SAME SAME WEDDINGS MAGAZINE FOURTH EDITION 2019

FO U R TH EDITION 2019

AU ST R A LI A’ S FI R ST S AM E S E X W E D D I N G MAGA ZI N E

Welcome to the fourth edition of SAME SAME WEDDINGS, Australia’s First Same Sex Wedding Magazine.

This publication is dedicated to celebrating LOVE, featuring same-sex couples who have recently tied the knot in Australia and beyond. The LGBTIQ+ community can contact any of the businesses showcased in Same Same Weddings with confidence, knowing that they will be warmly welcomed and valued.

Congratulations ASH & JEN, our Front Cover couple Photo: Evernew Studio

The next (fifth) online edition of SSWM will be uploaded February 2020.

If you would like to submit a wedding or showcase a business, please email samesame@ontrendbridal.com.au Stay Social - Instagram and Facebook @samesameweddingsmagazine @samesameweddingsexpo Published by PADDINGTON PUBLICATIONS PTY LTD Publishers of SAME SAME WEDDINGS MAGAZINE (online) BRISBANE BRIDE MAGAZINE (print and online) ONTREND BRIDAL MAGAZINE (online) Hosts of SAME SAME WEDDINGS EXPO ABN 819 479 402 20 Australia 0417 637 553 www.ontrendbridal.com.au PUBLISHER Kerrie Gowenlock SALES & MARKETING Julie Fullerton 0439 811 221 samesame@ontrendbridal.com.au All rights reserved. All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced in part or in full by any means, without the express permission of the publishers. While the publishers have taken all reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of the material contained in this publication, it is a condition of purchase of this magazine that the publishers do not assume any responsibility or liability for any inaccuracy or omission, or from the use of the information contained herein and the publishers make no warranties, express or implied, with respect to any of the material contained herein.

IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURED SUPPLIERS 34 177 34 50 34 99 14 99 35 35 99 35 83 6 36 25 90 58 13 36 100 178 65 24 100 182 83 82 100 100 36 184 37 180 37 37 38 40 73 38 73 38 39 39 51 5

FEATURED WEDDINGS

BALLOONS BY TWISTEDMR 143 BLUE JAZZOO 148 BRISBANE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE (BCEC) 101 BRISBANE POWERHOUSE 130 CAKE MY DAY BY JO 59 15 CEDAR CREEK ESTATE CHANDELIERS TO DIE FOR 91 52 CIRCLE OF LOVE CLICK CLICK PHOTO BOOTH 41 CRUISING YACHT CLUB OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA 84 115 EARTH GREETINGS EVENT HIRE SERVICES 7 FUSE PYROTECHNICS 121 HIGH CHURCH 125 HOTEL RICHMOND 108 KINGFISHER BAY RESORT, FRASER ISLAND 66 KOOKABURRA HOMESTEAD 26 MBK EVENTS 136 MILLBROOK WINERY 74 MR ENTERTAINMENT MUGSHOTS PHOTO BOOTHS MY WEDDING WISH, CHARITY NAUTILUS RESORT, COOK ISLANDS NEWCASTLE EVENT HIRE ONELOVE WEDDING DIRECTORY PEGGY AND FINN, BESPOKE MENS ACCESSORIES PORTSEA GOLF CLUB AND MERCURE PORTSEA PRESTON PEAK WINERY FUNCTION CENTRE RAINBOW WEDDINGS BY ROD SPARK PHOTOGRAPHY ROD NOENDENG PHOTOGRAPHY ROTARY BROADWATER CHAPEL BY THE SEA SAME SAME WEDDINGS EXPO SECRETS ON THE LAKE SKINB5, AUSTRALIAN SKIN CARE SPICERS SANGOMA RETREAT STRADBROKE ISLAND EVENTS TEA TREE GULLY GOLF CLUB, DIMPLES RESTAURANT & FUNCTION CENTRE THE BRIDAL BOX THE BYRON AT BYRON RESORT & SPA THE CHAPEL MONTVILLE & RECEPTION THE CURRANT SHED THE EPPING CLUB THE POWDER ROOM WILLIE SMITH’S APPLE SHED WINE & DINE’M CATERING XENNOX DIAMONDS

ALISHA & ALANNA ALLAN & STEVEN AMANDA & CAROLYN AMY & TAMMY CHRISTIAN & CALEB DAMIEN & LUKE DAMON & MICHAEL DANIEL & ANTHONY FIONA & SARAH JAMEY & MARIA JASON & JEREMY JEN & ASH MAHLI & JORDAN MICHAEL & EDMOND MICHAEL & SIMON MICHELLE & CATHERINE SEAN & ALESSANDRO SHAUN & MEL WARREN & DANIEL

DAMIEN & LUKE Photo: Inlighten Photography

IN THIS ISSUE

SSWM DIRECTORY SSWM DIRECTORY - ACT

SSWM DIRECTORY - SA

153 153

167 167 167 168 168 168 169

BARLENS EVENT HIRE MUGSHOTS PHOTO BOOTHS

SSWM DIRECTORY - NSW 154 154 154 155 155 155 156 156 156 157 157 157 158 158 158

BARLENS EVENT HIRE CIRCLE OF LOVE DENNARQUE ESTATE EVENT HIRE SERVICES FORGET ME NOT FARM JULIE MUIR, CELEBRANT JUST LOVE CELEBRANCY KARA INVITATIONS LOVEDALE WEDDING CHAPEL & RECEPTION NEWCASTLE EVENT HIRE NOVOTEL NEWCASTLE BEACH ONELOVE WEDDING DIRECTORY ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF AUSTRALIA THE BYRON AT BYRON RESORT & SPA VAGABOND CRUISES

SSWM DIRECTORY - TAS 170 170

BIRCHVIEW TASMANIA WILLIE SMITH’S APPLE SHED

SSWM DIRECTORY - VIC

SSWM DIRECTORY - QLD 159 159 159 160 160 160 161 161 161 162 162 162 163 163 163 164 164 164 165 165 165 166 166

ANNETTE PERRYMAN MARRIAGE CELEBRANT CHATEAU YALDARA CRUISING YACHT CLUB OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA EARTH GREETINGS FALCON VISUALS HOTEL RICHMOND THE CURRANT SHED

ADAM RICHARDS, ACOUSTIC GUITAR SOLOIST & DJ AMBER GILLAM CELEBRANT BALLOONS BY TWISTEDMR BRISBANE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE (BCEC) CAKE THAT! CEDAR CREEK ESTATE WINERY CLICK CLICK PHOTO BOOTH ELEGANT BOMBONIERE ELOPEMENTS NOOSA FUSE PYROTECHNICS GOOD VIBES CO HILLSTONE ST LUCIA KINGFISHER BAY RESORT, FRASER ISLAND ONE WEDDING CELEBRANT PRESTON PEAK WINERY FUNCTION CENTRE ROD NOENDENG PHOTOGRAPHY ROTARY BROADWATER CHAPEL BY THE SEA SECRETS ON THE LAKE SKYLIGHTER FIREWORKS SOL GARDENS THE CHAPEL MONTVILLE & RECEPTION THE POWDER ROOM WATERS EDGE SCARBOROUGH

171 BARLENS EVENT HIRE 171 DALBLAIR BED & BREAKFAST DEB STALLARD MARRIAGE CELEBRANT 171 172 INKAHEAD 172 JEANETTE DYKE, UNIQUE HANDCRAFTED JEWELLERY JR EVENTS 172 173 MELBOURNE & WERRIBEE ZOO EVENTS 173 NIKKO BLUE PHOTOGRAPHY 173 NO. 1 EVENTS 174 PORTSEA GOLF CLUB AND MERCURE PORTSEA 174 RACV INVERLOCH RESORT 175 MILLBROOK WINERY 175 PAGODA RESORT & SPA

SSWM DIRECTORY - INTERNATIONAL 176 176

NAUTILUS RESORT, COOK ISLANDS QUEENSTOWN WEDDING ASSOCIATION, NZ MASTHEAD WITH BANNER

MASTHEAD TEXT WHITE

MASTHEAD WITH BANNER

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THIRD EDITION 2019 2 018 L A U N C H E D I T I O N

LOVE IS LOVE TEXT

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AU ST R A LI A’ S FI R ST S AM E S E X W E D D I N G MAGA ZI N E

LOVE IS LOVE TEXT

AU ST R A LI A’ S FI R ST S AM E S E X W E D D I N G MAGA ZI N E

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“We recently held our wedding at High Church and it was absolutely amazing.

Not only is the venue stunning, the staff were so helpful leading up to the event, and they created the most beautiful floral arrangements for the day. They allowed us to have our fur baby Rufus on site, which made the day even more special for me and my husband. We’d definitely recommend High Church to anyone looking for an informally formal wedding space!”

- Stephanie R.

17 Malt Street, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 07 3852 2211 / enquiries@highchurch.com.au www.highchurch.com.au

Congratulations JEN & ASH 11 May 2019 Brisbane QLD

“We first met through work in 2011, which isn’t super romantic but it allowed us to build a really strong friendship that we both believe has become the foundation of our relationship today. We always helped each other out wherever we could and we never really kept score. Especially when it came to buying each other a much needed coffee.”

Ashleigh Thompson and Jenifer Davis married on 11 May 2019.Their ceremony and reception were held at High Church, Fortitude Valley. Ash proposed to Jen. “Jen is quite a private person and is pretty much an introvert. She tends to have a few good friendships instead of spreading herself too thin.” It was really important to Ash to propose in a way that would make Jen feel comfortable and have that ‘Oh! this is perfect’ moment. Both Jen and Ash are avid readers, so Ash chose to propose through adding a new page to an old book. There is a bit of a ritual between the two, where they would lay in bed and read and pass books to each other, sharing pages and passages. So on an ordinary night, Ash passed her copy of The Great Gatsby to Jen, with a new page added. Jen read through and explained that she didn’t remember that part of the book the first time she read it, to which Ash clarified with a follow up question, “Will you marry me?” and Jen said “Yes”.

“We disregarded a lot of ‘traditions’ and stayed together as a family (with our two children) the night before the wedding. This allowed for a relaxing morning with coffee and breakfast at a local cafe before getting into the busy day.”

Jen’s daughter Charlotte prepared a surprise speech with Ash’s help.

“Charlotte delivered the last speech and after that one, I don’t think there was a dry eye left in the crowd.”

“We didn’t have a theme but we were pretty clear on the aesthetic we were aiming for. We wanted our wedding to reflect our easy-going and down-to-earth nature. Understated yet sophisticated. We didn’t want to spend a lot of money either, so we really took the time to think about what would make the most impact but also be cost-effective. For instance, we wanted nice florals but we knew we would arrange the flowers for the tables ourselves which saved money but was a really nice thing to do as a couple.”

“The in-between moments were a big highlight for us. Lots of people had told us to make the most of every moment and that’s what we did. We looked at each other every chance we got. We stood still when everyone else was busy and just let the moment happen.”

When they first started dating, Jen found a quote that read something along the lines of: ”You’re a human being, you live once and life is wonderful, so eat the damn red velvet cupcake.” Jen shared the quote with Ash and a few days later, Ash surprised Jen with a red velvet cupcake. It was her way of saying: “Let’s give this a go!” On the morning of their wedding, Ash arranged for a friend to deliver a red velvet cupcake to Jen, accompanied by a little card.

“Another highlight was announcing our new surname. Ash lost her mum to cancer when Ash was 18 and we felt it was fitting to honour her by taking her maiden name. We kept it a surprise and so many of the family were touched when we introduced ourselves as Jen and Ash Ivory. It meant a lot and it really felt like Kath (Ash’s mum) was with us on the day.”

“Our newlywed advice is to take your time and make sure you love your vendors. It was really important for us to work with people that shared our values and ‘got us’ as a couple. To us this meant LGBT+ friendly and able to have a laugh with us; an amazing Marriage Celebrant who really takes the time to get to know your story and a photographer that you feel comfortable with (considering you will spend as much time with them on the day as your new husband/wife). Know what the traditions really mean and don’t feel obliged to follow them if it doesn’t resonate with you. For instance, we walked down the aisle together rather than having someone ‘give us away’. We also didn’t worry about a bridal party as we wanted to spend time with each other and then with the wider group of friends and family. We would highly recommend doing a first look as it’s a really special moment especially for two brides.”

VENUE High Church, Fortitude Valley MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Jamie Eastgate, Brisbane City Celebrants PHOTOGRAPHY Evernew Studio ATTIRE Dresses - Pronovias, Shoes - Shoes of Prey, Nine West ACCESSORIES Kela (Jen’s hairpiece) JEWELLERY Ashley Douglas Jewellers HAIR AND MAKEUP The Powder Room Exquisite Hair & Makeup FLORALS Northside Flower Market (DIY centrepieces) CAKE Petite Crumb CAKE TOPPER The Letter Loft CATERING Fresh Events STATIONERY AND FAVOURS DIY TRANSPORT Blacklane ENTERTAINMENT Brad Stokes Music HONEYMOON Queenstown, NZ

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Congratulations DAMIEN & LUKE 23 March 2019 Foster NSW

Luke and Damien met for the first time in 2013 through mutual friends.

Over the two years that followed, they often crossed paths, hanging out with friends on a weekend and enjoying dinner dates. But as fate would have it, both of them were spoken for. From the moment they met, Luke and Damien had a special connection. The energy that flowed between the two was evident. As time passed their friendship grew and eventually the stars aligned perfectly for the two of them to come together. Luke described why he was drawn to Damien: “He is very social, good on the eye and has an amazing personality. He might have seemed a little naive to the world but his fun-loving energy lit up the room.”

The more their friendship developed, Luke realised how much of a kind and caring family man Damien was. Damien recalls his first impression of Luke was that he was a hot-shot executive with an eye for the finer things in life.

He was very confident in his own skin. It didn’t take Damien long to realise that not only was he a wonderful man, he had so much to give in life with little in return. It is obvious through Luke’s success that he is driven and when he wants something he goes for it. It was Luke that made the move which would seal their fate. During their first date, Luke laid his cards on the table and invited Damien on a two-month European Adventure that he was embarking on in just four weeks time. As Damien says: “Sometimes the best relationships are the ones you never see coming.”

The proposal took place in winter 2016.The deal was because Luke had made the first move to start a relationship, Damien would propose! Damien ‘took too long’ so Luke planned it and outdid himself. A seaplane experience to a hatted restaurant on the Hawkesbury for a three-course meal was beautiful, however Damien thought it was an early birthday present. “We went for a walk on the jetty and when Damien turned around I was on one knee holding a blue box. ‘Will you marry me?’ is all that I could manage to say and Damien said YES! The flight back was breathtaking - flying through Sydney Heads, over the Opera House, around the Harbour Bridge and into Rose Bay. Dinner with close friends was amazing in the city and the suite at the Hilton was out of this world.” Damien adds: “There were so many rose petals leading from the door to the bedroom and on the bed, and there were chocolate-dipped strawberries and balloons everywhere. It was magical!”

