An Elegant and Traditional Day

We got to speak to Vicki, a photographer from Snowflake Creations who had the honour of photographing Claudia and Tudi’s Wedding in Canberra on the 21st of March 2015. We got to ask Vicki about what she enjoyed, Claudia’s favourite part of the day and what made it so special.

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1. First name of the couples?

Claudia and Tudi

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2. Your role in the submission? What did the lead up involve?

Photographer. I (Vicki) went to high school with Claudia, so we had known one another for a long time, however not all that well. When she contacted me to ask if we could photograph their wedding we were very touched and of course excited. It’s so lovely to see someone you know get married and to be privileged enough to capture it for them.

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4. What was the inspiration behind the day? Or the brief.

Claudia told me:

“There wasn’t any theme really. We just wanted to keep it real simple and elegant. We wanted the night be fun and relaxed. And everyone really had a fun time.”

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A little big about the day from the photographers:

“Claudia and Tudi’s wedding was such a relaxed, fun filled day. Tudi and Claudia are such bright, fun personalities, Claudia’s hearty laugh is so infectious. We honestly didn’t stop laughing until we got home at 1am! Following the ceremony and some relaxed photos by the lakeside, we were treated to an absolute stunner of a sunset across the lake from the Boat House, the golden light streaming in to where everyone had just sat down for entrees.”

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“Claudia and Tudi met while both living in London, when late one evening Claudia asked Tudi for the time while waiting at a bus stop. When it was time for Claudia to return to Australia after two years in the UK, Tudi, who grew up in Italy, followed her across the seas. Every single wedding speech was a beautiful tip of the hat to how wonderful Tudi is for taking the leap. Starting a new life in a new country half way around the world, and speaking a language he didn’t previously.”

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“The party really got started when Claudia threw the bouquet and it hit the light shade – petals flying in all directions! The dance moves, classic Italian love songs and unwavering energy of this wedding party made for some hilarious dance floor photos!”

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5. Location of shoot or event?

Canberra, ACT. Ceremony was at Saint Matthews Catholic Church in Page, and the reception was at The Boathouse restaurant.

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6. Event date

21 March 2021

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7. Who was the photographer?

Jacques and Vicki of Snowflake Creations

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8. Are there any special details or stories we should know about your submission that make it extra special?

From Claudia:

“The lolly bar that our family friend Karen had done for us. It blew us away!! It was amazing!! We loved it because it was nothing like we had ever seen before. It was so detailed and just gorgeous. Everything was all matched and perfectly put together.”

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Her favourite moment:

“My favourite moment was definitely walking down the aisle with my dad to be with my future husband. Such a magical moment, one that all girls think about their whole lives, it is so significant. The symbol of growing up committing yourself to this person who you love. But being walked down with the man who has taught you so much and the first man you ever loved. It was so emotional.”

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11. Let us know a few of your favorite wedding vendors involved in your submission. 

Florist: Ivy Flowers & Gifts Curtin, ACT

Reception venue: The Boathouse, Canberra ACT

Cake: Pasticceria Francesco

Lighting / sound hire: String Space, a string trio

Rings: Bijoux Manuka

Transport: First Class Chauffeured Cars

Bridal gown: Effie Kasimatis (no website)

Accessories: Peter Lang Earrings

Hair: The Bride! Hairdresser at Cataldo’s Canberra

Makeup: Lauren Cataldo

Bridesmaid dresses: Dionne dress from White Runway

Groom’s suit: John Hanna

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Snowflake Creations are available for you big day as well, for more information, email inquiries@snowflakecreations.com.au or check out their website here, Snowflake Creations.




















Vintage Inspired Country Wedding

Shamira and Erik were married in a vintage inspired wedding in a Victorian winery. We got to speak to Shamira about organising a wedding in seven months and what she enjoyed most about her special day with Erik.

1. What you do for work:

Shamira is a cashier at Woolworths and Erik works as an associate lecturer.

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2. Tell us a little about the proposal and the lead up to the wedding?

We were on holiday in Seychelles. We were standing on one of the world’s most photographed beaches, Anse Source D’Argent. He proposed to me there. We organised the wedding within seven months, fairly easily without too much stress.

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3. What was the inspiration behind your wedding theme or vibe?

We wanted a wedding that was inspired by a vintage and country theme.

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4. Favourite detail or moment of the day (besides becoming husband and wife of course! or Wife and Wife, or Husband and Husband!):

The ceremony, location was just beautiful.  The scenery was breathtaking.

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5. Did you undertake any DIY projects, if so what?

We made the basket for our flower girl and we decorated old jars to use as vases at the reception.

6. What does marriage mean to you?

For us, it is mainly about uniting two people as one.

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7. Talk to us about your dress, where is it from? How long did it take to find?

Fortunately, it only took me two days of dress shopping to find it! The dress was from Raffaele Ciuca, I loved it straight away.

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8. Advice for other couples planning a wedding?

