Real Weddings

Article by

Laura Wilson

Posted on

12/08/2020

Posted in

Real Weddings

These two have been through the wringer, guys. Not only did they plan a wedding, but three times over! The first one was for 60 people (before their Byron Bay venue burned down). The second one was at a Sydney bar (before Covid-19 came along)… “We then decided that we would elope with our immediate family and get married no matter the circumstances.” Why? “We wanted to get married, and the celebrations are not what matters to us the most,” says the bride, who is saving her gown from Love Marie Bridal Boutique for the bigger wedding celebrations next year. So here it all is friends, shot by one of our fave ladies behind the lens, Samantha Heather Photography.

THE VENUE “After COVID-19 on a third journey to find somewhere with an entirely different feel – small and intimate, and available in two months. When we discovered Pier One Hotel and their private balcony suites – we thought it was the perfect place for us to exchange our vows.”

THE INSPO “Due to the restrictions, we were simply just trying to find somewhere that would let us hold our ceremony, have an intimate family dinner, and allow us to relax and celebrate with our loved ones. Because we had already invested a lot of money on our original wedding (now postponed to the exact same date in 2021), we just tried our best to utilise the beautiful backdrop provided by the balcony suites in Pier One Hotel, without bothering with decorations.”

FAVE DETAILS “Because of the circumstances, we were not able to get too carried away with perfecting all of the details. Anthony’s suit, shoes and tie were pieces he already owned. I bought my dress online and wore shoes I already owned. In saying this, I really wanted to achieve a really classy, yet simple theme and my favourite details were the mixture of silk, pearls and gold for my bridal look, and a simple soft bouquet. The other details were all in the stunning backdrop of Sydney Harbour with not an ounce of styling.”

THE DRESS “I had already been through the process of buying a wedding dress. It was a very special time – I only took my Mum to my appointments and together we settled on a stunning dress from Amy at Love Marie Bridal Boutique, which is now hanging sadly in my wardrobe. It didn’t feel right to wear it on our low-key, family-centred wedding day – I have saved it for next year, when we have our reception. The dress I did end up wearing was a stunning Shona Joy two-piece.It fit like a glove, it was comfortable, and it was so me.”

CUTE CUSTOMS “We were so blessed to enjoy some simple, yet meaningful things that we were able to appreciate due to the intimate setting of our wedding. My mum surprised us with a cake she had made herself and presented me with three wedding charms – one my grandmother wore on her wedding day, one she wore (which was also ‘something blue’), and a brand new one for me. She gave me my late Nan’s engagement ring and we tied it to the bouquet so that she could be with me. Had this been the wedding I originally planned, I’m not sure I would have been able to really soak in all of these precious moments – it was such a highlight for me.”

WE’RE GLAD WE… “Chose to elope with our families during COVID-19 (rather than postponing) which was not an option for us. We were not interested in letting a virus stop us from getting married – even at the expense of the day we had so meticulously planned!”

STANDOUT VENDORS “Samantha Heather Photography was just wonderful to deal with (as she always is), and was a lovely addition to our day. My hairstylist, Suzanne Henderson for keeping me relaxed in the morning and pulling off my big voluminous ponytail, and Tanya Artistry especially for making my mum look so beautiful.”

For more from photographer, Samantha Heather, check out her Directory listing with us here. You’ll find she has a serious knack for showing the love between gorgeous couples on camera.