Damien and Luke Kolbas-Williams were married at Palmyra Bed and Breakfast in Forster, New South Wales on 23 March 2019.

“We decided on a destination wedding at our property ‘Palmyra’ which added a country element and inspired the glamping, marquee and outdoor ceremony concept. We dreamed of the ‘White Luxe’ style of the reception from day one and we added pops of black and grey to lend masculinity to the design.”

“Given my (Luke) trade is landscape architecture, florals and lots of them were a given, which worked with the bespoke chandeliers and candelabra superbly. Symmetry was a design principle in the marquee, ensuring the balance of the opulent elements made sense visually and had the greatest impact. No one had done the very European ceremony install in Australia before and there were more flowers than two ordinary weddings combined.

The inspiration of the ceremony was to ensure it was lavish but connected with the natural surrounding landscape. We achieved this exceptionally well.

Instead of a reception ‘drowned in linen’, we wanted the design to be light and open. Our custom tables with gold trimming were spectacular, matching the chairs and bouncing off the super gloss floor throughout the entire marquee. We framed the centre of the dance floor with a gold foil decal that connected the gold table elements to the dance floor. It was balanced with the lavish white florals that waterfalled from the tables to the ground at the end of all the kings tables. Many elements to our wedding had not been done to this level in Australia.”

VENUE Palmyra Bed and Breakfast WEDDING PLANNER Luke Williams Design and Events MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Anka McMahon Celebrant PHOTOGRAPHY Inlighten Photography, Ariana Photography Studio and JD Photography Studio VIDEOGRAPHY Soda Films and Channel 7 SPECIAL EFFECTS Vibrant Photography and Coloured Smoke Australia ATTIRE GROOMS George Elsissa and Brent Wilson Fashion GROOMSMEN Brent Wilson Fashion BRIDESMAIDS Velani FLOWER GIRLS Coco Blush Boutique ACCESSORIES Tom Ford CROWN John Khoury Design JEWELLERY John Khoury Design HAIR BOYS Hardy’s on Hunter GIRLS Illiana and Marisa Hair Makeup MAKEUP GIRLS Illiana and Marisa Hair Makeup Beauty BOYS Rodan and Fields FLOWER GIRL Daniella Galla MUA ROBES Roman and French FLORALS Vesna Grasso Floral Design FLORAL COOLROOMS Royal Wolf CAKE Sweet Blooms Cakes LIGHTING Flexineon Lighting CATERING Fennel and Co. Catering CATERING COOLROOMS Beavis Party Hire BEVERAGE SERVICE August and Lucy

BEVERAGE COOLROOMS Noble Coolrooms COFFEE AND GELATO STATION Hugo’s Coffee Cartel BOMBONIERE COOKIES Sweet Bloom Cakes BOMBONIERE Candles - LUK Design TRANSPORT Rolls Royce Hire Sydney MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT Limited Edition Band, C’darz Entertainment, Soul Empire and Brown Sugar DECOR CUSTOM Harbourside Decorators CEREMONY Outdoor Wedding Aisles FIRST RECEPTION Martin and Ko. GARDEN Louis Urns and Garden Ornaments CHANDELIERS Chandeliers To Die For < CLICK HERE HIRE White Label Hire RIGGING Jay Productions SOUND AND LIGHTING Scion Audio MARQUEE Prestige Events and Newcastle Event Hire < CLICK HERE PYROTECHNICS All Occasions Pyrotechnics < CLICK HERE MARQUEE STATIONERY Ooh Aah Invitations PLACE SETTINGS Letters By Lou Lou GROUND SIGNAGE LUK Design POWER SUPPLY Coates Hire Tuncurry AMENITIES Vikings Rentals Australia GLAMPING Simple Pleasures Camping Co BESPOKE GUEST ACCESSORIES LUK Design

HIGHLIGHTS “Seeing Damien walk down the aisle... his parents, the flowers, the bling in the crystal. The marquee reveal in the styling shots... it made us cry how beyond perfect it was executed as a finished product. The fireworks display was incredible... just missing the Sydney Harbour Bridge!”

“Our newlywed advice is to get a wedding planner from day one.”

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Congratulations

SEAN & ALESSANDRO 6 August 2018 Fraser Island QLD

Like many couples, Sean and Alessandro met online. “Alessandro had just arrived in Brisbane after spending New Years in Sydney and I was enjoying some time off work. After a brief chat we agreed to meet and keep the conversation going in ‘real life’. We sat up talking most of the night.” Sean was intrigued by Alessandro’s story growing up in Italy, moving to Australia and his Sales Manager job that had him travelling the length and breadth of Australia. “The connection we had was real and we both knew we wanted to see each other again. The next night we went out for dinner and the connection developed into a romantic spark.” It wasn’t long before Alessandro had to leave Brisbane for work again. “We stayed in contact calling each other every night, sometimes talking on the phone until the early hours of the morning, both of us counting down the hours until we could see each other again.” ​ bout a year and a half after they started dating, they decided to head over to Italy so Sean A could meet Alessandro’s family. “It was an exciting time as I had never been to Italy and Alessandro was eager to show off his culture (especially the food!). During the trip we planned to spend six nights in Rome and on the final night we watched an amazing lights display over the ancient ruins of Augustus’ Forum. At the end of the show we stopped to enjoy the moment.” With great trepidation, Alessandro turned to Sean, in front of the forum with the glow of Rome casting a soft light over them. He had a ring box in his hand and he quietly asked Sean to spend the rest of their lives together. Sean, after checking the ring was real exclaimed, “Yes” and jumped for joy before sinking in to Alessandro’s arms. “We spent a few moments relishing in the excitement (relief for Alessandro) before deciding the most appropriate way to celebrate was with gelato in front of the Pantheon.”

Sean and Alessandro Hodges-Colavitto were married on 6 August 2018 in a ceremony on Sunset Beach at Kingfisher Bay Resort, Fraser Island. Their reception was held in the resort’s Dingo Den.

“Using the natural surrounds as inspiration, we themed the wedding ‘Beach to Bush’. We used natural tones where we could,and our outfits were designed to stand out from the sandy tones. We had all Australian native flowers in the centrepieces and for the ceremony. The centrepieces also incorporated driftwood, sand, seedpods and shells. Each cake (yes, every table had their own cake) was decorated to look like a log. We also felt it was important to pay homage to the traditional owners of the land on which we were beginning our new lives by incorporating ‘Acknowledgement to Country’ at key points throughout the ceremony.”

“There were so many reception highlights, including the fire performers who opened the evening, a rainbow piñata and the ‘balloon splash’ to create three fun artworks from the night.

The biggest highlight of the night was our hidden wedding cakes. We decided early in the planning that we didn’t want a traditional cake. We started researching and found some amazing cakes that looked like big logs. We thought that would play well with our theme and we joked that it would be funny if no one knew it was a cake until we cut it. Then we had the brilliant idea to hide a cake on each table that looked like a section of log (something you see in centrepieces all the time) and we would ask our florist to make up little floral arrangements to go on top, so no one would be any the wiser. To trigger the surprise, we had our MC announce the cake cutting by requesting the cake be brought out. The staff appeared from the back and announced they didn’t have a cake! That was the queue for us to start a ‘fake argument’ over who forgot the cake. In an effort to calm the situation, the MC asked the guests to look around for something sweet on their tables that they could eat instead.

We prayed someone (anyone) would figure out the log was a cake and gave a sigh of relief when one of our guests jumped up from her seat and yelled: ‘OMG the log is a cake!’

Watching everyone’s faces as part relief and part surprise washed over them was a great moment, and one our guests still talk about to this day.”

“Our advice for other couples planning their wedding is to have as much fun as you possibly can. Our plan was to make the ceremony all about us and as ‘lovedup’ as possible. The reception was planned for our guests. We wanted them to have a night they would never forget and it was the best decision we made.

By putting our family and friends first, everyone had an amazing time and we still hear them say it was: ‘the best wedding I’ve ever been to’, which for us is the biggest compliment we could receive.”

“When it comes to finance, spend more on the things that matter most to you and less on the things that make little impact or won’t become ‘keepsakes’. Don’t skimp on a videographer or photographer. Find people who have a style you like and be willing to pay for it. We found so many suppliers just weren’t ready to work with same-sex couples, not because they didn’t want to (well, some didn’t) but because they didn’t know how to. It was hard at the start, feeling like our relationship wasn’t ‘normal’, but we made the conscious decision to seek out suppliers who were willing and READY to work with same-sex couples so we could spend less time educating and more time enjoying the planning for our perfect day.”

“​We will never be able to thank the team at Kingfisher Bay Resort enough (especially Hannah). They went above and beyond to satisfy every minuscule request and make every detail perfect. It’s easy to see why they win so many awards! ​All of our suppliers were amazing.

We can’t believe after almost a year, we still have friends and family talking about our wedding, reminiscing on moments and watching the wedding video over and over again. It was our vision, but the suppliers are the magicians who brought it all together. Find people you’ll enjoy working with and they will make it the best day of your life!”

“We spent five nights at Kingfisher Bay Resort over the wedding. We went whale watching, visited Lake McKenzie for an engagement shoot, toured the island in a 4WD bus, and spent plenty of time relaxing and catching up with friends. Soon after the wedding, we had a mini-moon in Melbourne with Alessandro’s family before they flew back to Italy and in January 2019, we had our official honeymoon, spending four blissful nights at Lillypilly’s Cottages and Day Spa in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.”

CEREMONY AND RECEPTION VENUE Kingfisher Bay Resort < CLICK HERE MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Natalie Mahoney PHOTOGRAPHY ​Jessica Howard Photography VIDEOGRAPHY David Vincent Rocca - Cinematic Events ATTIRE Institchu Brisbane (jacket, shirt and tailoring) Saba (pants) and Calibre (shoes) RINGS Kimmison Jewellery HAIR Drew Bilton - HO2 Barber Shop MAKEUP

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photo: CM Events

photo: Honeylane Events

HOTEL RICHMOND Adelaide SA BOUTIQUE HOTEL, CEREMONIES, RECEPTIONS A rare gem in the hear t of Adelaide. Hotel Richmond offers stunning and unique wedding receptions, wedding ceremonies and boutique accommodation. With fully customisable packages, we pride ourselves on our flexibility and personalised ser vice. You will also be astounded by ever ything that comes included in our wedding reception packages at no extra cost.

08 8215 4415 functions@hotelrichmond.com.au https://www.hotelrichmond.com.au

MR ENTERTAINMENT QLD and NSW PROFESSIONAL ENTERTAINMENT AND TRANSPORT With 4 professional award-winning ser vices, why look any fur ther. I offer a unique sounding Live Acoustic One Man Band, Intuitive DJ Ser vices, Quirky MC ser vices and Stylish Transpor t in a Beautiful 1974 Kombi. I cover from Noosa QLD down to Yamba NSW and Stradbroke Island. Enquire Now. 0433 195 944 matt@mrentertainment.com.au www.mrentertainment.com.au

ROTARY BROADWATER CHAPEL BY THE SEA Southport, Gold Coast QLD CEREMONY VENUE Well loved by families in its former home at the Gold Coast Hospital in Southpor t, the Broadwater Chapel has been saved from demolition by the Rotar y Club of Broadwater Southpor t.

The Chapel is now located in the Broadwater Parklands in Southpor t and has been given a new lease of life as a unique venue for weddings and all of lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s celebrations. It is the only chapel facing the water on the Gold Coast, has been beautifully renovated by the Rotar y Club of Broadwater Southpor t and welcomes members of the LGBTI community.

0458 179 560 booking@rotarychapel.com.au www.rotarychapel.com.au

SECRETS ON THE LAKE Montville, Sunshine Coast Hinterland QLD LUXURY ACCOMMODATION, RESTAURANT & WEDDING VENUE The hinterland’s most breathtaking lakeside wedding destination and unique hand-car ved luxur y treehouse honeymoon escape. With stunningly beautiful rustic, waterfront and rainforest settings, and featuring a private jetty, car ved decks, dreamy rock ponds and waterfalls fringed by pristine rainforest and mountains… we have the perfect location for your vows.

Featured on national TV as ‘the perfect romantic escape for couples’.

07 5478 5888 info@secretsonthelake.com.au www.secretsonthelake.com.au Congratulations Natalie & Sarah

SPICERS SANGOMA RETREAT Hawksbury Region, Bowen Mountain NSW

LUXURY BOUTIQUE HOTEL Set in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Mountains, Spicers Sangoma Retreat provides a stylish backdrop to your special day. Catering for an intimate style wedding for up to 50 guests. Our professional and dedicated team will ensure your wedding is the most memorable day of your lives. www.spicersretreats.com/spicers-sangoma-retreat

STRADBROKE ISLAND EVENTS Brisbane QLD EVENTS Stradbroke Island Events is an event stylist, coordination and hire company on spectacular Nor th Stradbroke Island... a shor t ferr y ride from Brisbane. Destination marquee weddings are our speciality. We manage a range of other amazing venues on Straddie as well. We love weddings and we love people. Call us today to plan your perfect wedding celebration. www.stradbrokeislandevents.com.au

TEA TREE GULLY GOLF CLUB, DIMPLES RESTAURANT & FUNCTION CENTRE Adelaide SA GOLF CLUB, RESTAURANT AND FUNCTION CENTRE Nestled in the foothills of Tea Tree Gully, the Golf Club is the perfect venue for your special day. Witness the romantic views from our elevated dining room and balcony as the fairways are illuminated at dusk. We are consistently acknowledged by ABIA as a leading Wedding Reception Venue. The club can cater for wedding receptions up to 230 guests and perhaps you may like your ceremony on the Course! We pride ourselves on high-quality ser vice and can tailor our flexible food and beverage packages to suit your individual requirements. Let our Function Co-ordinator tailor your wedding with you to help prepare, plan and carr y out ever y detail to ensure your wedding day is perfect to a tee. www.ttggolfclub.com.au

THE CHAPEL MONTVILLE & RECEPTION Sunshine Coast Hinterland QLD CHAPEL AND RECEPTION VENUE Our stunning award-winning Chapel stands in a class of its own, combining traditional building skills, craftsmanship and unique features throughout, backdropped with beautiful views sweeping down over the Sunshine Coast to the ocean. The Chapel is sure to make your day a truly special and memorable one. info@thechapelmontville.com.au www.thechapelmontville.com.au www.facebook.com/thechapelmontville www.instagram.com/the_chapel_montville

THE EPPING CLUB Epping NSW FUNCTION VENUE We are Nor th Western Sydney’s most beautiful wedding venue priding ourselves on exceptional ser vice, superb food and Sydney’s best value all-inclusive wedding packages. If you have something special in mind, our exper t stylists can work with you to achieve it. From affordable packages to extravaganzas, we make your dream day a reality! www.eppingclubevents.com.au

THE POWDER ROOM Brisbane QLD EXQUISITE HAIR AND MAKEUP Jess Jackson Photographer

At The Powder Room we are your best friends on the best day of your life. Commit to the one you LOVE and let us create your exquisite hair and makeup. We proudly suppor t the LGBT community. Our team consists of 20 Industr y professionals, each of whom are individually ar tistic, friendly and dedicated to just one Bridal Par ty per day. We look forward to meeting you both and creating your dream wedding look.