Don’t stress on the day, and just enjoy it. The day goes so quickly, it’ll be over before you know it!

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 VENDOR CREDITS  

Photos: Dreamlife

Bridal gown: Raffaele Ciuca

Veil / hair piece: veil from Raffaele Ciuca, hairpiece from Linda Gorringe Couture

Shoes: Zu Shoes

Flowers: Red Earth Flowers

Rings: Benjamin Jewellery 

Jewellery/Accessories: Linda Gorringe and Forever New

Grooms and Groomsmen suits: Peter Jackson 

Bow ties / ties: Ferrari Formalwear & Bridal

Ceremony, Reception and catering: Killara Estate, Seville East

Cake: Choice Cakes 

Cake topper: Red Earth Flowers

Reception stylist/any decorations/details: Red Earth Flowers as well as our own decorations.

Stationery designer: Classic Wedding Invitations 

Hair and Make up: Hair by a private hairdresser, Make Up by Make Up Style Melbourne 

Music: DJ Stick Mareebo 

Celebrant: Kirk Goodsell 

Transport: Caddyman

Cinematographer: Dreamlife

Any vendors we have forgotten? 

Also forgot to mention, bomboniere was by Kelly Beans and we had small honey jars.








 

 

 

DIY Wedding: Kristy and Jesse’s Dream Wedding Day

Kristy and Jesse shared their beautiful DIY Wedding with their family and friends, creating a day they would all remember forever.

Kristy and Jesse couldn’t wait to be married. After being in a long distance relationship, their wedding day signified the time when they could stay together. After the long search for the perfect ring, the couple set out to plan the perfect DIY wedding. Wanting to create and a memorable and fun day for their family and friends, Kristy and Jesse worked relentlessly on every aspect of the day. We got to speak to the newlywed couple about the day and all the work they put into it. From the hunt for the perfect dress, to marrying in a church very close to Kristy’s heart, they managed to create a day they will remember forever.

DIY Wedding Ideas

DIY Wedding Decorations

  1. Tell us a little about the proposal and the lead up to the wedding?

The decision to get married was really a mutual one for us. We knew we couldn’t fathom a life without one another and getting married was the next step. As we had been living 10,000 miles apart with Kristy in Sydney, Australia and Jesse in Louisiana, USA, we had made the decision that next time Jesse was in Sydney (at Christmas 2011), we would go looking for an engagement ring. Jesse wanted Kristy to choose whatever ring she fell in love with. We spent an entire month searching for rings, looking at jewelry store after jewelry store with no luck. It was December, stocks were completed and we couldn’t find a thing to suit Kristy’s tiny fingers.

DIY Wedding Photo Fun

Everyone joked that we were “unofficially” engaged and we decided to wait until I came over to Louisiana to start the search for “the ring” once again. After a week of searching with no luck, we stumbled upon the perfect ring just five days before Kristy was due to leave Louisiana for Sydney. The jeweler promised she would do her absolute best to get the ring in and resized in time for Kristy to head back home and she managed to pull through with her promise - but Kristy continued to wait.

DIY Wedding Kiss

Just one day before Kristy was due to fly out, Jesse told Kristy he wanted to take her “somewhere pretty to take photos”. Kristy is a photographer and loves nothing better than to photograph nature and Jesse knew this was the perfect time to propose. He packed a backpack with “water and snacks”, tucking the ring inside.

DIY Wedding I Dos

As Kristy busily snapped away at the gorgeous pine trees and forest scenary, Jesse got down on one knee, waiting for Kristy to put the camera down and turn around. We were finally officially engaged and our next chapter begun!

DIY Wedding Couple Photo

Full story can be found here, at Kristy’s Blog.

Rings for DIY Wedding

DIY wedding make-up inspiration

  1. What was the inspiration behind your wedding theme or vibe? 

We wanted our wedding to be a relaxed and fun event for everyone involved. Not wanting a boring sit down dinner, we decided to turn the traditional wedding idea on its head and do everything ourselves.

Black and white DIY wedding photos

We decided to rent out an empty studio space and hired a wedding stylist to transform the literal blank canvas into a vintage oasis. Mixing modern pieces with gorgeous vintage furniture and rustic elements, we created the ultimate “Southern In-Law” style. Mixing old and new, traditional and unique.

DIY wedding venue decorations

We did almost everything ourselves - from redoing furniture pieces that would feature in our reception to designing the invitations, RSVP cards and “wedding logo”. This even appeared on our cake to providing our caterers with recipes to suit Kristy’s allergies and creating our own lolly buffet.

Fun Reception Ideas for DIY Wedding

You can find a full recap of the wedding here, and Kristy’s Blog.

DIY wedding ceremony

DIY Wedding preparations

Favourite detail or moment of the day (besides becoming husband and wife of course! or Wife and Wife, or Husband and Husband!) 

