Mid North Coast Weddings Magazine - Issue 4

MID NORTH COAST WEDDINGS THE MID NORTH COAST'S PREMIER WEDDING MAGAZINE

ISSUE FOUR Jan 2021

MID NORTH COAST WEDDINGS Issue 4 January 2021 Cover Image Abbey & Ryan Editorial Carissa Dwyer Editor Graphic Design Carissa Dwyer Photographers Kirk Owers Photography Little Glimpses Vi.La Photo Mel Hayes Photography The Photo Trail Marketing Carissa Dwyer midnorthcoastweddings@gmail.com Submissions Carissa Dwyer at midnorthcoastweddings@gmail.com

MID NORTH COAST WEDDINGS

www.midnorthcoastweddings.com Instagram @midnorthcoastweddings Facebook @midnorthcoastweddings Pinterest @mncweddings

Published quarterly by Mid North Coast Weddings Co. All Rights Reserved.

REAL WEDDING INSPIRATION FROM THE MID NORTH COAST REGION OF NSW, AUSTRALIA

editor's note I couldn't be more excited to bring you another edition of the Mid North Coast Weddings Magazine. It goes without saying that the last year has been tough for our local wedding industry with weddings and events taking one of the heaviest hits from the COVID pandemic. With this in mind, we wanted to start the new year off with a fresh perspective and renewed energy, and what better way to do that than with one hundred pages of the most gorgeous and inspiring real weddings from around our region. From the tropical rainforests of the Green Cathedral in Tiona to the shores of the quaint little town of Hat Head, right up to the hinterland of Comboyne, this edition is a testament to the resilience, creativity, and inspiring ways that our couples and local wedding vendors made the most of these challenging times.

I have fallen in love with each and every wedding featured in this edition and have worked hard to bring to life their love stories so that you too can share their wedding day journey. I have also asked our couples to provide real accounts of their wedding day, planning and inspiration behind choosing their vendors, ceremony and reception locations, styling themes, flowers, etc all with the view to assist you with your own wedding day planning.

Lastly, I wanted to mention that we have made a few changes to the format of our magazine. We are now online only and advertisement free, making it easier for couples to obtain past and present copies, view from any device and give you more pages of real and inspiring content. We have also increased our presence on Pinterest to include content from our magazines so that you can pin your favorites and obtain direct links to our amazing local wedding vendors.

Enjoy!

Carissa Dwyer

Carissa Dwyer Editor

Ashlee & Blake

INSPIRATION...

Where did you get most of your wedding inspiration and ideas from?

We wanted something that would match our personalities of being quite relaxed, nature-loving, and fun. We would look up idea’s on Pinterest and Instagram to get a feel for what could work for us or what we could modify and personalise to make it suit our style. We also got a lot of ideas just by talking to our vendors. They are the experts, so it was great to brainstorm ideas with our wedding planner, stylist, and florist. Once they knew our vision of what we wanted they all had great ideas with what would work to help make it a reality.

It was the peaceful, natural surroundings and intimate ambiance that drew us to hold our ceremony here.

We both love being by the water and the lake behind the Green Cathedral created the perfect backdrop for us to say our vows and of course looks amazing in photos. We had some rain during our ceremony and lucky for us the canopy of the rainforest provided us and our guests with some protection.

Instead of rain the canopy created just a light drizzle and made the day even more magical. We just loved the peace and tranquility the Green Cathedral offered, which ultimately made us feel like we could have been anywhere in the world.

THE CEREMONY...

We chose the Green Cathedral on the shores of the beautiful Wallis Lake in Tiona, NSW to hold our ceremony. The Green Cathedral is an outdoor church with natural wooden pews enclosed by a beautiful palm rain forest and is a popular place for wedding ceremonies in the Forster area.

THE RECEPTION...

We chose the Palms Pavilion Wedding & Event Centre that is located next to the Green Cathedral in Tiona for our reception venue. It was the stunning, uninterrupted views of the lake and exclusive access to the venue and all the facilities that drew us to hold our reception here.

We also loved the open spaces and how the venue gave us the opportunity to style the reception however we liked. Having the reception only a 5 minute walk away from the ceremony made it so easy for guests to go from the ceremony to the reception without worrying about transport. The best part about the reception venue was watching the sunset over the beautiful lake, it was simply magic.”

Ashlee & Blake

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THE DRESS...