07 3254 1786 info@powderroom.com.au www.powderroom.com.au

WILLIE SMITH’S APPLE SHED Grove TAS WEDDING VENUE A beautiful old conver ted barn, full of character and soul, 25 minutes south of Hobar t. Flexible catering options from food trucks to a delicious formal feast. With a relaxed vibe, and ser ving award-winning beverages, Willie Smith’s is a ver y special place to be. Capacity up to 170 guests.

Contact: Cynthia functions@williesmiths.com.au www.williesmiths.com.au

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Congratulations FIONA & SARAH

24 November 2018 Broke, Hunter Valley NSW

Long before the days of Tinder, there was gaydargirls.com which is where Fiona and Sarah first encountered each other. Fiona messaged Sarah first because she liked her taste in music and they ended up meeting out for the first time at The Townie in Newtown. “We were embarrassed about meeting online because online dating was not ‘the norm’ back then. We just told everyone we met at the Townie. Feeling so guilty about not being completely truthful with our loved ones, Fiona ‘came out’ again at our engagement party about how we met. We will be celebrating 10 years together in October 2019.”

“We had known we wanted to get married for a long time. Fiona eventually bought a ring in late 2016 and took it overseas on a trip to the Philippines.

Fiona arranged a candlelit dinner with our own butler on the beach at the resort on Panglao Island and popped the question under the stars and moon on the beach with ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ playing in the background. It was the most romantic moment we’d ever had.”

Fiona and Sarah Magee were married on 24 November 2018 at Margan Restaurant & Winery in the Hunter Valley.

“We are foodies and always wanted a winery wedding with scenery of a vineyard, bush land and an olive grove. Our styling theme was timber, greenery and gold. We wanted a natural and organic look but also elegant and chic. We had an amazing florist, Katie Bloom who put together stunning florals on the day.”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seeing each other for the first time when Sarah walked down the aisle was probably the most emotional moment of our lives. Our love for each other, as well as everything we had planned and fought for, just hit us in that moment. Our whole ceremony was a highlight because it was so personalised and authentic. It felt so amazing to be surrounded by our family and friends who love and support us when we committed to one another that we would spend the rest of our lives together.â&#x20AC;?

“We had some amazing vendors, especially our celebrant, photographer, videographer, florist, band and of course Margan Restaurant & Winery which was a perfect venue.They all spent the time to get to know us and created personalised services which captured our personalities and love for each other.”

“One important moment for us during the ceremony was paying our respects to the brave LGBTQI people who paved the way before us so that we could have the rights we do today. It was incredibly emotional acknowledging that many did not have the opportunity to marry their loved one and many around the world still do not.”

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We chose to have a destination wedding out of Sydney so we could all get away for the weekend and truly relax. We held a recovery lunch the day after the wedding to extend the celebrations. We loved spending the weekend with our closest family and friends. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.â&#x20AC;?

“Our wedding venue was stunning and had such high quality food, wines and service.

We had our reception in their Barrel Room with two long tables. It felt like we were at one big family dinner. There was so much excitement, love and happiness flowing in the room. We ended up choreographing a bridal party flash mob for a bit of fun after our first dance. It was so funny to see everyone’s stunned faces when we all broke into dance. It felt like an accomplishment to pull the whole thing off and was a great way to kick off the dance floor. We also decided to get a few dance lessons for our first dance which was so helpful. Our first dance was to an acoustic version of Dami Im’s ‘Super Love’ which was a song that a drag queen performed to at our Hong Kong ‘YES’ party the day postal survey results were announced.”

“Our advice for couples planning a wedding is to definitely allow plenty of planning time and do your research on all your vendors. Good vendors book out far in advance and finding your dresses and suits may take longer than you imagine. If you have helpful friends, delegate some tasks to them as this will relieve some of the burden. You will have many unexpected stressors leading up to your wedding day, such as additional costs you didn’t budget for; needing to get alterations on the dresses and suits; last minute changes to your guest list, etc. but in the end none of that matters when you get to the moment where you marry the love of your life. Also, it’s absolutely worth spending the money on a videographer. The day is so overwhelming and many parts quickly become a blur.

It’s so nice to be able to watch and relive the wedding this way. We watch ours all the time and look forward to showing our kids one day.”

VENUE Margan Restaurant & Winery < CLICK HERE MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Andrea Calodolce < CLICK HERE PHOTOGRAPHY Nina Claire Photography VIDEOGRAPHY I Heart Productions ATTIRE Sarah’s Dress - Made with Love Bridal Fiona’s and Bridesmen Suits - Shane Ave Bridesmaids Dresses - Shona Joy Heels - Nine West Dress Shoes - Windsor Smith JEWELLERY Wedding rings - Mondial Engagement rings - Victoria Buckley HAIR Vicky Karp of Urban Hair & Co MAKEUP Amy Cunningham FLORALS Katie Bloom CAKE Hello Naomi CATERING Margan Wines FAVOURS Hunter Valley olives from Adina Vineyard and homemade sweet onion jams HIRE Crab Apple Vintage, The Wedding Designer MUSIC The Freetones STATIONERY Minted WEDDING WEBSITE Appy Couple DANCE LESSONS RainbowDance WEDDING WEBSITE Appy Couple WEDDING PARTY ACCOMMODATION Tinonee Vineyard Estate and Kidman’s Rest RECOVERY LUNCH VENUE Mount Broke Wines

“We spent an amazing two weeks in Aitutaki and Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. We stayed in a private overwater bungalow in Aitutaki and felt like we were the only two people on the island. We went on our honeymoon a few days after the wedding which was a great decision. It was so relaxing and a perfect place to reflect on our wedding day. It was exactly what we needed after such a busy year of wedding planning.”

photo: I am your Photographer “Earlier this year (2019) we were chosen as one of the hero couples in the Absolut Vodka’s ‘Create a Better Tomorrow’ Mardi Gras campaign. We had one of our wedding photos transformed into a street mural by artist, Scotty Marsh in Cleveland Street in Sydney for a couple of months. It was an amazing way to reminisce on our wedding day and share our happiness with the world. It was also great for lesbian visibility as people were able to see a strong, happy and in-love lesbian couple publicly celebrated.”

“We had an overwhelming response from all our guests about how intimate and modern the venue was.”

MADDY + CORIE

UNIQUE VENUE. BREATHTAKING LOCATION. LASTING MEMORIES.

EVENTS@BRISBANEPOWERHOUSE.ORG

Dreamlife Photography

Judit Losh Photography

Stewart Ross Photography

CONTACT OUR TEAM TO DISCUSS YOUR SPECIAL DAY W: WINENDINEM.COM

P: (07) 3844 7810

E: CATERING@WINENDINEM.COM

Judit Losh Photography

Congratulations DANIEL & ANTHONY 6 April 2019 Moore Park NSW

Daniel and Anthony Hoban were married on 6 April 2019 at Moore Park Golf Club, New South Wales.

“We met through mutual friends when we were both 19 and remained friends. We started dating when we were 22. Anthony proposed while we were on holiday at a beach resort in Phuket. The proposal took place in a private cabana on the beach.”

“The wedding theme was simple yet classic, black and white.”

“Our advice for other couples is don’t get so caught up with planning a wedding that you forget the purpose of marriage. We are planning to honeymoon in Tokyo in Spring.”

“A highlight of our day was a surprise performance and attendance by Vybe, arranged

by Daniel’s father.”

CEREMONY AND RECEPTION Moore Park Golf Club MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Narelle Murray - South Coast Marriage Celebrant PHOTOGRAPHY Lucia Braham - With Love Weddings VIDEOGRAPHY Rachel Gammel JEWELLERY Michael Hill SUITS Politix DRESSES Oleg Cassini < CLICK HERE HAIR Alana Martin Bridal MAKEUP The Make Up Studio STYLIST Ashleigh Sinclair Styling FLORALS Flowers by Helen Brown < CLICK HERE CAKE Michelle Dupuche CATERING Etiquette Catering < CLICK HERE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT Vybe (Drag Queen) STATIONERY Surry Office National TRANSPORT Sydney Limos

Styling and Planning

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www.mbkevents.com 0439 393 018

Congratulations CHRISTIAN & CALEB 2 December 2018 New Zealand and Rarotonga

Christian and Caleb met by chance in New Zealand when Christian was in Palmerston North for a night and Caleb had recently moved back home to ‘Palmy’ after living in Sydney.

Caleb proposed on 8 July 2017 at Sofitel London St James. Caleb had organised a gorgeous high tea on a balcony above the hotel restaurant.

There were rose petals everywhere and after being seated, the waiter brought over the engagement ring for Caleb to propose. Christian said ‘Yes’, and cried. London Pride Parade was on that day, directly outside the hotel and they joined in with friends from Australia who had also flown over.

Christian Howatson and Caleb Strawbridge were married on 2 December 2018 in New Zealand and Rarotonga.The ceremony was held at Orakei Bay Estate, Auckland and the reception was held at Nautilus Resort, Rarotonga.

“Continuing the theme from the engagement, we had a ‘Garden High Tea’ theme for the wedding ceremony. The colours were white, blue and green.

We enjoyed high tea after the ceremony with all 150 guests. The next morning we flew to Rarotonga with 60 guests to continue the celebrations with a ‘Pool Party’ reception.”

“Growing up in religious, small-town families, this was an amazing occasion for Caleb and I that we never dreamed possible in our teen years. We were truly lucky to have so many supportive family and friends there. We’re proud of how far New Zealand (and Australia) has come!”

“Our highlight was walking down the aisle and seeing all of our family and friends together in one place, a surreal moment.”

“Our advice for other couples planning their wedding is to choose a gorgeous venue and then half of the decorating work is done for you.”

For their honeymoon, Christian and Caleb went on a Baltic Sea cruise, departing from Copenhagen.

CEREMONY VENUE Orakei Bay Estate, Auckland MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Neil O’Gorman RECEPTION VENUE Nautilus Resort, Rarotonga < CLICK HERE WEDDING PLANNER Craig Watson PHOTOGRAPHY Greg Campbell Wedding Photography < CLICK HERE ATTIRE Suits - Jack + Jones Accessories - Rembrandt ties, Christian Lacroix pocket squares JEWELLERY Walker and Hall wedding rings Family cuff links MAKEUP Grayson Coutts Makeup Artist FLORALS The Florist NZ CAKE Magnolia Kitchen CATERING Orakei Bay Estate GELATO Little Lato Gelato TRANSPORT Giltrap Audi - 2 Audi SUVs MUSIC Patricia Salonius - Violinist HIRE Insphire AFTER PARTY AND ACCOMMODATION SO/ Hotel Auckland

Because you deserve this...

www.nautilusresortrarotonga.com

weddings@nautilusresortrarotonga.com

Congratulations

MICHELLE & CATHERINE 5 April 2019 Byron Bay NSW

Michelle and Catherine met at a monthly networking event called ‘Lemons’ setting the scene for the beginning of their love tale. “With an attraction at first sight, we later met over the beat of Kylie Minogue and Madonna dance tunes at ‘Palms’, a club on Oxford Street. We have been inseparable since that moment.”

“On 9 April 2017 we visited the legendary love nest, Casa Kimberly Restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. (The former home of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton where their luxurious love story evolved.) The romance and breathtaking surrounds enveloped us and for Michelle this was the time and place to pop the big question. A moment in time, changing our lives forever.”

Michelle Nyberg and Catherine Zuill aka ‘The Zulbergs’ were married on 5 April 2019 on Clarke’s Beach. Their reception was held at Beach Restaurant, Byron Bay. “Catherine is originally from Bermuda and we both love the ocean and the casual relaxed atmosphere of Byron. We’ve been coming to Byron for many years and wanted our guests to experience the chilled out vibe and its natural beauty. Belinda Kirkwood from the venue acted as our unofficial wedding planner. Nothing was too hard for her and finding a solution for everything seemed easy.”

“Our theme ‘Beach Chic’ created a casual, fun yet elegant feel to our special day. With the sand between our toes, our barefoot marriage was just metres from the sparkling blue waters, creating a beautiful ceremony backdrop. We secretly arrived on the beach before our guests. After allowing the time to take in the moment, guests joined us, forming a circle of love. Once all the guests had gathered, Michelle’s nephews and nieces ran down to the middle of the circle waving rainbow ribbons to the tune of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ played on the Uke. With tight planning and co-ordination of all aspects of the ceremony, it flowed beautifully and was a real delight for all.

Our celebrant, Skai encouraged our guests to feel very much a part of the ceremony with tears, laughter and a great cause for celebration and cheering as we were announced Wife + Wife and The Zulbergs.”

“We started the day off with the iconic Byron Bay Lighthouse walk, setting the tone for our beach wedding.”

OUR VOWS “Michelle, I promise to always be by your side as your friend, lover and soul mate. I will never waver in my commitment to you no matter what challenges are put in front of us. I promise to respect you for the beautiful person you are, to have fun with you and do everything in my power to make your life better because I am in it. Finally, I promise to LOVE you as deeply and sincerely as I can for the rest of my life.”

“Catherine, you are the shining light in my soul.

You show me how to be strong, appreciative, optimistic and most importantly to ‘Trust Life’.

I promise to respect you, to laugh, to dance (and have our wine time), and always be by your side as your lover and best friend, and continue to love you until the end of time.”

“To marry Catherine and Michelle was an alltime thrill! This was clearly noticeable when the joy exploded from my heart at the moment I announced them Wife + Wife; with an unplanned jump for joy, as part of the announcement! Their calm, loving and attentive ways towards each other made them a delight to be around. Nothing seemed to overwhelm them, whilst they had one another to lean on.

Their unique way of arriving at the ceremony before guests really set the tone for an unforgettable start to their marriage. This, together with their love circle of glowing friends and family surrounding them, created a real sense of sincerity, commitment and love which was felt by all. After 15 years together, I was totally love struck announcing these women as ‘The Zulbergs’, a cute combination of their surnames.” SKAI DALY

“There were so many highlights... Looking out to the beautiful ocean, holding each other nervously as our guests joined us on the beach. Being surrounded by all our friends and family.