It would have to be the ceremony. Our wedding day was one we had dreamed of for five years. After spending five years, 10,000 miles apart, dreaming of the day we would finally be together, that day had finally come and it finally felt real. When you spend so many years dreaming about a day it feels incredibly surreal when it actually becomes a reality.

Outdoor DIY wedding

A traditional church wedding was incredibly important to us as Christians. We were married in the exact same church, standing on the exact same steps, that Kristy’s Mum and Dad were married in almost 30 years earlier. 

Perfect DIY Wedding

Did you undertake any DIY projects, if so what?

Just about every part of our wedding was a DIY project!

DIY Wedding Reception Decorations

Invitation - designed by Kristy and sent to Invitation Tea Towels for Printing

RSVP Cards and Wedding Mad-Libs - designed and printed by Kristy

We re-did vintage furniture pieces that we had found at Vinnies and on Gumtree which featured in our wedding.

Wedding Canvas - Kristy designed and created our wedding canvas which featured in our reception.

Bride And Groom Images DIY Wedding

Wedding “logo” - Kristy designed a wedding logo (a heart made up of dozens of smaller hearts) to represent all of our friends and family who came together to make our dream a reality. This logo appeared on our invitations, RSVP cards, printables and even our cake. (see the cake here).

DIY Wedding Decoration Ideas

Groomsmen Suit Ideas DIY Wedding

Gluten Free Candy Bar - we hired the majority of our candy buffet pieces and then sourced all of the lollies and pieced it all together ourselves

Candy Bar DIY Wedding

Wedding Menu - as Kristy is a coeliac with many allergies, it was incredibly important to Jesse that Kristy feel “normal” on their wedding day and be able to enjoy all of the food without worry. For this reason we created our entire wedding menu and ensured all food at the wedding was gluten free. Kristy developed all of the recipes for our wedding which were then handed over to our caterers who created our incredible buffet spread.

Delicious DIY Wedding Food

Healthy DIY Wedding Ideas

Any family or religious traditions incorporated into your day?

We were married in the church Kristy’s parents were married in - and in the same church Kristy and her sister Katrina were christened in. As Christians, it was incredibly important that we had a traditional church wedding with traditional vows.

DIY Wedding Bride and Groom Photos

Family DIY Wedding Photos

Talk to us about your dress, where is it from? How long did it take to find?

I had randomly stumbled upon my dress on Pinterest when we were “unofficially engaged” and fell in love. I was desperate to see it in real life, however, after spending many hours searching, I found that it was nowhere to be found in Australia. As Mum and I were planning on heading to Louisiana to see Jesse and his family, we contacted a dozen bridal boutiques in Louisiana. We stumbled across one three hours away that had my dream dress.

DIY Weddings and wedding cars

I booked an appointment for whilst we were in Louisiana, hoping Jesse wouldn’t mind driving us all the way to Lafayette because I needed to try on this dress.

Cute Couple Photos for DIY Weddings

Luckily, he agreed to drive the three hours to take me. We arrived at the store and I fell in love. It was the gorgeous mix of vintage, rustic, country, shabby chic that I love and there were hundreds of gorgeous dresses laid about.

DIY Wedding Guest Ideas

So my Mum, Jesse and I walked into A-Net’s Bridal where they quickly put Jesse out on the porch so I could try on my dress (which Jesse was seriously peeved about as he didn’t know the Groom wasn’t supposed to see the Bride’s dress before the big day!). We headed to the back dressing room which had a gorgeous old lounge, a hugeeeeeeeee ornate mirror and a gold Persian rug on the floor. The room itself made the process so much more special - it was grand and grown up and oh so exciting. I knew this was the same room that hundreds of other brides to be had found their dresses and the feeling was quite overwhelming.

forest fairytale DIY wedding

I held the dress in my hands and fell even more in love. The fabric was lush - it looked even better in person and had so much detail. As I stepped my feet into the dress, my heart started pounding.

I didn’t look until my mum had zipped me into the dress and when I looked up into that big ornate mirror, it felt like someone was pushing right against my chest. My chest was tight, I had a lump in my throat and I knew I was right.

Father and Bride at DIY Wedding

Wow Kristy… you were right,” my Mum said. But whilst I had somewhat of a moment, it wasn’t the moment. There was one thing that wasn’t right - just a simple addition that would make it perfect. I decided I needed a back on the dress and the team at A-Net’s Bridal Boutique assured me there was a modest version that would be absolutely perfect.

Classic DIY Wedding Dress

When the time came to order my dress, I took a huge risk and ordered the dress online. I ordered my dress from House of Brides and whilst it was quite a bit stressful waiting so long and not knowing if I’d made the right choice - my dress arrived on time, 6 months later. My dress took quite a bit longer than it usually takes as it had to be made in my size (they don’t stock the smaller sizes as standard stock so it had to be hand made) and it arrived in a teeny tiny little box.