What was your experience like looking for a dress? I found my dress at Belles and Beaux Bridal in Newcastle. It was so exciting and such a special day with my mother and sister. I tried on quite a few dresses and learned that if you don’t love it straight away take it straight off, your wedding dress shouldn’t have to grow on you to love it. It was a little overwhelming being in the bridal store and seeing all of the dresses that I had chosen to try on and thinking that one of them might just be the one!

Was the dress you chose anything like the one you had in mind? I have always loved florals and was definitely looking for something with a floral design. To my surprise, the cut and neckline of my dress was nothing that I had in mind. I thought I would get something fitted however ended up falling in love with a flowy dress. I knew the moment I tried my dress on it was the one for me. It instantly made me feel amazing, fun, excited and full of love. My dress also had pockets and for some reason that was the icing on the cake.

Any advice about your bridal attire you would like to share? Buy the nail polish you would like to wear instead of leaving it up to find one when at the nail salon in case they don’t have anything that suits. I ended up getting clear shellac and painting them with a nail polish I had previously purchased.

I also wasn’t planning on wearing a veil until a friend of mine mentioned that this will be the only time in my life that I will get to wear one and I am so happy I did.

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ASHLEE & BLAKE

HAIR & MAKEUP...

The makeup artist I went with was Tess from Tess Duhring Makeup and my hairstylist was Renee from Renee Kennett Hair. They were both so versatile and could replicate exactly what I had in mind for my hair and makeup. I simply showed them a photo of what I wanted and they were able to bring it to life, even with my really long hair. Tess is well known for her amazing eye makeup technique and Renee is fabulous at updo’s.

What was the inspiration behind your makeup and hair? A natural glow with a little rose gold shine. I wanted something natural to go with the nature setting at the ceremony and to still look like myself as I don’t usually wear a lot of makeup. mid north coast weddings | january 2021

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THE FLOWERS...

We chose Poppies Marigold as our florist.

Kamisha handpicks her own locally sourced flowers which we just loved the idea of. We fell in love with her natural and original designs and what she created for my bouquet was absolutely stunning and went perfectly with my dress.

What was the inspiration behind your bouquet and other floral arrangements?

We love wildflowers and wanted to keep to a more neutral colour theme and we also knew there would be so much natural greenery at the Green Cathedral and we didn’t want the flowers to take anything away from this. We wanted that perfect balance of neutral/dusty tones with pops of greenery that would compliment the surroundings. We were very much inspired by the Green Cathedral itself.

Any advice you would like to share regarding your flowers?

Be open to ideas and trying combinations that you may not have originally thought of. You may have your heart set on a particular type of flower or bouquet design but the flowers are not in season. Being open to ideas could also allow you to consider other types of flowers that end up being the standout or signature flower of your bouquet.

ASHLEE & BLAKE

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VENDORS PHOTOGRAPHER - Kirk Owers Photography | RECEPTION VENUE - Palms Pavilion Wedding & Event Centre CELEBRANT - Dovetail Wedding Celebrants | WEDDING PLANNER - Palms Pavilion Wedding & Events Centre STYLIST - Martin & Ko |

FLOWERS - Poppies Marigold |

MAKEUP - Tess Duhring Makeup

HAIR - Renee Kennett Hair | CAKE - Village Walk Bakery | ENTERTAINMENT - Tre Soul VIDEOGRAPHER- Paragon Digital Australia

Lauren & Josh

LAUREN & JOSH

INSPIRATION...

Where did you get most of your wedding inspiration and ideas from?

Most of my wedding inspiration and ideas came from Instagram and Pinterest. I wanted a relaxed outdoor garden party vibe. I just searched outdoor weddings and then started pinning and took screen shots of the things that I liked.

and cushions set up under the marquee and out under the fig trees. We had Simon Gudgeon playing acoustic music early on in the evening and after the sun went down Dj Saville played some dance tunes.

The best part about the reception was having no seating plan so everyone could move around and mingle. We had woodfired pizzas served throughout the night and it had a really nice relaxed feeling to it, more like a party than a THE CEREMONY...

We chose to get married at our property formal wedding. The fig trees lit up with in Comboyne, NSW. It is a special place fairy lights after the sun went down and to us, we love spending our weekends the dance floor under the stars was on the avocado farm and it is where we pretty amazing too. got engaged. We also chose to hold our ceremony here because of the beautiful THE FLOWERS... views over the mountains. Even though We chose Gingermegs Styling Flowers it was smoky from the bushfires, the Hire as our florist because they do styling views were still amazing. and wedding hire as well as which made things really easy. . They came and set everything up for the ceremony and THE RECEPTION...