The kids running down to the circle brought tears to our eyes. Our celebrant, Skai leaping into the air with joy after she announced us Wife + Wife! The amazing entertainment by Miss Renee Simone and Lisa Hunt. Our friend and musician, Jeremy Brennan (Jersey Boys) singing a moving rendition of ‘A Million Dreams’.”

“Our advice to other couples planning a wedding is to start early and do thorough research.

Instagram was an amazing tool for this. We made sure we had a great connection with Belinda at Beach, Skai our Celebrant and Kate our Photographer.”

“We have been together for 15 years, so waiting until we could formally get married was an extraordinary moment in our lives. The experience of having family and friends together with us on this special day was particularly emotional given the lengthy and tough fight for equality.

With tears of happiness surrounding us, it felt wonderful to formally and publicly make our partnership legally official.”

“Our upcoming honeymoon will be spent on the Amalfi Coast and in Croatia and Berlin.”

CEREMONY Clarke’s Beach, Byron Bay RECEPTION VENUE & CATERING Beach Restaurant, Byron Bay MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Skai Daly, Skai Ceremonies PHOTOGRAPHY Kate Nutt Photography HAIR Caleb McMahon MAKEUP Jule Corbet FLORALS The French Petal CAKE Sweet Obsession Cakes TRANSPORT Byron Bay Kombis MUSIC Miss Renee Simone ENTERTAINMENT Lisa Hunt HIRE The Wedding Shed and Byron Bay Cake Boutique ATTIRE CATHERINE - Armani MICHELLE - Farage Australia CATHERINE’S SONS - MJ Bale JEWELLERY Rings - Tiffany & Co Love Bangle - Cartier STATIONERY Paperless Post

Chapter WEDDINGS

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FUNCTIONS

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Ingoldby Rd, McLaren Flat SA currantshed.com.au | 08 8383 0232 weddings @ currantshed.com.au

Congratulations WARREN & DANIEL

5 April 2019 South Spreyton and Northdown TAS

Warren and Daniel first made contact through a dating app and after a few days of messaging, they organised to go on a coffee/movie date. “The movie date went so well that we continued with a walk along Bellerive Beach where we shared our hobbies and dreams for the future. Our second date was the very same day, fish and chips while watching the sunset and a walk along Dodges Ferry Beach. From that very first day we were inseparable.”

Warren proposed to Daniel on Mindil Beach in Warren’s home town of Darwin. While on holiday, Warren surprised Daniel with a message in the sand which was all lit up by the lights of Sky City Casino before getting down on one knee to propose. Mindil Beach held special memories for Warren as he used to walk the beach every day while he was in high school and hoped to one day bring his soul mate back to Darwin!

Warren Ferrari and Daniel Slater were married in Altona Gardens, South Spreyton and a reception followed at One Hundred Acres, Ghost Rock Vineyard in Northdown, Tasmania.

“Our wedding theme was quite rustic as we both love provincial style furniture. Daniel is quite crafty and enjoys making things. He was inspired by Pinterest with many ideas. Our wedding theme incorporated our suit colours, burgundy and navy, and our love of natives and up-cycling.”

“We were so happy we could share our special day with our loved ones, some of which had travelled from all around Australia including Darwin and Mount Gambier. Getting ready at Forth River Cottage in Forth, Tasmania was a highlight. Our wedding ceremony was magical and probably the biggest highlight of the day was having our family, friends and loved ones all in one place, where we could share the most important day of our lives. The speeches given at our reception were also unforgettable and we will always cherish the laughs we had and the memories made.”

“Our advice for anyone planning a wedding is to research your venues and look at feedback from other couples before you sign a contract. Organisation is key, so make lists to ensure you don’t forget anything. On the big day, take many moments to step back and absorb your surroundings as the day goes very quickly. Take time to appreciate every little moment.”

“Daniel had never travelled overseas so we honeymooned in Bali, specifically Ubud, Uluwatu, Sanur and Legian. On our way to Bali and on our way back, we spent a few days in Darwin with friends and family.”

CEREMONY Altona Garden Retreat, South Spreyton MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Marry Me Tasmania - Janelle Wilson, Northdown VENUE One Hundred Acres, Ghost Rock Vineyard, Northdown PHOTOGRAPHY Edward Noel Photography, Hobart VIDEOGRAPHY Andrew Paganis, Melbourne ATTIRE Suits by Peter Jackson and RDX Dresses by Review Children’s outfits by Suitlab and JJ’s House Accessories by YD, Connor and Myer HAIR Hayley’s Hair, Hadspen MAKEUP Makeup by Paige, Launceston FLORALS AND FURNITURE HIRE T&M Weddings, Devonport CAKE Cakes by Claire, Launceston CATERING Vanessa Belbin, Devonport

photo: Unveil Films & Photography

photo: Matthew Eastgate Photography

photo: Tall Timer Studio

photo: Unveil Films & Photography

Imagine your happiest celebration. Dream of breakthtaking views and welcoming, impeccable hospitality. Envision tasting superb food and enjoying luxurious, state-of-the-art facilities.

Find it all at Preston Peak Winery Function Centre, only 10 minutes from Toowoomba in Southeast Queensland.

FUNCTION CENTRE

www.prestonpeakfunctions.com.au 0418 865 336

Congratulations JAMEY & MARIA 24 March 2019 Adelaide SA

Jamey and Maria’s ‘mutual proposal’ happened during a romantic date at On The Rock Restaurant on the beach in Phuket, Thailand. “We surprised the kids and family while on a family holiday.” Jamey and Maria Godrik were married on 24 March 2019 at Hotel Richmond in Adelaide.

“The theme of the wedding was Glamour, Classic and Sparkle.”

“Our highlights were exchanging vows, celebrating with friends and family, and surprising overseas and interstate visitors.”

“Our advice for other couples planning their wedding is to plan together, have fun and make all your dreams come true on the day.”

“We are truly grateful and lucky to have found true love. We are blessed with the most amazing family and friends who helped make this day the best of our lives. We are looking forward to a beautiful future. Love is love.”

Jamey and Maria spent their honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, Croatia, Greek Islands and Koh Samui, Thailand.

VENUE AND CATERING Hotel Richmond < CLICK HERE MARRIAGE CELEBRANT More Than Words Ceremonies - Michaela Von Der Borsh PHOTOGRAPHY Teahouse Studios < CLICK HERE ATTIRE Maria - Bridal on Pulteney Jamey - Wedding Whispers JEWELLERY Lovisa ACCESSORIES Collette

HAIR Sarah Godrik MAKEUP Maria - Ruby Sunrise FLORALS Mawson Lakes Florist CAKE Sasha Hagen - Sweet Graffiti MUSIC Girls Next Door STATIONERY Vista Print FLOWER WALL AND FLOWER HEART Olympic

Congratulations DAMON & MICHAEL 30 March 2019 Ocean View, Brisbane QLD â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our love story began 12 years ago when we met at a very romantic location... a club in Fortitude Valley! Mike at first, was not interested in me. But I was persuasive!

My persistence paid off and we went on a few dates. It became an easy relationship and we have been together ever since. What makes us a strong couple is that we are a united team. We have supported each other through good times and bad times, illness and grief. We share the same goals, communicate well, rarely argue and never go to bed angry. We share the same interests, caring for our very much loved and spoilt pets, Bruce, George, Bolly, Barney and Olive and soon-to-be Dave. We both enjoy travelling, cooking and going for walks. Mike loves being outside and taking care of the garden, while I love to look after the inside of our house and my OCD helps me to do this meticulously! Family is very important to both of us.â&#x20AC;?

Damon describes how he proposed to Mike: “It did take me around eleven years to pluck up the courage to propose to Mike. We had booked a family holiday in April/May 2018 to the USA with Mike’s sister, brother-in-law and his three nephews.

When Australia finally embraced the ‘Yes’ vote, I knew exactly where I wanted to propose. I decided to do it while we were in Central Park, New York. Mikey had arranged a photographer to take family photos in Central Park and in Times Square. I took the photographer aside and told him about my plan. He then gave me some ideas and locations. When the photographer gave me ‘the nod’, I proposed next to the Bethesda Fountain.

I got down on one knee, told him how much I loved him and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him and of course he was surprised and everyone clapped and cheered. Mikey said ‘Yes’ and here we are today.”

Damon and Michael Gwinnell were married on 30 March 2019 in a ceremony at Kookaburra Homestead. “We were looking for somewhere unique, private and luxurious and Kookaburra Homestead at Ocean View was the perfect match.

This beautiful 6.5 acre property has award-winning gardens and scenic ocean views and provided us with the perfect setting for our ceremony and post-ceremony celebrations.

Our guests were served cocktails and canapés while we had photos taken around the manicured grounds. Located on Mt Mee in the beautiful Moreton Bay Hinterland, the homestead offers luxurious touches, beautiful spaces and spectacular views to Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast. We stayed at the Homestead for two nights to really soak in the atmosphere and spend quality time with our families before and after the big day. The homestead sleeps up to 14 people so having our family stay with us made the occasion even more special.”

“We had the great pleasure of having Anita Pryde as our Marriage Celebrant at our beautiful autumn wedding. Anita was attentive to our needs as grooms. She truly has a good heart. My (Damon) dad passed away three years ago and we wanted to acknowledge him in spirit so we lit a candle for him.

Many people came up to Anita after the ceremony to say how ‘real’ the words were and how they enjoyed it. There was so much love in the room surrounding the both of us and for that we are forever grateful.”

The reception was held at Entangled Events in Dayboro. “Entangled is a boutique event space in the grounds and main building of the Dayboro Butter Factory. It oozes character and charm with an eclectic mix of artisan-inspired furniture and objets d’ art, and a jungle of indoor plants. We took the guests on an indulgent sensory journey. It is moody, enchanted and ethereal. We started with an awesome grazing table outside under the bamboo arbour.

This provided the ‘wow’ from the get-go. The food was amazing and was accompanied by a range of quality boutique wines. “ Our photographer was Colin Boxall from True North Photography. Mike and I are so happy with the photos Colin has taken and for capturing all the special moments from our big day. We have loved spending the time looking through and reliving what felt like a whirlwind, but incredible day. So many wonderful memories.”

“Hair and makeup was by The Style Room on the Gold Coast.

These two ladies kept the mood relaxed while we got ready. The hair and makeup was stunning on all the bridesmaids and the mothers of the grooms. Even though we lost power for an hour and a half, the girls soldiered on and did an amazing job.The florals were created by The Little Flower Market. Emma created bouquets, buttonholes and corsages for the bridal party using a soft colour palette to complement the styling and surrounds. The ceremony location was changed last-minute due to rain so Emma created a lovely ambience inside Kookaburra Homestead with florals placed above the fireplace and blooms down the aisle in keeping with the bridal party styling.”

“Our cake was created by Amanda Bakes a Cake in Brisbane. It was a delicious carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and a caramel drip.”

“We sourced our menus, seating charts, welcome signs, wishing well chalkboards and table numbers on Etsy. For our guest favours, we had Seed and Stem hessian styled succulents with handmade name tags.”

“Brad Stokes provided the entertainment. He is an eclectic musical powerhouse with over 25 years of guitar (and drums) under his belt. Brad is a highly sought after singer and guitarist who blends smooth vocals likened to Ed Sheeran, Bernard Fanning and Pete Murray, with occasional heavy rock styles similar to Chad Kroger and Dave Grohl. He sung acoustic during the meals and then played a list of songs and requests we emailed him before the day.”

“My highlight was getting to marry my best friend surrounded by the people we love the most and seeing our guests eating, drinking, dancing and laughing and having an amazing time. My dad passed away three years ago and at the exact time he passed, a double rainbow formed over my mum’s house. On the day of the wedding we lit a candle in memory of him.

After the ceremony and while we were getting our photos taken, it rained a little bit and all of a sudden our guests yelled out, ‘your dad is here’. A double rainbow appeared stronger than ever. The photographer captured that moment with my husband, my mum and I pointing and trying to reach out to the double rainbow. It truly was an emotional moment. My dad was there.”

“Our advice to anyone planning a wedding is to have a clear plan before you start.

It will help you keep on top of everything and be sure that you don’t forget something important. Rough guest list numbers and budget should be the first things to consider. Costs per head will most likely be your biggest expense, so don’t be guilt–tripped into inviting people you don’t want to come. It’s the biggest and hardest decision but at the end of the day it’s your wedding. Make sure you have a Plan B in place in case it rains. Be organised and book early. Communicate with each other and on the day, take five minutes together to check on each other and reflect on your day.”

Damon and Michael honeymooned in Hong Kong, London, Paris, Netherlands, Cancun Mexico and Los Angeles.

CEREMONY VENUE Kookaburra Homestead < CLICK HERE RECEPTION VENUE Entangled Events MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Anita Pryde STATIONERY Etsy PHOTOGRAPHY True North Photography ATTIRE Hallenstein Brothers Chermside WEDDING RINGS Michael Hill HAIR AND MAKEUP The Style Room FLORALS The Little Flower Market CAKE Amanda Bakes a Cake < CLICK HERE FAVOURS Seed and Stem MUSIC Brad Stokes Music TRANSPORT Range Rover Sports

The Heart of Tamborine

(07) 5545 1666 www.cedarcreekestate.com.au

wedding chapel • reception venue • vineyards • gardens & lake

CIRCLE OF LOVE Sydney NSW

EARTH GREETINGS Adelaide SA

STYLING, PLANNING & HIRE At Circle of Love we are passionate about designing a wedding that shows who you are as a couple on your special day. Our goal is to create a unique, elegant, personalised event especially for you. We will turn your dream wedding into a beautiful reality. Sydney and Australia-wide. www.circleofloveweddings.com.au

GREETING CARDS Ear th Greetings design beautiful cards to celebrate love, with the lightest possible environmental footprint. Made in Australia from 100% post-consumer recycled paper and carbon neutral. Shop 24/7 on our webstore with free card shipping within Australia! www.earthgreetings.com.au

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RAINBOW WEDDINGS

ROD NOENDENG PHOTOGRAPHY Brisbane QLD

by ROD SPARK PHOTOGRAPHY

Sydney NSW

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PHOTOGRAPHY Rainbow Weddings capture real moments in a relaxed style. Rod has been shooting weddings for 10 years and specialises in our LGBTI family. Rod has a Masters in Ar t from COFA, University of NSW and has won awards locally and internationally for his beautiful, ar tistic photography. You live your memories, let us capture them.

A wonderful and professional wedding photography experience. “From the preplanning to the last shot of our great day, Rod was amazing. He’s the consummate professional, ver y personable and was great with our guests. Rod took all of the photos we knew we wanted.” Jenny.

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Congratulations

AMANDA & CAROLYN 16 November 2018 Adelaide SA

Amanda and Carolyn Parkinson were married on 16 November 2018 at Marybank Farm, Rostrevor.