Bride and Groom at DIY Wedding

I have to admit, I had a panic attack when it arrived. The box was shoe box sized and the outside of the package read Polyester Bridesmaid Dress. My dress certainly wasn’t polyester and I couldn’t imagine how it could fit such a tiny box so I thought there was a mistake. I opened the box with my heart racing and then I saw the lace. I pulled the dress out of the box and sure enough, it was my dress - and it was perfect.

forest DIY wedding

I can’t recommend House of Brides enough - I also bought the crystal sash on my dress from House of Brides and it arrived really quickly. I saved a fortune buying my dress online and if I had have gone with the store in Sydney who could have shipped it in for me I would have paid $2000 more. Even with shipping, I paid less than $1000 for my dress - and just slightly more than that once the sash was added.

Fun Bride and Groom Photos for dIY Wedding

More of the story can be found here and here.

DIY wedding decor

Any funny stories in the lead up to or on the day?

There were quite a few - from receiving my “Polyester Bridesmaid Dress” that was the size of a shoebox and freaking out thinking that I’d ordered the Barbie size to spending time getting to know the incredible (and hilarious!) Henry Roth himself as he personally altered my sister’s bridesmaid dress to ensure it was perfect.

Family at DIY Wedding

Advice for other couples planning a wedding?

People always say that your wedding day is “the best day of your life”, however, we truly believe it’s just a glimpse of what’s to come. Your wedding day is the start of your story together. Sure, there might be hiccups and mishaps on the big day, but just remember that you have the rest of your lives to spend together making memories!

Cute DIY Wedding Ideas

It’s an incredible day, full of joy, laughter, tears and plenty of planning - but it is just one day! Relax and enjoy every second because it goes by in an instant.

unique DIY wedding ideas

VENDOR CREDITS

Photos: Lucie Zeka Wedding Photography  (see full details - here)

Bridal gown:  Allure Modest Gown, House of Brides  (see full details here)

Shoes: Diana Ferrari

Flowers: Brides in Bloom

Bouquets: reception flowers purchased and arranged by bride from Sydney Flower Markets

Rings: Zales USA

Bridesmaids dresses: Henry Roth (Henry Roth 88888 Gown in Flamingo)

Grooms & Groomsmen suit: Spurling Formalwear (Beige Self Stripe Two Button Single Breasted Lounge Suit).

Ceremony - St Paul’s Anglican Church, Burwood

Reception  - Private Photo Studio in Sydney (we don’t want to share the details as we had a terrible experience with the owners)

Catering: Flavour’s Catering

Cake: Sweetcheeks Cookies and Cakes 

Reception stylist, any decorations or details: Nicolle at RaRa Kitty

Stationery designer - Kristy (who designs wedding stationery and accessories for clients at Kiss Freelance)

Hair and Make up: Nieves Calvo, Get Threaded Met Centre

Transport: Broadway Wedding Car Hire

Cinematographer: Adrian Tan and Amath Magnan

Photo Booth: PhotoSocial

Gluten Free Candy: Big Lolly

Candy Buffet Hire:  Unique Vintage Weddings

Vintage Fashion Inspired Weddings: Rockabilly Theme

This Rockabilly Themed wedding will take you back in time, and give you a glimpse of some vintage fashion ideas

Vintage fashion inspired wedding decorations

Melanie McNiven Portraits specialise in taking beautiful photos for special occasions. From newborn babies and children to weddings, these photos are unique and timeless. They recently received the opportunity to take photos for a vintage fashion inspired wedding. The theme behind the shoot was “Rockabilly”. We got to share some of the wonderful photos they took, as well as find out about all the different people involved in the shoot. From the makeup artist to the beautifully designed dresses, the detail and time taken made for a truly memorable shoot.

Vintage fashion inspired Bridesmaid ideas

Vintage fashion inspired bridal car

Vintage fashion inspired creative ideas

We got to chat to them about the different people involved in the shoot. The photos show the outcome of the fun and unique photos.

Vintage fashion inspired "I do!"

Rockabilly wedding Vintage fashion inspired

Parasols and design: Parasols with Love

Bride and groom shots Vintage fashion inspired

Vintage fashion inspired Bride and bridesmaids

Just marriedVintage fashion inspired

Flowers: Blooms of Noosa

Beautiful Bride Vintage fashion inspired

Black and white wedding ideas Vintage fashion inspired

bridal flowers Vintage fashion inspired

Makeup: Photo Finish Makeup

Vintage fashion inspired Bridal Party

Bridal Photos Vintage fashion inspired

Vintage fashion inspired Fun bridal party photos

Wedding Dress: Silver Sixpence

Vintage fashion inspired Bride and Groom

Bridesmaids dresses: That Shop

Beautiful wedding Vintage fashion inspired

Models:
Miss Frankie Mae Felon

Colourful Bridesmaids Vintage fashion inspired
Scarlet Tinkerbelle

Flower girl and Page Boy Vintage fashion inspired

Kiki Vanity

Groom Photo Vintage fashion inspired

Jordan Copper - Male Model

Bridesmaids Vintage fashion inspired

Head pieces: Marla Carmeta Designs

Vintage fashion inspired black and white wedding

The stationery used on the day was intricate and unique, adding another element to the shoot.

