Both lawyers, Salwa and Alex have been together for 13 years, met at university and got engaged in London, before tying the knot in the epic St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane. We can’t get enough of the marquee, simple styling and vintage gown. Stories By Ash was there to document it all, so scroll down for each and every pic…
THE VENUE “We wanted to find a blank canvas, so we drove around Brisbane one day looking for halls we could borrow for amenities to put our party on. We found Upper Brookfield Community Hall in a lovely spot, it had a nice big kitchen and that was it!”
THE VIBE “We didn’t really have a theme for the day, we just wanted to put a party on that reflected us. We were very eager to have something that felt relaxed and casual where our friends and family could share good food and wine surrounded by greenery. We were also eager to incorporate concepts that were important to us. Our families are Lebanese and Greek, so we were wanted to incorporate Mediterranean influences. For example, our menu was heavily Mediterranean-inspired, as was our dessert table, wedding favours and we incorporated olive trees into the ceremony and reception decorations.”
DIY “Our invitations were DIY by necessity and our wedding favours (sugared almonds in hessian gift bags tied with twine) were the product of a lovely night with my dear friend Amanda involving a lot of red wine.”
THE DRESS “I only went to one shop when looking for my wedding dress. I was in London and went for a look at the amazing William Vintage. I started by trying on vintage couture that was eye-wateringly expensive for fun (which I obviously couldn’t afford) but was lucky to find one of their “Great Unknowns” (non-designer pieces that they stock discretionarily). I tried the dress on, sent a few photos home to my brains trust of wise women and picked it up the next day.”
WE’RE GLAD WE “Took a few weeks after the wedding to get away and spend some time together. We went to New York and had a really lovely city holiday which didn’t require much planning or logistics. It felt like the perfect thing to do after a wedding, which, though wonderful, took quite a lot of planning!”
STANDOUT VENDORS “We were lucky to work with a lot of wonderful vendors! Alexia from The Other Bridesmaid and Ash from Stories By Ash were really outstanding. They were particularly good at picking up on our discomfort with some aspects of the wedding industry and helping us to create something that we felt comfortable with and loved. The Music Department at St John’s Cathedral also went above and beyond.”
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Stories By Ash Event Planner & Stylist The Other Bridesmaid Florist Kate Dawes Stationery The Paper Empire Printer Worldwide Ceremony St John’s Cathedral Wedding Service Music St John’s Cathedral Choir Reception Upper Brookfield Community Hall Catering Al’FreshCo Cake Cake Kiosk Desserts Voula’s Kitchen & Sooo Sweet Wedding Favours HessianHome via Etsy Hire Items Hampton Event Hire Marquee Moreton Hire Lighting AV Ideas Entertainment Rush & doo-bop (Andrew Saragossi Jazz Duo) Celebrant Reverend Dr Mervyn Thomas & Reverend Julia Van Den Bos Wedding Bands Robert White Jewellers Transport Sisils Bus Lines THE BRIDE Bridal Gown William Vintage Engagement Ring Alfies Antique Market Shoes Stuart Weitzman Earrings VintagEnMode via Etsy Bangle Mimco Clutch From St Xavier Hair Little Hair Nest Makeup The Powder Room Bridesmaid Gifts Anni Lu THE GROOM Suit & Ties Mitchell Ogilvie Shirt Eton Cufflinks Tiffany & Co. Shoes R.M. Williams Grooming Esq. Male Grooming