“We are not really that romantic, but when Carolyn popped the question, we purchased rings for each other with the view that once same-sex marriage was legally recognised in Australia, we would get married. We waited another 20 years!

As we had family coming to Australia for a holiday, we set a wedding date for when they would be visiting.”

“We fell in love with Marybank Farm as soon as we viewed this gorgeous property.

Our witnesses were Amanda’s Aunty and Uncle from England (brother and sister).

Both our fathers walked us down the aisle, along with our children. It was important to have our parents involved as well as the kids. Our mothers held our rings until we were ready to exchange them. We kept our wedding simple and the guest list to immediate family and friends we considered family.”

During the ceremony Marriage Celebrant, Mel Reiffel shared how Amanda and Carolyn met: “This is a love story steeped in chance and just a sprinkling of fate. Amanda had a thirst for some new music, a hankering for a classical ditty and wandered into the local music store that Carolyn just happened to manage. Amanda was chatty and easy going and her taste in music not only surprised but intrigued Carolyn. Carolyn is a woman of many talents. Not only did she run a music store, she was also a DJ at a local pub where they met up a few times to have drinks together. Eventually friendship turned into love and today we get to celebrate their 22 years so far by having the honour of calling them wife and wife.”

“A highlight of the day was our children participating in our Handfasting Ceremony.”

The reception was held on the terrace at Marybank Farm. “We had a mixture of tables and chairs and it was very informal. We decided on a rustic floral theme which was partly inspired by Carolyn’s pants.” Amanda made the wedding wands which were used instead of confetti. She also created the bouquets, buttonholes and floral arrangements using flowers from Central Market, purchased the day before the wedding.

“Billie at Marybank Farm catered for our guests with a grazing table and canapés. As guests arrived for the ceremony, water and iced tea were served in the milking shed on the way to the garden. At the reception, guests were served Rusty Bike wines, Vale beer and Bickford’s soft drinks (all local). Our wedding cake had a bottom layer of lemon and elderflower and a raspberry bullet top layer. Our wedding favours were small jars of mixed lollies - a mix of snakes, liquorish, strawberry bon bons and pink and white rock from Designer Candy.”

CEREMONY AND RECEPTION Marybank Farm, Rostrevor MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Mel Reiffel, Two Tie The Knot Celebrant Services PHOTOGRAPHY Rowan Sims Photography ATTIRE AMANDA Dress Whiterose Bridal, Adelaide < CLICK HERE Alterations - Liv Sienne, Port Augusta Shoes - Betts and Betts, Accessories - Colette, Ring Box - ebay CAROLYN Outfit - Forever New, Shoes - Rollie JEWELLERY AMANDA Ring set - Angus & Coote CAROLYN Ring - Grahams Jewellers HAIR Fon Salon MAKEUP Megan Pilkington Makeup and Brow Artistry CAKE Sugar and Spice MUSIC Little Big Words acoustic duo STATIONERY Zazzle GUEST TRANSPORT Des’s Minibus GUEST ACCOMMODATION West Beach Caravan Park

“We chose ‘I Won’t Give Up’ by Jason Maraz to walk down the aisle. Our signing songs were ‘Tenerife Sea’ by Ed Sheeran and ‘You’re My Best Friend’ by Queen and the recessional song was ‘Better Together’ by Jack Johnson.”

“Our advice for other couples planning their wedding is don’t worry about anyone else and what they want. Plan your day for you and your fiancé. We are so happy to look back and say we did things our way and we loved our little wedding. We wouldn’t change a thing!”

“We spent our first night together in the accommodation at Marybank Farm. No honeymoon at this stage but we stayed a few days following the wedding in Adelaide with family. We will have a few days away together when the children are a bit older.”

Congratulations MICHAEL & SIMON 14 April 2018 Maryborough VIC

Michael first met Simon when he caught up with his high-school friend Miranda for lunch. They hadn’t seen each other for four years and when Michael went back to Miranda’s house for champagne, he met her house mate, Simon. Michael and Simon soon became best mates and after three years, their friendship turned into a relationship. Two years later, Michael proposed and a year later, they married.

Michael took the opportunity to pop the question at the Vivid Sydney festival: “Simon had no idea! We were walking along Circular Quay drinking gin and tonics out of brown paper bags (classy as always). I saw the lit-up Opera House and knew it was my moment. I gave a beautiful speech about the qualities of our relationship which I valued and how committed I was to this adventure we call our lives. I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out a brown paper bag. Simon took the rubbish and fell over laughing, screaming out he thought I was going to propose. By the time Simon got up, he noticed I was on one knee... proposing!”

The ceremony took place under a tree on Michael’s family property in Maryborough, Victoria. The reception was also held on the property. “The theme was ‘Peacock with hints of Bombay Sapphire Gin’ - our favourite things. Our mantra was keep it simple, focus on the fun and keep it festive. The dress code was ‘Fun and Formal’. The ceremony was conducted

by Shae Spry, a close friend and marriage celebrant. She absolutely blew us away with her commitment to creating a truly tailored ceremony that celebrated everything that was us and was important to us.”

“We didn’t have the budget for a wedding photographer, but our festival friends surprised us on the day with Liam Wright Photography. Liam is an amazing photographer and it was an amazing gift which we will treasure forever. Kangaroo Hill Farm brought us a trailer load of beautiful native florals which we arranged ourselves. Our good friend Dave Hann, who happens to be the head Pastry Chef at the Sofitel Melbourne, created our custom peacock-inspired, gold, layered cake.”

“We had so many highlights - arriving at the ceremony and seeing the gathering; having our family as our ‘wedding parties’ and them all giving us native flowers to create the bouquet; the double rainbow on display as we entered the ceremony; our first dance on the tennis court under the mirror ball followed by fireworks, and the 80s aerobics session with Donna Flex from Melbourne’s one and only Mixtape Studio at our recovery session the following day.”

“Our advice for other couples planning a wedding is to use your time with your celebrant to figure out what is truly important to you and be clear on the experience you want to create for your guests. Use this as your filter for any ideas and decisions that need to be made... what you want to celebrate, what’s important to you and what really matters! Have fun and take in this beautiful moment.”

“We spent our honeymoon in a log cabin in Daylesford and our beach house at Apollo Bay. We kept it local and very relaxed after a very busy time.”

VENUE Michael’s Family Property at Maryborough MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Shae Spry PHOTOGRAPHY Liam Wright Photography ATTIRE Simon - Jack London suit and ASOS velvet vest Michael - Politix jacket and shirt, Zara pants, handmade peacock bow tie (made by Michael’s best mate from London, Chris) RINGS Maryborough Jewellers - matching rings - white gold for Simon and gold for Michael HAIR Lyndall Parkinson - LeShaye, Maryborough MAKEUP Ellie Godson – Glow by Ellie, Ballarat FLORALS Kangaroo Hill Farm CAKE Dave Hann CATERING Paella Pan - Creative Catering and amazing charcuterie board by Michael’s brother, Joe FAVOURS Bummy - Custom Peacock Leggings with matching Stubbie Snuggie TRANSPORT Family friend’s Vintage Cars - Kingswood and Valiant MUSIC Melbourne Entertainment Company - DJ & Saxophonist, Jonathan HIRE Bendigo Party Hire STATIONERY Emma Male - Graphic Designer (Michael’s good friend)

Congratulations JASON & JEREMY 18 May 2019 Brisbane QLD

Jason and Jeremy met in 2005 while Jason was on holiday in New Zealand. It was later that same year while Jeremy was holidaying in Brisbane that they got together. “At the end of the holiday we felt that there was something to explore so after a couple more transTasman trips, I (Jeremy) moved to Brisbane in June 2006. Since then we have fitted into each other’s lives seamlessly.”

Jason shares how he proposed to Jeremy during a trip to New Zealand: “We were in NZ in 2014 for Jeremy’s grandmother’s 90th birthday and one day we stopped at a place Jeremy knew so I could take some photos for my photography portfolio. It was a very private moment and I decided the time was just right to propose, despite carrying around the engagement ring for almost two weeks trying to find the right time to surprise Jeremy.”

Jason Isbester and Jeremy Seagar were married on 18 May 2019 in a ceremony at Shafston House, Kangaroo Point. A reception followed at The Cellar at Cloudland in Fortitude Valley.

“We had always wanted our ceremony to be by the Brisbane River and Shafston House ticked all the boxes – waterfront, private and intimate! As soon as we saw The Cellar at Cloudland we fell in love with the venue and knew it was the perfect space for our cocktailstyle reception. Our wedding car ‘Bonnie’ was a 1928 Chrysler which perfectly suited both venues. Moe was a fantastic driver for the day, taking us through Brisbane City and making us laugh and enjoy ourselves.”

“We both wore white-tie attire including tails which helped to create a ‘Gatsby’ theme for the day. We wore buttonholes of blue Singapore Orchids. Our fathers had white rose buttonholes, as did Jason’s mother. Our two young nieces (aged 5 and 7) wore flower crowns and were given the role of handing out the order of service to our guests. We had several large vases of scented white lilies in the reception room at Cloudland as they are our favourite flowers which we often have in our home. Our cake was created by Camilo Murcia of By.Aletoso Luxury Cakes. We knew only the colours and flavour of the cake. We showed him photos of The Cellar at Cloudland including where the cake would be displayed and told him to surprise us with the design. We were blown away, it was so much more than we could have imagined! We had engraved stemless wine glasses from Personalised Favours for our guests.”

“Our Marriage Celebrant was Roxy Hotten. Roxy is an absolutely brilliant celebrant who we met at a Same Same Weddings Expo! She was fantastic to work with and really took the time to get to know our story and us. We had some big changes throughout the time leading up to our wedding which Roxy was able to work into our ceremony. She went well and truly over and above by ‘babysitting’ a very special bottle of champagne that was featured in our ceremony.”

“Ben from Ben Clark Photography made us feel so relaxed on the day and told us to just enjoy ourselves! There were so many moments where we just laughed and relaxed. Ben’s favourite saying on the day was: ‘At least look like you know each other!’

Standing in the middle of the road in Brisbane CBD was a bit nerve-wracking; we put a lot of faith in Ben to make sure we didn’t get run over!”

“We decided we wanted to do a first dance but didn’t tell anyone other than the venue, musicians and our MC. We found Let’s Marry online and from the first enquiry, we knew we were in good hands.

Mark knew the song we wanted to use (‘Perfect’ by Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli) and knew the choreography that would go with the song. We learned so much in a short time in a fun environment. Mark was patient and was excellent at breaking each step down to a novice level for us. We found a version of our song that needed some editing which Mark was able to do for us, adding a personal element to the dance and music.”

“The main highlight of the day was seeing everything that we had spent almost two years planning come together as we had pictured it. After being together for 13 years, being able to share our day with so many of our closest family and friends was incredible and to be surrounded by so much love and support was a wonderful feeling.”

“Our advice for other couples planning their wedding is know what you want for your day and don’t compromise on that. As cliché as this sounds, the day will not go perfectly, but don’t sweat the small stuff; just enjoy the day with the people around you. Choose your suppliers carefully and follow your instincts with them. Lock in suppliers and venues as soon as you can and well in advance so you get what you want. We haven’t had a honeymoon yet but did have a mini break in Noosa after the wedding.”

CEREMONY VENUE Shafston House, Kangaroo Point MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Roxy Hotten RECEPTION VENUE The Cellar at Cloudland, Fortitude Valley PHOTOGRAPHY Ben Clark Photography ATTIRE Tony Barlow Menswear & Formal Hire, Brisbane FLORALS Northside Flower Market < CLICK HERE CAKE Camilo Murcia - By.Aletoso Luxury Cakes FAVOURS Personalised Favours TRANSPORT Roaring Twenties Vintage Car Hire MUSIC Chrislyn Hamilton Trio DANCE LESSONS Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Marry

Congratulations MAHLI & JORDAN

22 September 2018 Shoreham and Red Hill VIC

Mahli and Jordan met in high school when they were just 13 years old. It was love at first sight for Mahli, but it took Jordan a little longer to notice her. “We were friends for a year before we began dating. The relationship developed as the years passed. We moved in together after high school and the rest is history.”

Mahli planned the proposal about a year in advance. She contacted a jeweller in Dunedin NZ to create a unique ring. “We later found out it was the same jeweller who had made Jordan’s parents’ rings! New Zealand is truly a small place! We were holidaying in New Zealand, where Jordan is originally from.

We took a day trip to a beautiful beach called Split Apple Rock. We swam, ate our home-made lunch and then I overcame my nerves and popped the question. Jordan said ‘yes’ through her tears. We went back to Jordan’s grandma’s house to celebrate with family.”

Mahli and Jordan Benjamin were married on 22 September 2018 in a ceremony at The Pines, Shoreham which was followed by a reception at Green Olive Winery, Red Hill in Victoria. “The style of the wedding was simplicity with a Boho vibe. We kept things very low key and organised the wedding ourselves. Our lovely family members also contributed in their own way. Jordan’s sister, Arizona is a trainee pastry chef and she created our beautiful vegan cake.”

“Having our dog with us was very special. We loved our celebrant, Klara, who ensured the ceremony was fun and easy going. It is hard to pick just one highlight of the day, thought it was wonderful saying our vows in our favourite place with our immediate family.”

“Our advice for other couples planning their wedding is to keep it simple! Don’t succumb to what other people want and just do what’s right for you and your significant other. At the end of the day, it’s your day and you deserve to enjoy it the way you want.”

“We honeymooned in Sorrento in a beautiful Airbnb overlooking the water.”

CEREMONY The Pines, Shoreham MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Klara McMurray RECEPTION Green Olive Winery, Red Hill PHOTOGRAPHY Family ATTIRE Cue and ASOS JEWELLERY Family HAIR AND MAKEUP Family FLORALS Azalea CAKE @want_and_knead (Instagram)

Congratulations

MICHAEL & EDMOND 8 September 2018 Milton NSW

Michael and Edmond met 17 years ago through a mutual friend in Hong Kong.

Michael proposed and had planned it for a while during their time in Taipei. “He proposed in front of his parents and siblings on Christmas Eve at our holiday home in Mollymook, NSW.” Michael Ziemer and Edmond Yuen were married on 8 September 2018 in a ceremony at St Isidore Restaurant in Milton, NSW which was followed by a reception at the same venue. The theme of the wedding was ‘Spring and Elegance’.

“We wore bespoke suits tailor made in Taipei, where we had spent two years.

The florals were provided by a local florist who specialised in Australian natives and as it was spring, there was plenty of Wattle. The highlight of the day was our mothers giving us away and our fathers being our witnesses. We were thrilled to have our dearest friends speaking on our behalf during the ceremony.”

“Our advice for other couples planning their wedding is to make it as personal as you can and invite those who are dearly important to you. Quality over number of guests really does matter.”

“The way we travel, life is a constant honeymoon for us!”