Vintage fashion inspired Detailed Envelopes
Vintage fashion inspired wedding invite

Vintage fashion inspired Invitation Ideas

Vintage fashion inspired Laser Cut Wedding Invites
They also prepared a beautiful, bright red setting which contrasted beautifully with the dresses and suits.

Vintage fashion inspired reception ideas

Vintage fashion inspired Creative Wedding Invites

Vintage fashion inspired Cute Wedding Name Tags

If you’re interested in having photos taken you can check out the Melanie McNiven Portraits website, or email them here.

Vintage fashion and Fun wedding ideas

 

Fairytale Bridal: Antonia and Emanuel’s Wedding Day

Antonia and Emanuel’s Fairytale Bridal Inspired Wedding

Antonia and Emanuel are both teachers from Queensland. We got to speak to Antonia about their special day. Inspired by Disney, the coupled enjoyed nothing less than a fairytale day. When we chatted to Antonia about the fairytale bridal ideas that inspired the wedding. We discussed the proposal, what they enjoyed most and Antonia’s Disney inspired dress.

Fairytale bridal makeup

  1. Tell us a little about the proposal and the lead up to the wedding?

We were on an overseas trip in Tokyo, Japan and had just gone on a tour to Mt Fuji. It was a miserable day, raining with fog so thick you couldn’t see the mountain. He originally planned to propose there but instead took me to Tokyo Tower that night. We were on the top of the building and you could see the whole city lit up. He pulled me aside and said he had planned a special tour for us and gave me a piece of paper. I opened it up and it was a magic eye puzzle. I stared at it trying to read what it said until it came clear and read “will you marry me?” Of course I said yes!

Fairytale bridal rings

Fairytale bridal invites

  1. What was the inspiration behind your wedding theme / vibe? 

Disney! One of the alternating centerpieces was a glass dome with flowers on the inside inspired by Beauty and the Beast, as was the draping on the cake table and main table. My dress was also snow white inspired from the Alfred Angelo Disney range and we had a Cinderella horse and carriage.

Fairytale bridal celebration

  1. Favourite detail or moment of the day? (Besides becoming husband and wife of course! or Wife and Wife, or Husband and Husband!)

Walking down the aisle to see each other at the front of the church. Also opening the notes from each other in the morning.

Fairytale bridal ceremony

Fairytale bridal photography

  1. Did you undertake any DIY projects, if so what?

Our invitations were the pop up card with the church on the inside form Classic Wedding Invitations. As fun as they were on the inside, the outside needed to reflect our style more. So we took the time to glue lace on the outside and tied a ribbon around them. We also put the wedding favours together using a cork top jar. We tied twine around the top into a bow and tied a brown card onto it that we stamped with “thank you”, our names and the wedding date. Then they were filled with personalised rock candy.

Fairytale bridal invitation

Fairytale bridal favours

  1. Any family or religious traditions incorporated into your day?

In the morning at the grooms house one of the uncle’s played the piano accordion while the family did some Greek dancing prior to getting ready. This was followed by a traditional Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony at St. George Church West End.

Fairytale bridal church ceremony

Fairytale bridal reception

  1. Talk to us about your dress, where is it from? How long did it take to find?

My dress was a Disney inspired Snow White Alfred Angelo gown. I added a large bow to the back of the dress. I picked it on the first day of trying on dresses, it was the first dress I tried on and I knew it was the one.

Fairytale bridal wear

  1. Any funny stories in the lead up to or on the day?

When the boys were getting ready in the morning and put their suits on for the photos one of the groomsmen had the wrong suit on because the arms were too short. No one knew where it was and it was finally found back at the groom’s house. Another moment was when the Priest gives us wine to drink and made my groom skull it three times to the point that he gagged. The Priest had to wipe the sweat from his forehead!

Fairytale bridal princes

Fairytale bridal couple

  1. Advice for other couples planning a wedding?

Don’t worry if you don’t get to see all your guests, if you try to see everyone the night will be over! Also, don’t worry if everything isn’t perfect no one else will notice accept for you.

