in an ombre sea mist to teal. I had a slight panic attack when the smell seemed to take about a week to dissipate, but some Febreeze and time did the trick and they were easy to roll up and transport to the site.” Great tip!
The Adler-inspired clay animals as table decorations? Yep! Handmade by Nicole’s friend Staci. Those were cool!
From Nicole’s gorgeous and timeless wedding gown (and the veil!) to all the special Adler-inspired decorations, Nicole + John’s wedding was as classic as it gets. Thank you to Viera Photographics for the incredibly beautiful photos and sharing them with us here on DIY Bride!
Congratulations to Nicole + John!!!
Photographer: Viera Photographics//Wedding Date:09.13.2013//Ceremony Location:Sacred Heart Palm Desert//Hair Stylist:The Light Fantastic Salon Spa//Event Venue:The Parker Palm Springs//Band:The Titan Ups//Event Planner:Vivacious Design and Event Planner//
For our Monday feature this week, we’re sharing a traditional Autumn affair from Lindsay Docherty Photography. Jackie + Chang had their traditional church wedding in Delaware at the same location where Jackie’s sister, parents, and grandparents were also married in. For their celebration, they decided to hosted it at Kings Mills in Pennsylvania, where Jackie allowed her creativity to shine.
Jackie incorporated lots of yellow, orange, and gold all over the details for her Fall wedding. What was pretty amazing was that Jackie + Chang had only visited and seen their venue once and were able to visualize how they want their reception to look. Jackie went to work and created each unique center pieces for the tables, the cake topper, signs, favors, and the masks worn by the wedding party.
Lots of fun dancing, bright sparklers, and sky lanterns send-offs to round out a beautiful wedding, Jackie + Chang’s classic autumn wedding was one they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. Jackie’s unique center pieces were the stars of the show (next to Jackie + Chang, of course), and the matching bridesmaids’ gold glittery heels were great complements to Jackie’s own heels in hot pink.
Congratulations to Jackie + Chang on their marriage!!
Photographer: Lindsay Docherty Photography//Wedding Date:11.02.2014//Dress Store:Francesca’s Collections//Jewelry: Jared//Caterer: Kings Mills//Reception Venue:Kings Mills//Veils and headpieces:Simply Blue Bridal//Musicians:Sky Brady//Floral Designer:Wildflowers by Alicia//
We’re kicking off this Monday with a super gorgeous Philadelphia soiree from BG Productions Photography and Videography. This late Fall/early Winter wedding just oozes sophistication and elegance, with help from the presence of the historical venue, The German Society of Pennsylvania. Using main colors black, white, and gold for the palette and lots of lace, Ashley + Justin pulled off one awe-inspiring wedding with gorgeous details!
Ashley + Justin incorporated DIY touches where they can. For example, Ashley ordered bulk flowers from Falls Flowers to put flower arrangements together herself. Ashley’s mom and aunt made amazingly beautiful handmade snowflake ornaments as favors for guests. And I’m in complete awe of how neat and clean their chalkboard signs were.
I love Ashley + Justin’s use of lace as table runners, which show up especially well against the black table cloths. I also love Ashley’s bold choice of using black lace dresses to dress her bridal party, which they all look amazing and romantic. I also just can’t stop adoring over their First Looks with BG Productions Photography and Videography, featuring scenes from all over their favorite spots in Philly (e.g. Race Street Pier, where they got engaged; Painted Bride, which is down the street from their house; and of course their super adorable dog and the Philly skyscrapers as background).
Much congratulations to Ashley + Justin for their beautiful wedding and pulling off this super classy wedding!
So many of our talented couples we featured on our blog completely DIY their wedding, except well, the photography and videography. Our couple today, Martha + Ryan, is of no exception. With photography by Steve Holmes Photography, Martha + Ryan set their stage at a large field owned by their neighbor. With literally nothing on site, they had to figure out ways to not only to decorate, but also bring in electricity, water, and bathroom… and even make their own bar!
Bagpipes, fireworks, bird seeds tossing, sand ceremony, classic red pickup truck- this wedding with a country flair has it all. I adore Martha’s dances with their dog Axe, and gosh, that firework show! Lots of warmth brought in by the bright hues of red, gold, and orange, Martha + Ryan make sure their guests felt welcomed, had loads of fun, but most of all, a wedding they’ll all sure to remember for ages.
Congratulations to Martha + Ryan!!
Photographer: Steve Holmes Photography//Wedding Date: 08.10.2013//Caterer:Fiddleheads Catering//DJ:Peak Entertainment//Makeup Artist:Studio H//Submitted via Two Bright Lightstephanie Court Photography // Felice and Ben /// 9/14/2013