VENUE St Isidore Restaurant MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Vivienne Benson-Hodge CMC JP PHOTOGRAPHY Franky Tsang, Divon Photography JEWELLERY Rings by George Jensen Hill Cufflinks by George Jensen Watches by Cartier Ties and bowties by James T. Couture CAKE Pavlova tower and mini pavlovas by St Isidore CATERING St Isidore and Bannister Pavilion TRANSPORT Golf buggy (through a paddock!)

MUSIC A local DJ from Nowra, NSW

Congratulations AMY & TAMMY 20 April 2019 Wandoan QLD

Amy and Tammy met when they played rugby league together. Amy proposed to Tammy at Amy’s favourite place on her parent’s property.

“Amy had the ring in a bag clipped to our dog Yoko’s collar and she got down on one knee when I opened the bag. We then went to my favourite view on the property and I proposed to Amy on the same afternoon with a beautiful sunset.”

Amy and Tammy Bock were married on 20 April 2019 in the garden at ‘Kilto’, Amy’s parent’s property 60km from the small town of Wandoan in Queensland. “We hired a marquee which was set up on the only flat ground near the house - in the horse paddock. Amy’s dad Jim (with help from her brothers and mum) had spent months ensuring the grass, house, yard and fence were ready for the wedding.”

The theme of the wedding was ‘Simple Country’. “We didn’t want to go overboard with decorations. We kept things simple and easy to take the pressure off everyone. The flowers were purchased through Toowoomba Flower Market and arranged by our stylists, Kym and Samara Hoffmann.”

“Our highlight was being pronounced ‘Mrs and Mrs Bock’ in front of all our family and friends at Amy’s childhood home. It was great having our friends and family be able to spend the whole Easter weekend with us. The majority arrived Friday, set up camp and stayed until Monday following a great Sunday session in mum’s fabulous garden.”

“Our advice for other couples planning their wedding is to keep it simple and don’t sweat the small stuff.”

“We haven’t had our honeymoon yet but are planning a trip to Melbourne at the end of the year to see some friends and enjoy the Great Ocean Road.”

CEREMONY AND RECEPTION ‘Kilto’, Amy’s parent’s property MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Jenny Noble PHOTOGRAPHY Worth Photography ATTIRE Luv Bridal Maroochydore HAIR Jodie Tidswell MAKEUP Hollie Budd CAKE Narelle Richards & Nicole Richards CATERING Foodworks Chinchilla MUSIC Darren Gunther HIRE Marquee - Range Event Hire Tables & Chairs - Apex Club, Wandoan STATIONERY Shield Maidens Production WEDDING PLANNER Style Out Here, Eileen Rau & Samara Hoffman

Congratulations SHAUN & MEL 21 and 23 March 2019 Brisbane QLD

Shaun and Mel met in an Internet chat room 22 years ago. “We met for coffee the next day for our first real date - the first of many more to come. I had planned on proposing to Shaun on New Year’s Day to mark a new beginning for the new year, however, he surprised me by getting down on one knee over lunch on Christmas Day. Of course I still proposed to Shaun by tying the ring with a white ribbon to our dog’s collar and getting down on one knee during dinner on New Year’s Eve.” Shaun and Mel Pavee-Williams married on 21 March 2019 at their home in front of their wedding party and close family. The date was significant as it was Shaun’s parent’s wedding anniversary. “They had passed away and we wanted to get married on their wedding anniversary to honour them. We celebrated our marriage with a party on 23 March 2019 at Lightspace in Fortitude Valley. We said our vows again before celebrating with dinner and dancing.”

“When planning our wedding, we were unsure of how to make an entrance as neither of us wanted to be the ‘bride’ and walk down the aisle. Who followed who? Did one wait in the front? Did we come in together? After 22 years together, can we really be ‘given away’? What do we do when my (Mel) Mum is the only one of our parents who is still with us? So we decided to do something a little different. In a sense, the wedding party is our ‘family and friends’ as they want to see us get married. We thought we would make all our guests the ‘bride’ and they would be the ones to wear white. We would be wearing colour along with our wedding party. We would stand where the ceremony was to be held and the area would be hidden behind a curtain. When the guests arrived, they would go to a different area and when it came time for the ceremony, the curtain would open up to reveal all of us in our place and our friends and family would walk ‘down the aisle’ to us. We made it special by personalising everything. Our wedding invitations and place cards were created by me (Mel) as well as the labels on our party favours (candles).”

“There were so many highlights. The best was seeing the joy that everyone had by being there to celebrate our love. There was so much joy and so many happy faces. From the time the curtain opened and everyone saw us, they were all just beaming and the mood carried through the whole night.”

“Our advice for anyone planning a wedding is to make it yours! Everyone wants to celebrate you so put yourselves into all the things around you. Make it personal. Then when the day comes, let all the expectations go. Whatever will be will be.You have already done all the work. Now it’s time to enjoy yourselves and celebrate each other and the love all around you.”

CEREMONY VENUE - 21 March 2019 Shaun and Mel’s home RECEPTION VENUE - 23 March 2019 Lightspace, Fortitude Valley MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Veronica Dawson PHOTOGRAPHY Dale and Karlie, DK Photography JEWELLERY SH Jewellers FLORALS Lillicreek Florals < CLICK HERE CAKE The Cake Girl CATERING Wine & Dine’m Catering FAVOURS Miss Magoo MUSIC The Baker Boys LIGHTING AVIdeas

Congratulations ALISHA & ALANNA 30 March 2019 Margate, Brisbane QLD

Alisha and Alanna met at their local tavern on a Saturday night. “The moment we locked eyes, we knew it was special.”

“One year later, I surprised Alanna with a date night. As we had fortnightly date nights she thought she was driving, until a stretched limousine pulled up outside and I looked at her, laughed and said: ‘No babe, it’s sorted - you can have a wine!’ We went to dinner at Char Char Bar & Grill in Brisbane then to Mt Cootha Lookout, where I asked her to be my wife. Of course she said ‘Yes’ and cried. After that I asked if our friend could then come out of the bushes to take some photos. She looked at me weird like ‘Jess lives six hours away babe’. I said ‘Yes I know. She has been sitting in these bushes for five hours waiting for us’. We had some more wine and a good laugh.”

Alisha and Alanna Hayden were married on 30 March 2019 at The Golden Ox, Margate. Kellie Rainbow, Marriage Celebrant from Brisbane conducted their ceremony and a reception followed at the venue. Photography and videography was by Video Arts Photography. Attire was formal and accessorised with jewellery from Michael Hill Jeweller. Hair and makeup by Kellie Tan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Florals were created by my gorgeous wife, Alanna. We selected the flowers from Brisbane Flower Market the day before our wedding. Our cake was by my (Alisha) gorgeous sister, Renee Hayden.â&#x20AC;?

“Highlights of the day were having the people there we love the most, our family and friends. We loved seeing everyone having a good time and having them there to see us get married.”

“The best advice we can give to other couples is don’t let the wedding planning stress you. Things happen! Stay calm, everything will work out and just enjoy your special day. Don’t think you have to spend thousands for a beautiful wedding.”

VENUE The Golden Ox MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Kellie Rainbow Celebrant PHOTOGRAPHY Video Arts Photography VIDEOGRAPHY Video Arts Photography ATTIRE Formal JEWELLERY Michael Hill Jeweller HAIR AND MAKEUP Kellie Tan FLORALS Renee Hayden (Alisha’s sister) TRANSPORT Brisbane Limousines MUSIC DJ Glenn, Party Sound Mobile DJs

Congratulations ALLAN & STEVEN 4 May 2019 Brisbane QLD

Allan and Steven met online. “We didn’t propose like the typical couples do with knees on ground... lol. We had been together for over 10 years and both felt that we wanted to be legally married.”

Allan Quach and Steven Treumer were married on 4 May 2019. The ceremony was held at Eagle Street Pier in Brisbane and the couple celebrated with family and friends cruising the Brisbane River on Kookaburra Showboat Cruises. The wedding theme was ‘Black and White’ and the dress code for guests was smart casual.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our neighbour and dearest best friend, Kelli Byrne was our Wedding Planner. The ceremony was conducted by Kellie Rainbow, Marriage Celebrant. Cake by Simone created our wedding cake and Kookaburra Showboat Cruises catered for the reception. Music was provided by The Vinyl King (Nev). A highlight was having my (Allan) parents there to witness us getting married. We honeymooned in Hawaii.â&#x20AC;?

FO U R TH EDITION 2019

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S h o w c as i ng b u s i ne sse s w h o p ro u d ly s u pp or t ALL LOVE

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SSWM DIRECTORY N E W SOUTH WALES

BARLENS EVENT HIRE Event Hire Company Albur y www.barlens.com.au Barlens is distinguished in the market place by our size, experience and professionalism. Most impor tantly we have the know-how to help make your event a success. Our extensive range of modern hire products and equipment are meticulously maintained and cleaned and always ready to go. Our two locations, Albur y, NSW and Canberra, ACT, have provided us with greater event hire capabilities throughout NSW, ACT and regional Victoria.

CIRCLE OF LOVE Styling, Planning and Hire Sydney and Australia-wide www.circleofloveweddings.com.au At Circle of Love we are passionate about designing a wedding that shows who you are as a couple on your special day. Our goal is to create a unique, elegant, personalised event especially for you. We will turn your dream wedding into a beautiful reality.

DENNARQUE ESTATE Wedding Venue and Accommodation Blue Mountains www.dennarque.com Located in the beautiful Blue Mountains of NSW, Dennarque Estate is a highly sought after wedding venue. Set in stunning and vast heritage gardens, our versatile proper ty gives you the freedom to create your own personalised and truly memorable wedding celebration. Dennarque specialises in intimate, boutique weddings for up to 80 guests. Luxurious accommodation, recently refurbished, for 12 on site with additional accommodation in the local village.

photo: @soulmadestories

SSWM DIRECTORY N E W SOUTH WALES

EVENT HIRE SERVICES Event Furniture and Decor Hire NSW and ACT www.eventhireser vices.com.au Furniture and decor options from luxur y to rustic, Event Hire Ser vices can provide you with an array of styles for your wedding celebrations. From simply the right chair to a whole list of creative options, we pride ourselves on delivering a tailored, polished environment that reflects the occasion and your budget.

Congratulations on your engagement! photo: CM Events

FORGET ME NOT FARM Wedding and Events Venue Bangalow, Byron Bay Hinterland www.forgetmenotweddings.com.au Forget Me Not Farm is located in the Byron Bay hinterland and close to the boutique town of Bangalow. A working cattle farm, Forget Me Not is the ultimate venue offering plenty of space, tranquility, beautiful rolling hills, gorgeous gardens and rainforest plantings overlooking the water.

Numerous choices of beautiful ceremony spots. A blank canvas with your choice of a marquee or tipi wedding.

JULIE MUIR, CELEBRANT Marriage Celebrant Newcastle, Hunter Valley, Central Coast and Sydney www.juliemuircelebrant.com.au Do You Want A Young, Fun, Engaging CELEBRANT? You have found her.

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s create an awesome ceremony together. No boring ceremonies here.

The ceremony will be meaningful and memorable but also light-hear ted and uplifting. Your guests will laugh and they will cr y.

photo: Folk & Follow

SSWM DIRECTORY N E W SOUTH WALES

JUST LOVE CELEBRANCY Marriage Celebrant Central Coast, Hunter Valley, Sydney and Newcastle www.justlovecelebrancy.com.au Whether renewing vows or saying them for the ver y first time, Just Love Celebrancy delivers beautifully personal ceremonies that will be remembered long after the last guest leaves. Whether you envision your ceremony as traditional, contemporar y or completely unique, Just Love will collaborate with you to create a relaxed, fun, seamless and memorable occasion that reflects who you are.

photo: Wood Water Co

KARA INVITATIONS Wedding Invitations and Event Stationery Sydney www.karainvitations.com Kara Invitations is an online store specialising in stylish, simple and affordable wedding invitations and stationer y.

LOVEDALE WEDDING CHAPEL & RECEPTION Chapel, Accommodation and Reception Centre Hunter Valley www.lovedaleweddingchapel.com.au Lovedale is in the hear t of the Hunter Valley wine countr y. The venue offers a chapel, reception venue and accommodation, providing an all-in-one package and located on a picturesque/ private 27 acre estate with views across the valley of the Watagan Mountains.

SSWM DIRECTORY N E W SOUTH WALES

NEWCASTLE EVENT HIRE Event Hire Company Newcastle www.newcastleeventhire.com.au Newcastle Event Hire are your custom wedding specialists. We think outside the square to provide custom made event solutions for weddings, corporate functions, concer ts and exhibitions and have over 35 years of events industr y experience combined with superior products and specialist event ser vices. Our clients are given access to event infrastructure that is traditionally only accessible in large metropolitan areas. Ser vicing Newcastle, Hunter Valley, Por t Stephens and beyond.

NOVOTEL NEWCASTLE BEACH Venue Newcastle East http://www.novotelnewcastlebeach.com.au/weddings-at-novotel Ideally located within the beachside suburb of Newcastle East, Novotel Newcastle Beach is surrounded by multiple picturesque photography and ceremony locations. Our function rooms offer floor-to-ceiling windows, ample natural light and flexible room configurations. Our three affordable package options are flexible and can be tailored to your needs.

ONELOVE WEDDING DIRECTORY Same-Sex Wedding Directory Sydney www.oneloveweddingdirector y.com.au We are a same-sex wedding director y. We aim to have as many same-sex inclusive suppliers to help plan the most impor tant day of your life, your wedding day. Our goal is to include suppliers that suit ever y budget and to make the process as easy as possible as we know how stressful and time-consuming it is to plan your wedding day.

photo: CNJ Photoraphy

SSWM DIRECTORY N E W SOUTH WALES

ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF AUSTRALIA Venue Sydney CBD www.raca.com.au Brimming with character and charm, the Royal Automobile Club of Australia is the perfect venue for a sophisticated, romantic and elegant wedding. Ideally located in the hear t of the city, situated on Macquarie Street, opposite the Royal Botanic Gardens and adjacent to Circular Quay, and the iconic Sydney Opera House.

THE BYRON AT BYRON RESORT & SPA Venue Byron Bay www.thebyronatbyron.com.au

Nestled amongst 45 acres of rainforest, The Byron at Byron Resor t & Spa is the perfect backdrop for a memorable and unique wedding. Understated luxur y combined with exceptional ser vice creates a day to remember. An experienced wedding team is here to assist ever y step of the way, ensuring all the finer details are taken care of. The Byron at Byron has both outdoor and indoor spaces available. Our outdoor spaces provide a blank canvas for you and your styling team to bring your vision to life, complemented by the panoramic backdrop of the rainforest and brightened by the starlight.