fairytale bridal decorations

VENDOR CREDITS

Photos: Studio 60 and Buko Productions

Bridal gown: Alfred Angelo

Shoes: Forever New

Flowers: Brisbane Market Flowers

Rings: Kosta Gold and Diamond’s

Bridesmaids dresses: Dream Dresses

Grooms and Groomsmen suits: Dom Bagnato

Grooms Shoes: Myer

Bow ties or ties: Myer

Ceremony: St. George Greek Orthodox Church

Reception: Brisbane City Hall

Cake: Emily Sweet Treats

Reception stylist: Elegant Settings & Styled Events

Stationery designer: Classic Wedding Invitations

Hair and Make up: George Salon & NC Makeup Artistry

Music: DJ Nicky Zee

Transport: Cinderella Carriage Hire

Cinematographer: Sipka

Country Wedding Ideas: How a Wedding Planner Can Help

Incorporating Country Wedding Ideas with a Wedding Planner

JN Consulting is a UK based, Event Management Company. It was founded in 2011 by Jo Neville. They are focused on providing high quality service and customer satisfaction. They work to go above and beyond their clients expectations. Wedding planning is one of their services, and one they do very well. We got to talk to Jo about a beautiful wedding that the company worked on recently. Tom and Carly were married in August 2015 and had a beautiful and personalised wedding. As well as chatting with Jo, we are also lucky enough to have some of their wonderful photos from the day. The photos are stunning and give some great country wedding ideas.

Bride and Groom

Bride and Groom's First Dance

Country Wedding band

Country Wedding Ideas Bridal Shots

1. What was your role in the day? And the lead up?

I was the couples Event Manager and their point of contact at the venue. I met the couple three times prior to their wedding. We had two planning meetings and one final meeting. I ran their big day to ensure that everything went smoothly and acted as Master of Ceremonies. I looked after all supplier, staffing and catering on the day and made sure that Tom & Carla’s day was as they had planned it to be.

Country Wedding Ideas couple photos

Country Wedding Ideas and Timber

Country Wedding Ideas

Country Wedding Ideas for stationary

2. What was the inspiration behind the day?

A classic wedding that incorporated Tom’s timber business in to the decoration’s for the marquee. They wanted to ensure that small details like the drinks coasters were all personalised.

Country Wedding Ideas couple

 Flowers for Country Wedding Ideas

Country Wedding Ideas for walking down the isle

Tom and Carla’s Wedding was held at the Ashton Lodge Country House in Warwickshire, UK.

locations and Country Wedding Ideas

Country Wedding Ideas for reception

Country Wedding Ideas for bridal party

The beautiful photos for Tom and Carla were taken by Sarah Salotti.

Country Wedding Ideas

Wedding Reception Ideas

The photos created on the day were beautiful, unique and classic. This tops off the wedding planning process.

Classic Wedding Photos

Beautiful Wedding Photos

Other vendors involved in the day:

Photo Booth: The Vintage Photo Booth Company 

Ceremony and Reception: Ashton Lodge Country House

Event: The Midlands Events Company

Music: Jalapeño Hot Club Band

Photos: Sarah Salotti

Bollywood Weddings: Ideas for your big day

Bollywood Weddings by Sugar & Spice Events.

Sugar & Spice are an events planning company, based in Queensland. While they plan many different types of events, they specialise in stylish and unique weddings. With the beautiful work that they do, Sugar & Spice have been named one of the top 25 Wedding Stylists in the country by Modern Wedding Magazine, two years running.

Bollywood Weddings

Bollywood weddings are beautifully vibrant and fun. These photos are just a sample of the amazing wedding that Sugar & Spice styled. These wonderful photos gives you an idea of how Bollywood weddings can inspire a colourful and entertaining day for you and your guests.

Reception Ideas for Bollywood Weddings

Sugar & Spice recently styled a Bollywood inspired wedding. Incorporating bright colours and stunning textures they created a reception that was truly unique.

Henna for Bollywood Weddings

Creative Director of Sugar & Spice, Decinda MacDonald, described the wedding as “spectacular”, and we couldn’t agree more. These beautiful florals are shown throughout the reception and add even more to the colour and intricacy of the styling.

Setting for Bollywood Weddings

If you’re interested in having an event styled and organised by Sugar & Spice you can visit their website here. 

Beach idea for Bollywood Weddings.

Wedding Planning: Organising a Stress Free Day.

Take the anxiety out of Wedding Planning with Maddison & Pride

Maddison & Pride are an wedding planning company with a difference. Founder, Julie Pride, works closely with you to create a unique event, that reflects you. We got to speak to Julie about the benefits of using a wedding planner, and what sets Maddison & Pride apart from the rest.

Wedding Planning Companies

Here is what Julie had to say:

Maddison & Pride was founded on a simple philosophy; to deliver the perfect wedding. The moments and memories you’ll cherish forever and an occasion that your guests will enjoy and never forget.

Reception ideas for Wedding Planning

Whilst the main characteristics of a traditional wedding is still the preferred underlying theme for most people, the trend is to include a unique element – a ‘point of difference’.

Florals in Wedding Planning

At Maddison & Pride, we believe that the most effective way to do this is to style in a way that reflects the more unique personal style and representations of the couple.

Wedding Planning table settings

This is really important and it’s not just about the tangible styling – you want your guests to walk in to your wedding and know it’s a reflection of both the bride and groom’s personalities. When styling a wedding, we like to consider what it is about you and your partner that your friends and family love. This could be reflected in small caring gestures like a pair of slip on ballet flats for weary feet. Or a scrumptious morsel of food late in the evening to refresh guests.