Our reception was held on the other reception area the morning of the side of the property underneath two big wedding. Everything looked beautiful fig trees that over looked the avocado from the bouquets to the buttonholes it farm. We had tables, chairs, lounges was exactly what I had hope to create.

What was the inspiration behind your bouquet and other floral arrangements?

Myself and my bridesmaids had long stem white rose bouquets. We had a big floral arrangement on our arbour at the ceremony and small bouquets of rose buds in vases scattered around the tables at the reception. I just wanted to keep the floral arrangements simple and pretty.

MAKEUP & HAIR...

I chose Anna Carey to do my makeup and Shenade from Hair Shenanigans for my hair. They were both recommended to me by friends who had used them for their own weddings. They both did a beautiful job.

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LAUREN & JOSH THE DRESS...

I found my dress pre loved on the Still White website. I had my heart set on a Made With Love Bridal dress called ‘Ella’ but when I went to the Gold Coast to try on this particular dress I was told that they were no longer making that design. I decided to try on some other designs in hope that I would find something else but I just didn’t love any of them as much as the ‘Ella’ dress. Luckily I found someone selling their ‘Ella’ dress on the Still White website in my size! It was posted to me, I got a few alterations done and it was perfect.

What was your experience like looking for a dress?

I took my mum and my sister to the Gold Coast for a girls weekend wedding dress shopping. The wedding dress shopping was really fun and exciting. I had a pretty clear vision of what I was looking for which made it easier to narrow down the dresses to try on. I would recommend only visiting a couple of wedding dress stores and not trying on too many dresses at a time otherwise it can get quite tedious and overwhelming. It’s a good idea to go in with a bit of an idea of what you like and take people with you that know your style.

Was the dress you chose anything like the one you had in mind and why?

It was the exact dress I’d been eyeing off for about a year. I was definitely open to looking around and trying other dresses but none of them compared to my dress.

Any advice about your bridal attire you would like to share?

I wanted a beautiful wedding gown and shoes for my wedding ceremony but I knew I would want to be able to move around comfortably and dance the night away at the reception. The lace on my dress was heavy and it had a really long train so I bought a second dress to change into after we cut the cake and had the first dance.

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VENDORS PHOTOGRAPHER - Little Glimpses | CELEBRANT - Kym Theofanou Weddings STYLIST - Gingermegs Styling Flowers Hire | FLOWERS - Gingermegs Styling Flowers Hire MAKEUP - Anna Carey Beauty | HAIR - Hair Shenanigans | RECEPTION CATERER - Flamin’ Pizzas CAKE - The Cake Collection | STATIONERY/INVITATIONS - Paperless Post ENTERTAINMENT - Simon Gudgeon Music & Dj Savill

Kristy & Keegan

INSPIRATION...

Where did you get most of your wedding inspiration and ideas from?

I took bits and pieces that I loved from other weddings we had been too and we had a pretty good idea of the atmosphere we wanted to create and of course I spent a lot of time on Pinterest!

Our stylist was Gingermegs Styling Flowers Hire, Megs was amazing!

After going through everything I wanted. She organized all of the furniture, lighting and décor including cushions, rugs and even blankets. She set everything up and packed it all down. I didn’t have to do a thing and it looked fantastic! I would highly recommend her.

THE CEREMONY...

We chose Hat Head Beach for our ceremony location because Keegan grew up in Hat Head and we now live and raise our children here. It is also where Keegan proposed to me. Our friends and family all live close by as well. It is also a beautiful, serene place to be. It was just perfect for us.

The best part about the ceremony

location was having the Hat Head mountain and beach behind us as it made for beautiful photos. There was also a viewing platform that many of our guests could watch the ceremony from. Our reception venue was also just a short walk down the path from the ceremony location so everything was really accessible. Our guests were able to grab a drink on arrival and head straight down on to the beach for the ceremony. With the musician from One Fun band playing quietly in the background, it made for a really relaxed atmosphere.

THE RECEPTION...

We chose the Hat Head Surf Life Saving Club for our reception because it was right next to the ceremony location and really suited the style of wedding we were after. We also had the option of using the surf club hall if it rained and there was an undercover area for the caterers and musician.

The best part about the reception venue was the beautiful overhanging fig trees and the grassed area was perfect for laying out rugs and hanging fairy lights.

THE FLOWERS...

We chose Ellerslie Flowers in Kempsey, NSW because Leanne was so easy to talk to right from the beginning and went out of her way to achieve what I wanted. She went through every detail with me and always seemed to make time for us. I think I spent a month just trying to decide on what type/colour of ribbon to use on my bouquet and she was fantastic about it!