VAGABOND CRUISES Weddings and Events Venue Sydney Harbour www.vagabond.com.au For over 30 years, Vagabond Cruises have provided the perfect venue for thousands of weddings on Sydney Harbour, from intimate gatherings to grand affairs! Our wedding coordinators will work with you to create your dream wedding with tailored event ser vices and fantastic all-inclusive packages and the most beautiful views in the world!

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ADAM RICHARDS, ACOUSTIC GUITAR SOLOIST & DJ Musician and DJ Gold Coast www.adamrichards.com Covering Byron to Brisbane, Adam specialises in enter tainment for Weddings, Par ties and Functions. Whether it’s playing at the ceremony, over drinks or dinner, or cranking out the dancing tunes, Adam can cater for all of your enter tainment needs. Kick back with some funky beergarden style tunes over dinner then dance the night away with DJ tunes of your choosing.

AMBER GILLAM CELEBRANT Marriage Celebrant Brisbane Region and Sunshine Coast www.ambergillamcelebrant.com.au I am a wedding tragic and just love a good ceremony - one that makes you laugh, brings a tear to your eye or has you gripping the hand of the person next to you. Let’s work together to make sure your ceremony does all that and more!

BALLOONS BY TWISTEDMR Balloon Decorating Brisbane www.twistedmr.com Brisbane’s ver y own internationally-acclaimed balloon stylist.

Transforming events into exquisite celebrations through stylised balloon designs. Our balloons make each event a unique work of ar t. From confetti balloons to garlands, we are your perfect balloon par tner.

photo: Dawn Photography

SSWM DIRECTORY QUE E N SLAN D

BRISBANE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE (BCEC) Venue South Bank, Brisbane www.bcec.com.au/weddings Contemporar y, sophisticated, unconventional and more than you could imagine, set against the backdrop of an incredible city skyline in the hear t of South Bank. Award-winning world class cuisine, exceptional ser vice and unrivalled event experience will create moments that are truly unforgettable. Be inspired by our unique collection of spectacular spaces.

CAKE THAT! Specialty Cakes Brisbane www.cakethat.com.au

Magnificent indulgent baked-from-scratch special event cakes created exclusively for your event. Sarah-Jane will work with you and listen to your ideas to create a design you will be excited about! She works with local, interstate and overseas couples to design a cake that will be the essence of the event and taste as good as it looks! photo: Nick Murray Photography

CEDAR CREEK ESTATE WINERY Winery, Ceremony and Reception Venue Tamborine Mountain www.cedarcreekestate.com.au www.instagram.com/cedarcreekestate www.facebook.com/cedarcreekestatewiner y The Estate is home to our picturesque chapel and arbour, surrounded by enchanting trees ever changing with the season. Treat your guests to a fabulous reception in our Cedar Room, a relaxing winer y themed reception venue with warm wood tones and welcoming terrace area overlooking the vineyard. Ever yoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s welcome.

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CLICK CLICK PHOTO BOOTH Photo Booth Brisbane https://clickclickphotobooth.com.au A click click wedding photo booth experience is one that matches perfectly with your style and creates hours of fun and unforgettable memories. We work with you to understand what you want and create a full ser vice package that looks after ever ything including your guests!

ELEGANT BOMBONIERE Online Wedding Retail Store Brisbane and Australia-wide www.elegantbomboniere.com.au Established in 2006 and based in Brisbane, Elegant Bomboniere are Australia’s Bomboniere Specialist. We cater for all events and specialise in small thank you gifts for weddings, christenings and religious ceremonies. With over 1000 items and popular themed gifts to choose from, you will be spoilt for choice when you visit our online store.

ELOPEMENTS NOOSA Elopements and Small Boutique Weddings Noosa Heads, Sunshine Coast www.elopementsnoosa.com Elopements Noosa love celebrating love! Danni and her amazing team help lovers escape in a private, intimate and meaningful way. They create luxe elopements and small boutique wedding packages with your love stor y in mind. They will do it all for you, no stress, no hassles, just pure relaxed love!

SSWM DIRECTORY QUE E N SLAN D

FUSE PYROTECHNICS Pyrotechnics and Special Effects QLD and NSW www.fusepyrotechnics.com.au Fuse Pyrotechnics specialise in close-proximity and indoor pyrotechnics through to spectacular outdoor fireworks displays featuring large aerial effects. Also offering non-pyrotechnic effects such as low-lying fog and streamers/confetti, Fuse has all the ways to make your wedding day truly memorable!

GOOD VIBES CO Photo Booth Hire and Prop Hire Gold Coast www.goodvibesco.com.au Specialising in bringing the good vibes! Open air photo booth, Custom backdrops, Direct uploads, Physical prints, Bespoke props that will make your image pop! Good Vibes - The ultimate social photo booth.

HILLSTONE ST LUCIA Ceremony and Reception Venue Brisbane www.hillstonestlucia.com.au/weddings Hillstone St Lucia is renowned for its elegant homestead charm, rich histor y and exceptional reputation in hospitality, making it one of Brisbaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular wedding venues.

SSWM DIRECTORY QUE E N SLAN D

KINGFISHER BAY RESORT Resort Fraser Island www.fraserislandweddings.com.au Named as ‘Queensland’s Best Reception Venue’ for 2019, Kingfisher Bay Resor t offers an array of breathtaking native backdrops to suit ever y couple. Select from a stunning range of indoor and outdoor ceremony locations, with casual catering options to fine dining experiences available.

The award-winning event coordinators will ensure your destination wedding is all that you envisioned.

ONE WEDDING CELEBRANT Marriage Celebrant Brisbane, Sunshine and Gold Coasts, Toowoomba and hinterland, Nor thern NSW www.oneweddingcelebrant.com.au Now you have found the right par tner, it’s time to find the right celebrant! Sherr yl is an experienced celebrant (10+ years) and her total focus is to create a uniquely personal ceremony which reflects what is impor tant to you both. Your ceremony can be fun and light-hear ted but also beautifully meaningful and one you will remember for all the right reasons. She only conducts one ceremony a day, hence the name ‘One Wedding Celebrant’.

PRESTON PEAK WINERY FUNCTION CENTRE Wedding and Function Venue Darling Downs, Toowoomba and South-East QLD www.prestonpeakfunctions.com.au

Imagine your happiest celebration. Dream of breathtaking views and welcoming, impeccable hospitality. Envision tasting superb food and enjoying luxurious, state-of-the-ar t facilities. Only 10 minutes drive from Toowoomba, Preston Peak Winer y overlooks the scenic Lockyer Valley and provides the perfect backdrop to the wedding of your dreams. photo: Unveil Films & Photography

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ROD NOENDENG PHOTOGRAPHY Photography Brisbane, Gold Coast, Springfield and Ipswich www.rodnoendengphotography.com.au A wonderful and professional wedding photography experience: “From the pre-planning to the last shot of our great day, Rod was amazing. He’s the consummate professional, ver y personable and was great with our guests.

Rod took all of the photos we knew we wanted.” Jenny.

ROTARY BROADWATER CHAPEL BY THE SEA Ceremony Venue Southpor t, Gold Coast www.rotar ychapel.com.au Well loved by families in its former home at the Gold Coast Hospital in Southpor t, the Broadwater Chapel has been saved from demolition by the Rotar y Club of Broadwater Southpor t.

The Chapel is now located in the Broadwater Parklands in Southpor t and has been given a new lease of life as a unique venue for weddings and all of life’s celebrations. It is the only chapel facing the water on the Gold Coast, has been beautifully renovated by the Rotar y Club of Broadwater Southpor t and welcomes members of the LGBTI community.

SECRETS ON THE LAKE Luxury Accommodation, Restaurant & Wedding Venue Montville, Sunshine Coast Hinterland www.secretsonthelake.com.au The hinterland’s most breathtaking lakeside wedding destination and unique hand-car ved luxur y treehouse honeymoon escape.

With stunningly beautiful rustic, waterfront and rainforest settings, and featuring a private jetty, car ved decks, dreamy rock ponds and waterfalls fringed by pristine rainforest and mountains… we have the perfect location for your vows. Featured on national TV as ‘the perfect romantic escape for couples’.

SSWM DIRECTORY QUE E N SLAN D

SKYLIGHTER FIREWORKS Pyrotechnics & Special Effects QLD and NSW www.skylighter.com.au Skylighter is the ONLY fireworks company in Queensland to source their fireworks direct from the factor y and pass on the savings! Skylighter create stunning outdoor Wedding displays that can be choreographed to your special song or gorgeous intimate special effects such as shimmering fountains and magical fog as you share your first dance together.

SOL GARDENS Venue Gold Coast Hinterland www.sol-gardens.com

The most romantic and idyllic 15 minute drive from Currumbin Beach, amongst the iconic Gold Coast Hinterland, in a valley car ved by time and filled with natural wonders, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find us... and each other. For here there is no man-made distractions. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just you and your loved ones, surrounded by lush nature. We invite you to come meet with us, have a site viewing of our gorgeous multiple ceremony and reception areas, including wet weather option, share your dream wedding and allow us to make it memorable.

THE CHAPEL MONTVILLE & RECEPTION Chapel and Reception Venue Sunshine Coast Hinterland www.thechapelmontville.com.au Our stunning award-winning Chapel stands in a class of its own, combining traditional building skills, craftsmanship and unique features throughout, backdropped with beautiful views sweeping down over the Sunshine Coast to the ocean. The Chapel is sure to make your day a truly special and memorable one.

SSWM DIRECTORY QUE E N SLAN D

THE POWDER ROOM Hair and Makeup Brisbane www.powderroom.com.au At The Powder Room we are your best friends on the best day of your life.

Commit to the one you LOVE and let us create your exquisite hair and makeup. We proudly suppor t the LGBT community. Our team consists of 20 Industr y professionals, each of whom are individually ar tistic, friendly and dedicated to just one Bridal Par ty per day. We look forward to meeting you both and creating your dream wedding look.

Jess Jackson Photographer

WATERS EDGE SCARBOROUGH Wedding and Events Centre Redcliffe Peninsula www.watersedgescarborough.com.au Brisbane’s newest Wedding & Events venue, Waters Edge Scarborough is situated on the Redcliffe Peninsula overlooking the Scarborough Marina and beyond. This exclusive and absolute premium waterfront venue seats up to 200 guests and opens out to a spacious private deck where you will be captivated by the magical seaside sunsets.

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SSWM DIRECTORY S O U TH AUSTRALI A

ANNETTE PERRYMAN MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Marriage Celebrant Adelaide www.annetteperr yman.com.au I am an experienced Celebrant who can make your Marriage Ceremony dreams come true. Couples’ reviews validate my calm and relaxed style, and commitment to quality and professionalism. Confidentiality is top of my agenda and I factor in loads of fun too!

CHATEAU YALDARA Venue Barossa Valley www.chateauyaldara.com.au Steeped in histor y, Chateau Yaldara offers the perfect blend of authentic Barossa charm, idyllic rural surroundings and flawless professional ser vice. Boasting multiple picturesque ceremony and reception spaces on site, as well as bridal par ty accommodation, we offer the complete package. Let us bring your wedding day dreams to life.

CRUISING CRUISING YACHT YACHT CLUB CLUB OF OF SOUTH SOUTH AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA Yacht Club Yacht Club Nor Nor th thofHaven Haven, SA best kept secrets, we offer award-winning One Adelaide’s 08 8248 4222 08 8248 4222 function areas which provide panoramic marina views. We functions@cycsa.com.au functions@cycsa.com.au understand that ever y wedding is unique and can offer a tailored www.cycsa.com.au www.cycsa.com.au package specifically for you. A truly memorable experience.

One of Adelaide’s best kept secrets, we offer awardwinning function areas which provide panoramic marina views. We understand that ever y wedding is unique and can offer a tailored package specifically for you. A truly memorable experience.

SSWM DIRECTORY S O U TH AUSTRALI A

EARTH GREETINGS Greeting Cards Adelaide www.ear thgreetings.com.au Ear th Greetings design beautiful cards to celebrate love, with the lightest possible environmental footprint. Made in Australia from 100% post-consumer recycled paper and carbon neutral. Shop 24/7 on our webstore with free card shipping within Australia!

FALCON VISUALS Photography Adelaide www.falconvisuals.com.au As a photographer, I aspire to capture the love and hope that bonds ever y couple, regardless of their sexual orientation.

HOTEL RICHMOND Boutique Hotel, Ceremonies, Receptions Adelaide www.hotelrichmond.com.au A rare gem in the hear t of Adelaide. Hotel Richmond offers stunning and unique wedding receptions, wedding ceremonies and boutique accommodation. With fully customisable packages, we pride ourselves on our flexibility and personalised ser vice. You will also be astounded by ever ything that comes included in our wedding reception packages at no extra cost.

SSWM DIRECTORY S O U TH AUSTRALI A

THE CURRANT SHED Restaurant McLaren Vale www.currantshed.com.au ‘The Shed’ is a multi-award winning restaurant, offering an ever-changing seasonally inspired menu with a strong focus on sustainability. It is, in essence, our passion for delicious regional food, quality wine and a relaxed, yet exceptional dining experience combined in one beautiful location, ideal for weddings and functions, or simply a long, relaxing lunch.

photo: The Currant Shed/Jacqui Way

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SSWM DIRECTORY TASMAN I A

BIRCHVIEW TASMANIA Venue for Ceremonies and Photo Shoots Southern Tasmania www.birchviewtasmania.com

Birchview is a private garden venue in a secluded setting 20 minutes south of Hobar t. Mount Wellington provides the backdrop whilst friendly alpacas and chickens add to the rural charm. Specialising in small, intimate outdoor ceremonies for weddings, commitment ceremonies or elopements. Celebrate with family or just the two of you!

WILLIE SMITH’S APPLE SHED Wedding Venue Grove, Huon Valley www.williesmiths.com.au A beautiful old conver ted barn, full of character and soul, 25 minutes south of Hobar t. Flexible catering options from food trucks to a delicious formal feast. With a relaxed vibe, and ser ving award-winning beverages, Willie Smith’s is a ver y special place to be. Capacity up to 170 guests.

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SSWM DIRECTORY V I C TORI A

BARLENS EVENT HIRE Event Hire Company Regional Victoria www.barlens.com.au Barlens is distinguished in the market place by our size, experience and professionalism. Most impor tantly we have the know-how to help make your event a success. Our extensive range of modern hire products and equipment are meticulously maintained and cleaned and always ready to go. Our two locations, Albur y, NSW and Canberra, ACT, have provided us with greater event hire capabilities throughout NSW, ACT and regional Victoria.

DALBLAIR BED & BREAKFAST Accommodation Service Yarra Valley www.dalblairbnb.com.au

Dalblair assures you a truly intimate experience and is an ideal romantic getaway for couples. Dalblair offers three totally unique styles of premier accommodation, each decorated and furnished with your total comfor t and experience in mind. All suites have magnificent views of the surrounding Warbur ton Ranges and stunning gardens.