Unique Wedding Planning

Lastly, the whole look should come together to reflect the bride and groom. While the wedding is enjoyed by guests, it’s also for you. Together, this should be showcased in your wedding space.

Wedding Planning

We believe the comfort level of the guests is an essential ingredient to success.  Guests shouldn’t be overwhelmed by the styling. Being in the styling industry for over 25 years, I have seen tables so close together that congestion is inevitable.  Also, overly-elaborate table settings overwhelm and distract guests.  There needs to be adequate space at the wedding venue for the number of tables you will have.  Wedding table settings and decorations need to be designed so that they don’t obstruct vision but do compliment the overall theme. Also, we believe in quality over quantity.

Maddison & pride Wedding Planning

Maddison & Pride offer a unique styling approach for Brides. We offer luxurious table linens and chair covers that I design in my studio and manufacture locally here, in Australia. Each design starts with a vision of offering brides something luxurious and new for styling. I am passionate about how a room can be transformed. Spaces can look exquisite with beautiful table linens and luxury chair covers. They impart a sense of style and elegance that a bride can use alone or compliment with a simple flower centerpiece. Each design story that we produce represents the seasons and gives stylists and brides a exciting and new styling product to lift the look of any room or venue.

Bouquets Wedding Planning

In my opinion, there are three main reasons why people should work with a wedding stylist. The first is experience. An experienced event stylist knows what works and what doesn’t.  They know how to manage venues and suppliers and how to generate the best impact and value.  On the day, they are the ones who can make it happen so that the bride and groom have a seamless, wonderful time.

Bridal table Wedding Planning

The second is creativity. Being creative is the business of a stylist.  Creativity does not stop at having the idea for the theme for the wedding.  Being able to deliver that theme in the most effective and impressive way is the proof of a styling professional.

Wedding Planning photoshoot

The third is maintaining your sanity. There are few occasions in the life of a bride, groom and families that are more emotional than a wedding.  The stress that can be generated and the time required to deliver the event can test relationships.  Professional wedding stylists and event managers take the stress and operational logistics away to ensure that the wedding is as stress free as possible for all concerned.

Bouquets Wedding Planning

If you’re interested in how Maddison & Pride can help you style your event, you can check out their website here or you can contact Julie via email.

Wedding Planning Bride and Groom table

Wedding Planning Art

Outdoor Weddings: A Photo Shoot with Classic Wedding Invitation

Outdoor Weddings Shoot to Give You Ideas For Your Wedding Day

Classic Wedding Invitations had the opportunity recently to collaborate on a shoot with some very talented vendors. The idea behind it was to present a wonderful outdoor wedding. This setting, created a green and lush backdrop. While we provided the wedding invitations and photo booth accessories for the shoot, many more aspects were also involved. The photos taken at the shoot present some wonderful ideas for a classic, outdoor wedding.

Wedding Table Setting

Personalised Cookies for Weddings

Wedding Invitations

There is much detail that gets put into all Classic Wedding Invitations invites. From printing, to laser cutting, there are many ways to create your perfect invitation.

Detailed Wedding Invitations

The invitations used in the shoot are our Wilderness Invitation. More about them and information on how to order can be found here.

Beautiful Outdoor Weddings

Ideas for Outdoor Weddings

Bride and Groom photos

Wedding Photos

The beautiful greens of the grass and trees made for beautiful shots of our models. An outdoor wedding is a great option to consider, especially if your day is blessed with good weather!

Outdoor Weddings Couple
Outdoor Weddings Dress Ideas

The beautiful dress worn here is by Karen Willis Holmes, a Sydney based designer. Karen has stores all over the world including in the UK and New York.

Outdoor Wedding Setting

Intricate Wedding Table Setting

Outdoor Weddings Ideas

Ideas for Wedding Props

The intricacy of the shoot, can provide ideas about ways to personalise your reception and ceremony. The flowers used throughout the shoot are by Brett Currell from Wedding Flowers & Styling Melbourne.

Outdoor Wedding Setup
Outdoor Wedding Florals
Outdoor Groom Photos
Wedding Stationary

The cakes and treats used in our shoot were from Little Malvern Cake Company. The detail and care they take with the creation of their cakes makes them perfect for weddings.

Outdoor Wedding Ideas

Beautiful Outdoor Wedding

 

These wonderful photos were taken by Immerse Photography. If you’re interested in their services, you can find out more here.

Photos of Outdoor Weddings
Outdoor Wedding Couple Photos

Our beautiful models from the shoot were Hannah Vanderheide and Matt Crowley.

Bridal Makeup
Outdoor Wedding Shoot
Outdoor Wedding Dresses
Wedding Dresses

The hair and makeup artist was Sue from Magical Makeovers. She created a lovely, natural look for our bride.

