Real Weddings

Article by

Laura Wilson

Posted on

20/09/2018

Posted in

Real Weddings

There certainly is something to be said for the humble love letter, even if it is written over Facebook messenger, as Alexandra and Mike found when they met on a European adventure many moons ago. “We spent that first night chatting at the hostel we were both staying at, spent the next couple of days together in Belgium and Berlin, and then set off in different directions,” explains Alexandra, who wore Prea James Bridal from The Bridal Atelier. “Over the course of that year, Mike flew back and forth to meet me, changing his plans along the way. We were in constant contact, writing modern day love letters via Facebook Messenger, whenever we got a WIFI.” Naturally, we wanted to know more, so scroll down for all the deets from this loved-up couple, including the groom’s unique wedding band from Grew & Co. Their incredible pics from their big day at Three Blue Ducks, Rosebery were taken by our friend and HM directory vendor, Scott Surplice Photography, both not surprisingly listed as their standout vendors…

THE VENUE “The venue was one of the easier decisions to make. We were adamant on keeping it close to home, and the ceremony and reception in the one space, so there would only be a short gap in between- and delicious food. We went along to Three Blue Ducks, Rosebery for lunch one day, and instantly felt at home. The venue has a gorgeous industrial vibe, and didn’t need much extra styling, there was a great space to get married under a grapevine-covered awning, the food was world-class and it’s next door to Archie Rose Gin Distillery for pre-drinks.”

DIY “The flowers! In the early days of the wedding planning, I handed the reigns of flowers over to my mum and aunt. My aunt is the ultimate gardener and knows the name of every single flower she can see. I trust my mum’s eye more than anyone else- her style is amazing and so natural. I must say though, after multiple trips to the flower markets, throwing money at the problem started looking more and more appealing. But, we learned so much, had an epic trial run, and they absolutely nailed it in the end.”

THE DRESS “I thought finding my dress was going to be the most difficult part, but surprisingly it was the easiest. As annoying as it sounds, it was the first dress I tried on. I saw it on Instagram, tried it on and loved it. It just felt like me. I tried a few different dresses on at other stores, but kept going back to that one. In a weird coincidence, the designer is from my home suburb. We both have moved out, so to connect by chance via The Bridal Atelier in Double Bay is pretty cool.”

REFERENCES “I found key vendors through Instagram, referrals and Hello May. It got overwhelming at times but the Directory section on the Hello May website and in the magazine were super helpful when the couple’s style was similar to ours. Once you’ve decided on a vendor, do your best not to look at any others. Admire other people’s styles, but be firm in your direction.”

WE’RE GLAD WE… “I’m just glad I went with my gut on most of the decisions. I realised pretty early on that just because my friend didn’t like my earrings, it didn’t mean I didn’t have to not wear them. I liked them! People will judge, and they’ll do it in passing, without realising it. Other people’s opinions do start to affect you, no matter how hardened you are. Do your very best to block out this outside noise- including Instagram! This day is about you and your partner. I’m really proud of how much we stuck to our guns on what a wedding meant to us, and to our relationship. We did things that were meaningful to us and scrapped the ones that were just tradition.”

STANDOUT VENDORS “The day went by in such a flash, that when we had the chance to look at our photos, we had a complete, 360 view of the day. The looks and reactions on the faces of us and our guests, our emotional journey leading up to the ceremony, the details, the food, how aggressively everyone was dancing… we wouldn’t have had that without the work of our world-class photographer, Scott Surplice. In so many of the photos, I had no idea he was even there. Also, Susannah from Three Blue Ducks was an absolute superstar. Never have I worked with someone so organised, patient, and accommodating.”

This wedding was originally published in our 2018 Real Weddings Special. If you’d like to check out more from this issue, limited copies are available via our online store.