DEB STALLARD MARRIAGE CELEBRANT Marriage Celebrant Geelong www.facebook.com/debstallardcivilcelebrant Just the joy of your relationship... pure and simply you two... and joining a family can be impor tant too! I aim to create a unique star t to your most amazing journey in life, without the stress... and excitement is contagious! Based in Geelong, I can travel from Bellarine Peninsular to Lorne and countr y Victoria. With 15 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience, all the little details will be considered on your day. I approach my planning with the professionalism and sincerity it deser ves. Feel free to request a no-obligation inter view.

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INKAHEAD Paramedical & Cosmetic Tattooing Clinic Narre Warren www.inkaheadclinic.com

Located at Shop 15/6 Rebound Cour t, Narre Warren, InkAhead specialises in Cosmetic Tattooing.

We create perfect brows, no-smudge semi-permanent eyeliner, and lip tattooing. Our staff are highly trained and are passionate about their work. The ver y specialised and highly sought after Medical Tattooing of Areola and Scalp Micropigmentation is also available. Our other ser vices include Saline Tattoo Removal, Teeth Whitening and Cosmetic Injectables.

JEANETTE DYKE Unique Handcrafted Jewellery Eltham, Melbourne www.jeanettedyke.com Jeanette creates fine, exquisite and exceptionally unique jeweller y. She specialises in individual, contemporar y engagement rings and weddings rings for both men and women. Passionately made by hand, using precious metals and gemstones, from her studio at Montsalvat in Melbourne. Please email Jeanette for an appointment to discuss your jeweller y requirements.

photos: Jeanette Dyke

JR EVENTS Boutique Event Management Melbourne www.jr-events.com.au With over 25 years of local and international event management experience, we know how to make your event one to remember.

From invites to theming, audio visual to ar tists, MC and speaker bookings, travel and accommodation, to buses and corporate cars, we are a ONE STOP Event Shop. Our wide range of par tners, suppliers and vendors will ensure you have the style of event you want, all within your budget. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chat about your wedding today.

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MELBOURNE & WERRIBEE ZOO EVENTS Wedding Reception and Ceremony Venue Inner Melbourne & Outer Melbourne (Werribee) www.zooevents.com.au

We provide guests with unique wildlife-inspired venues, events and experiences while offering restaurant quality food.

NIKKO BLUE PHOTOGRAPHY Photography Melbourne www.nikkobluephotography.com Hello... I am Fiona, your wedding photographer - a countr y girl born and bred with a lot of fun and a little bit of craziness! I have a genuine interest in creating memories for others and use my natural photography skills to tell your personal stories with candid, natural images. My unobtrusive and relaxed approach allows me to capture your perfect moments in style ~ the moments that are genuine, pure and speak honestly. I am dedicated to creating natural hear tfelt images that reflect your inner beauty, your love and the true essence of you as a couple. I believe I can offer you something special, so letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s star t working on YOUR love stor y today!

NO. 1 EVENTS Wedding Venue Malvern East, Melbourne www.no1events.com.au

Set on the lush green backdrop of Malvern Valley Golf Course, No.1 suits all wedding sizes and styles.

Our light and bright, modern spaces provide superior flexibility for wedding planners. From intimate formal dinners to casual cocktail soirĂŠes, No.1 is a blank canvas to create your dream wedding.

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PORTSEA GOLF CLUB AND MERCURE PORTSEA Golf Club and Wedding Venue Por tsea https://www.por tseagolf.com.au/cms/

Por tsea Golf Club and Mercure Por tsea is a beautiful setting for your wedding ceremony and reception. Set amongst rolling greens, local Moonah trees and spectacular views across Por t Phillip Bay, Por tsea Golf Club has facilities to cater for up to 250 guests and the experience to ensure your wedding day is perfect in ever y way!

RACV INVERLOCH RESORT Resort Regional Victoria www.racv.com.au/inverloch Stunning Resor t set on 32 hectares overlooking the Bass Coast. Natural landscapes with photo oppor tunities at ever y turn. The Resor t features accommodation and venue spaces to suit ever y wedding, large or small. Perfect for destination weddings with a variety of packages available that all include the ceremony on site and locally sourced menus.

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SSWM DIRECTORY W E STERN AUSTRALI A

MILLBROOK WINERY Wedding Venue Jarrahdale www.millbrook.wine/weddings Offering stunning surrounds, superb food and wine, and with multiple spaces to accommodate a range of event styles and capacities, Millbrook Winer y is the ultimate wedding destination. The pristine Millbrook proper ty, with its sparkling lakes and tree-lined walkways, also provides the perfect backdrop for photography.

PAGODA RESORT & SPA Venue and Accommodation Per th www.pagoda.com.au The 4.5 star Pagoda Resor t & Spa is nestled on the shores of Per th’s spectacular Swan River, ensuring you have the perfect setting for your dream day. The Resor t offers 101 warmly-appointed accommodation rooms, plus 3 unique venue options, to create the canvas for your personalised ceremony and reception.

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SSWM DIRECTORY IN T E RN ATI ON AL

NAUTILUS RESORT Resort Muri Beach, Cook Islands https://www.nautilusresor trarotonga.com Nautilus Resor t specialises in arranging exclusive events with a focus on island style wedding ceremonies and receptions.

Offering a truly unique and stunning Rarotonga location, you can choose from the resor t’s cr ystal line beach with a beautiful palm fringed island as your backdrop, our lush tropical gardens, or travel across the lagoon to an uninhabited tropical island to celebrate in seclusion. This 4.5 star Polynesian resor t epitomizes the ideal tropical island escape.

QUEENSTOWN WEDDING ASSOCIATION Wedding Directory Queenstown, New Zealand www.queenstownweddings.org

Planning a destination wedding in Queenstown, New Zealand has never been easier! Our director y showcases 200 of the most experienced and trusted wedding suppliers in the industr y. Whether you’re after an intimate helicopter elopement in the mountains, or an elaborate fine dining affair, our wonderful members can make it happen.

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‘bLue AZZOO’ VINTA GE

Jazz . Swing

Pop . Blue’s FUSION

Piano Guitar Vocal Duo

blueJazZoo

0411.116246

Everything Old is New Again SERVED WITH A TWIST OF JAZZ AND A DASH OF BLUES Keeping true to the bygone era, Mr Brent Doust and Miss Andi Gallaher will take you on a mystical music journey of mastery, whilst they freestyle their way through popular current style-ized hits and embellishing old time classics, defining ‘blue JazZoo’.

NOOSA TO BYRON AND BEYOND andi@voxstudio.com.au 0411 116 246 www.facebook.com/blueJazZoo

MY WEDDING WISH IS A NATIONAL CHARITY THAT GIFTS WEDDINGS TO COUPLES WHERE ONE OR BOTH PARTIES HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH A TERMINAL ILLNESS. FOUNDED ON QUEENSLAND’S SUNSHINE COAST BY MARRIAGE CELEBRANT, LYNETTE MAGUIRE, THE CHARITY BEGAN AS A LOCAL PROJECT THAT ORGANISED GIFTED WEDDINGS TO COUPLES WITH ‘LIFE ALTERING’ DIAGNOSES.

Naomi and Emily applied and were gifted a beautiful commitment ceremony on the Sunshine Coast on 4 December 2014 with a dozen eager wedding suppliers wanting to create magic for them.

They had been together since year 12. They met in high school and had technically known each other since year 8. However, they didn’t have a lot to do with each other (unless being in a group to build a dragon made out of plastic bags in year 10 counts) until year 12. Emily and Naomi star ted to get to know each other after they went to a par ty that involved lots of under-age drinking. They found that they were going through the same kinds of things and star ted talking about their feelings and how they were desperate to work out what ever ything meant and discover who they were. Before they knew it, they became a couple.

They star ted seeing each other that September and graduated in November. A few people knew about their relationship and it didn’t take long for it to spread throughout their year level. At graduation some guys in their year level star ted ‘typical teenage boy behaviour’, giving them a hard time for being together. Emily didn’t take it well and star ted to doubt ever ything. Some of her friends decided to give her an ultimatum, ‘Them or Naomi’. She chose Naomi and from that moment on, Naomi knew Em was someone special who stood up for herself and for what she believed would make her happy. Three years later Emily finally told her father she was gay and Naomi was not only her best friend, but also the love of her life.

Marriage for them would be the icing on the cake. They had developed their relationship, star ted careers, built their home, had a baby; the only thing missing was marriage. To Naomi, their commitment ceremony was a celebration of their relationship and commitment to each other.

Four years later, same-sex marriage became legal in Australia and they decided to do it all again. They approached MY WEDDING WISH’s founder, Lynette, who was the celebrant who performed their commitment ceremony. Of course Lynette was delighted and the couple married again – for real this time - in another upbeat and joyous ceremony with their two children, Jhett and Payton on 4 December 2018. www.myweddingwish.org

NAOMI AND EMILY’S COMMITMENT CEREMONY 4 DECEMBER 2014 photos: Andrea Sproxton Photography

NAOMI AND EMILY’S MARRIAGE CEREMONY 4 DECEMBER 2018 photos: Lani Car ter Photographer

There are so many emotions that come with planning a wedding and, of course, everyone wants their skin to look the best it can when that day arrives. Having the right preparation and skincare routine in the months leading up to your event is key. Vitamin B5 is also key. Vitamin B5 (and a tonne of other skin-loving nutrients) can be found in every product from Australian skincare brand, skinB5.

Here’s how to combat some common problems brides and grooms may be facing before their big day.

STRESS Stress causes your body to produce more hormones (such as cortisol), which means your skin creates more oils, making it more susceptible to breakouts.

• Use skinB5’s Skin Purifying Mask to remove oils and revitalise pores. You can also dab on the mask as a spot treatment overnight.

• Take 1 tsp of the Clear Skin Superfood Booster which contains 63 ingredients, including Ashwagandha, a stress-relieving ingredient that also supports immunity and gut health.

REDNESS Weddings usually mean a full day of photography. Red and irritated skin can be emphasised in professional and iPhone photography.

• The Australian Botanicals Cleansing Mousse and Hydration Essence are made up of 8 super active phyto extracts that contain anti-inflammatory and anti-pigmentation agents which reduce redness and puffiness. Use them regularly in the months leading up to your wedding to remove redness from the source.

• Add the Skin Purifying Mask into your foundation – it helps conceal any redness on your big day.

ENLARGED PORES AND SCARRING • Take Extra Strength Acne Control Vitamins every day for at least 3-4 months prior to your wedding day.

The patented formulation can really help shrink pores, lighten up scarring and restore the glow to your skin, allowing easier application of makeup. These vitamins aren’t just great for skin; they strengthen nails, hair, enhance immunity, boost energy levels, promote healing and regeneration (think new skin!), support inner balance and improve your body’s response to stress.

Order online or find your nearest stockist www.skinb5.com

Congratulations Bridie. Bridie Willis is an Australian bride who had persistent cystic acne for many years and with an impending wedding, she was urged to find a solution. VitaminB5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the immune-boosting vitamin - was that solution for Bridie that worked to gradually improve her skin and overall health from the inside. Bridie overcame her cystic acne through a skincare routine that uses products from Australian skincare and wellness brand, skinB5. skinB5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Extra Strength Acne Control Vitamins, Acne Control Cleansing Mousse, Acne Control Moisturiser, and Skin Purifying Mask, all contain the all-important B5 vitamin in combination with other natural ingredients that calm the skin and reduce redness and inflammation.

FUN, UNIQUE HAND-CRAFTED MEN’S ACCESSORIES, DESIGNED ON THE COAST OF VICTORIA, FILL GAP IN THE MARKET. Showcasing Australian native flora, including banksias, colourful proteas and striking waratahs, PEGGY AND FINN’s collection of printed ties, bowties, pocket squares and socks feature unique and bold designs, packed full of personality.

Founded by Torquay-based mates, Jarrod Craven and Olly Parsons, PEGGY AND FINN was born out of a need to create outside-the-box designs that provide men with the opportunity to showcase their individual style.

“When Olly was looking for accessories for his wedding, we soon realised there was a gap in the market for unique, bespoke and hand-crafted men’s accessories that were different to everything else available”, explains Peggy And Finn Co-Founder Jarrod Craven.

“After being unable to find what we were looking for, Jarrod decided to make some wooden bow ties himself, and that was really the beginning of PEGGY AND FINN”, said Co-Founder Olly Parsons.

Initially launching with men’s wooden bow ties, the PEGGY AND FINN collection has since expanded, with the introduction of a range of printed ties, socks, pocket squares, cufflinks, wooden suspenders and tie bars. And there may be some printed men’s underwear coming soon too!

It is the bright and bold prints that really set PEGGY AND FINN apart. “Being surrounded by the natural beauty of the Victorian coast, we are constantly inspired by the environment”, said Parsons.

“Ultimately we just want the men who wear our accessories to have fun with their style and not take it too seriously.

Whether it be in their 9-5 job or to a wedding or special event, when they wear our designs we hope they can show off their own unique point of view and stand out from the crowd”, adds Craven.

VISIT www.peggyandfinn.com.au

Photos courtesy Masterpieces Photography & Video

Brisbane’s 4th SAME SAME WEDDINGS EXPO will be held at Brisbane Powerhouse on Sunday 8 September 2019 from 10.30am to 2.30pm. Entry is FREE and ALL COUPLES will be warmly welcomed.

The Same Same Weddings Expo is hosted by Paddington Publications, the publishers of Brisbane Bride Magazine and Australia’s first same-sex wedding magazine, Same Same Weddings.

This FREE expo will be held over several levels of Brisbane Powerhouse and will showcase the best of South-East Queensland’s wedding industry.

Couples can simply turn up on the day or book FREE TICKETS via the Expo’s Facebook Event Page to receive a FREE Expo Bag (first 200 couples) and go into the draw to win their wedding featured in an upcoming online edition of Same Same Weddings magazine.

To secure FREE tickets, visit the Expo’s Facebook event page and keep up to date with all the event details. To contact the organisers, email samesame@ontrendbridal.com.au

On arrival, all couples can enter the draw to WIN fabulous prizes including a $1000 Xennox Diamonds voucher towards a Dream Wedding Ring or two nights accommodation for two people, including breakfast at The Byron at Byron Resort and Spa valued at $1000.

@samesameweddingsexpo @samesameweddingsmagazine @brisbanebridemagazine

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AUSTRALIA’S FIRST SAME SEX WEDDING MAGAZINE from the Publishers of BRISBANE BRIDE MAGAZINE EVERY EDITION FREE TO ENJOY ONLINE WWW.ISSUU.COM

SAME SAME WEDDINGS MAGAZINE

follow @samesameweddingsmagazine

submissions and enquiries: samesame@ontrendbridal.com.au