Real Weddings

Article by

Laura Wilson

Posted on

22/09/2021

Posted in

Real Weddings

10 years together and loved-up to boot! How do we know? The super sweet (and well thought out) proposal story may have given it away, guys. And their wedding was one very special day. Not only did they have their seven-week-old daughter with them to celebrate, but they also hired a bunch of our fave vendors to bring their vision to life. To start, Kristie Carrick Photography (a darn good human who produces darn good pics), Hope X Page Bridal Boutique (where Amy bought her ceremony gown), The Barn On The Ridge (their epic venue that speaks for itself) and The White Tree (guaranteed to get everyone on the dance floor – and keep them there). Scroll down to catch all the pics, details and wise words from the happy couple below…

THE PROPOSAL “Brian managed to organise all 120 of my Year Six students and staff at my school to be involved. I was coaxed out of my classroom to find them all standing in a circle on our main oval holding purple and green balloons (my colours). Brian was in the middle, where he dropped to one knee and pulled a ring out of his backpack.”

THE VENUE “The Barn On The Ridge was the only venue that we looked at. I had grown up holidaying down the South Coast and loved the idea of getting married in the area. A family member had mentioned that the barn was being done up and was running a ‘win your wedding’ competition. We entered, didn’t win, but loved the place and the vision Mindy and Brad had so much that we booked anyway. We placed all our trust in these guys and were not disappointed.”

THE INSPO “We are both early risers and love to day drink, so decided a day event was definitely what we wanted. A relaxed party vibe in the sun was our goal and we were blessed with the most perfect weather.”

FAVE DETAILS “I loved the flowers from The Faux Fernery. They complimented the stunning scenery perfectly and I’m so happy that we now have our everlasting bouquets and buttonholes to keep as a memory of our special day. The Sperry tent we hired from South Coast Party Hire as a wet weather and sunshade option was spectacular. Most of the guests hung out under it and it was a great focal piece for the day. All the little touches that our dear friend Sarah from Sarah Kate Events created for us including the signage and all the styling within the barn.”

THE DRESS “When I found out I was pregnant and would be giving birth just a few weeks before the wedding I was quite apprehensive about a dress. At this stage I hadn’t tried on a single one, so I quickly booked some appointments. I had no intention of purchasing, I just wanted to have that magical experience before my baby bump got in the way. At Hope X Page I fell in love with the Watters dress, but my brain overruled my heart as I knew it was a lot of money to spend on a dress that may not fit so close postpartum. Low and behold a few weeks later the exact dress, in my size, came up at their annual sample sale. This time my heart won! I never thought I would be the type to have a second dress, however, as the wedding grew closer I knew I needed a backup, so purchased the ASOS one on sale. I was amazed that when I dared to try on the dresses two weeks out from the wedding, they both fit, so thought why not?”

KEY REFERENCES “Mindy from The Barn On The Ridge had compiled a fantastic list of recommended local vendors, so that was our starting point. We also utilised the Hello May Directory to see what was available locally.”

MARRIAGE MEANS “It’s about balance… Understanding that exercise every day is important but hot chips must be purchased at any given opportunity.”

WE’RE GLAD WE… “Had the amazing ham rolls that Rabbit & Co Caterers provided at the end of the evening for our guests. Months later and we’re still hearing about those ham rolls! And that we snuck away for a second photography session during golden hour. The photos are incredible!”

STANDOUT VENDORS “Our photographer, Kristie Carrick Photography, was absolutely amazing. She was the first vendor we booked as soon as we had a date. Kristie had done a number of my friends’ weddings previously, I loved how comfortable she made us all feel and was always such a support for her couples. There was no other photographer I would even consider. Mindy and Brad from The Barn On The Ridge – we watched them transform that barn into the beautiful venue it is now. Nothing was ever a problem and they were so accommodating, offering use of absolutely everything they had. And if they didn’t have it, they went and got it.”

If you want to see more from Amy and Brian’s key vendors, head to their Directory listings with us at the following links. You can scroll down and see many more real weddings we have published featuring their work and rave reviews from other couples – inspo on tap! Kristie Carrick Photography, The Barn On The Ridge, The White Tree, Hope X Page. But first…