Outdoor Wedding Swing
Bridal Hair Ideas

 

Other vendors used in the shoot:

Photos: Immerse Photography

Invitations and Photo Booth Props: Classic Wedding Invitations

Dress: Karen Willis Holmes.

Flowers: Wedding Flowers & Styling Melbourne

Cakes: Little Malvern Cake Company.

Jewellery: Jeanette Maree.

Makeup: Magical Makeovers.

Wedding Rings for Men: Unique Wedding Bands.

Find the Perfect Wedding Ring for Men

Lord Coconut specialise in handcrafted wedding rings for men. They are the only specialist men’s wedding ring store in Melbourne. They are a great option if you’re looking for a unique option for the groom or grooms that other jewelers may not offer. Located right in Melbourne, and also available online, Lord Coconut is an easily accessible and unique piece for your ring. We got to speak to Mark from Lord Coconut about choosing the perfect ring, how they got started and the story behind the name.

grooms wedding rings

1. What tips and advice do you give to couples when choosing the grooms wedding rings?

Choose the type of metal used in the ring carefully:

- Sterling silver is cheap but very soft so your ring is unlikely to last as long as your marriage so try to spend that little bit more if you can. If not, and we all know how expensive weddings are, go into it with your eyes open in the knowledge that it will need replacing at some stage.

- Titanium is very light and tough but it does scratch and is dangerous for tradies (if your hand is crushed in an accident its easier to cut your finger off than the ring).

- 9ct gold is durable enough for most people, but it does come in at a fair price. It’s best not to get white gold Rhodium plated as it comes off within 6-18 months. And why hide the fabulous warm 9ct white gold colour?

- 18ct gold is unnecessary unless you like the deeper colours. If the colour variation between 9ct and 18ct isn’t important save your money and go for 9ct. Don’t even think about getting 18ct white gold rhodium plated! The finished colour will be no different to a 9ct white gold rhodium plated ring, and will be twice the cost.

- Platinum rings are the most expensive of all and if you really want to spend that amount on a ring we’re more than happy to help you out.

- Tungsten rings are ones we don’t sell. They are usually made overseas and we get lots of couples coming in after a year or two deciding that they now want a grown up wedding ring. One for the little boys I’m afraid.

hanfcrafted wedding rings

2. When did Lord Coconut begin and how did you come up with the name?

There is a great little story on our website which explains how my great great grandfather may have gotten the Lord Coconut nickname. Its up to you whether or not you believe it. Either way I’m sure the name will stick in your memory!

two tone wedding rings

3. How do you collaborate with other jewellers  How does it work? Where are most jewellers based?

Lord Coconut represents over 40 Australian based jewellers. About half live and work in Melbourne whilst the remainder are scattered around the country. Jewellers have their own unique style. We either hand pick from within their existing ranges or help them develop their first range for men. We also provide advice to jewellers on what is selling within the store. This enables them to tailor their range to meet our clients expectations. We usually have a sample of each jewellers rings in-store and each wedding ring order is custom made to size for each and every customer. We are also able to act as the go-between, between a customer and jeweller if a custom design is required.

Unique wedding rings

4. Do you have any interesting client stories or requests?

Each and every client has an interesting story to tell. As we are off ground level, we can spend the time getting to know the couple to ensure they choose the perfect ring to reflect their personalities. It’s an important choice and we hope our interest in each couples story puts them at ease. Especially when spending a big amount of money. Furthermore, the ring is often the groom’s first.

Wedding rings for men

We did have one couple come in one week before the wedding requiring one of our handcrafted rings. A little odd as who forgets about getting a wedding ring? After a little discussion it was determined that one of the bride’s father’s was ill and unlikely to see the wedding if the original wedding date was kept. It was a bit of a push but we were able to get their custom made ring ready in time. This meant that the bride and groom enjoyed a perfect day with the rings they wanted.

On another note we are selling more and more of what we call ‘proposal rings’. These rings (which are essentially wedding rings) are for same sex couples. A sterling silver wedding ring will be purchased and used as part of the proposal with the view that the ring will be upgraded to a gold version once same sex marriage is legalized. The proposal ring is then retired to the top draw.

Mens wedding rings

5. What types of ring options are there?

Our rings mainly come in sterling silver or gold (9ct or 18ct in white, rose and yellow) but we have a small titanium range and most rings can be made in platinum. We have over 80 different styles in stock ranging from 2mm to 12mm wide, brushed or polished, thick or thin and textured or smooth. We like to think we have one of the broadest ranges of locally made men’s wedding rings in Australia. Even if we don’t have exactly what you have in mind, you’ll walk away with a firmer idea of what you like and what you don’t.

one of a kind wedding rings
If you’re interested in the other rings that Lord Coconut has to offer, or to find out more about the brand, you can visit their website here.



 

© 2016 Classic Wedding Invitations
ABN: 21 167 491 250
Made in Melbourne - Australia