What was the inspiration behind your bouquet and other floral arrangements? I was originally going to go with a really bright bouquet but in the end I wanted to keep it simple and white just worked with everything.

Any advice you would like to share regarding your flowers? I think it is all about personal preference, although you do need to take in to account what colours the bridesmaids are wearing and also it is something you have to carry around for half the day, they can get quite heavy.

Kristy & Keegan

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THE DRESS...

I found my dress at Grace Loves Lace on the Gold Coast. I kept it really simple, I did all my research online and once I had narrowed down the designer, I picked a few different styles I loved but when I went to try them on I knew which one I wanted straight away. I do regret not taking my bridesmaids with me though.

Was the dress you chose anything like the one you had in mind and why? I knew I wanted something in a bohemian style but never thought I would leave with the dress I did. The off shoulder sleeves were a surprise for me but the detail in the lace was just so beautiful.

Any advice about your bridal attire you would like to share? Try something in each style. I think we get caught up with an image in our head of what we want to wear but you could be surprised what you end up choosing.

KRISTY & KEEGAN MAKEUP & HAIR...

The makeup artist I chose was Makeup By Jacky Piper and my hair was done by JB's Hair and Beauty.

Jacky was so talented and versatile, I told her exactly what I wanted and she created it perfectly. She was such an easy person to sit and chat with as well which when your full of nerves on your wedding day, helps a lot!

I chose JB's because they are well known in our area and have more than enough experience. Jemma is an absolute delight to be around and she always goes out of her way to make things just right. I feel so lucky to have had both Jacky and Jemma there on the day.

What was the inspiration behind your makeup and hair? I had spent a lot of time looking at wedding makeup online and I just felt like you couldn’t go wrong with smoky eyes and neutral tones.

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VENDORS PHOTOGRAPHER - Vi.La Photo | RECEPTION VENUE - Hat Head Surf Lifesaving Club RECEPTION CATERER - Tru Blu Catering | CELEBRANT - Married by Simon STYLIST/HIRE COMPANY - Gingermegs Styling Flowers Hire | FLOWERS - Ellerslie Flowers MAKEUP - Makeup By Jacky Piper | HAIR - JB's Hair and Beauty | STATIONERY - Etsy – Bella And Boheme ENTERTAINMENT - One Fun Band

Ashlee & Adrian

INSPIRATION...

Where did you get most of your wedding inspiration and ideas from?

Pinterest was amazing for ideas I would often see little things I liked and screen shot them. I made a separate photo album on my phone so I didn’t forget and would often refer back to these. The Mid North Coast Weddings magazine was also the first and only bridal magazine I bought and I loved that it was specific to the region I wanted to get married!

The chef at Sporties Tuncurry also came up with a delicious menu that everyone loved. We couldn’t dance so we didn’t have a dj, instead we played trivia after dinner and I had my niece perform two dance routines!

THE FLOWERS...

We chose Gingermegs Styling Flowers Hire because I found them online and absolutely fell in love with her flower arrangements. I knew I wanted fresh flower bouquets and I loved her floral creations. Megan was amazing to THE CEREMONY...

We chose the Green Cathedral because deal with and we arranged everything of its beautiful setting and it being a via email which was perfect since it’s a place we both agreed on. We both love four hour trip from home to the coast so holidaying in Forster and when we first I couldn’t always just pop in to see my visited the Cathedral together it just felt vendors. like the right place for us.

What was the inspiration behind your The best part about the ceremony flowers? I knew that I wanted a more location was how beautiful it is. It is the open style bouquet and that I wanted to perfect backdrop with the lake behind include sea holly as it is quite a similar you and then surrounded by the beautiful colour to the colour I chose for my palms, so many gorgeous photo bridesmaids dresses. I then googled opportunities. some ideas and just left it up to Megan to come up with a design and I absolutely loved what she came up with.

THE RECEPTION...

We chose the Cape Hawke Surf Club Any advice you would like to share originally because of the location regarding your flowers? overlooking One Mile Beach and I had If going with fresh flowers have some planned to do a lot of the decorating / vases for them ready at the reception to styling myself. Covid threw us a few keep them fresh! hurdles like I’m sure it did many in 2020 Also have a plan for them afterwards so but we really wanted to get married so they don’t go to waste and like giving we made it work. We ended up having them to someone to take them home. I our reception at the Sporties Tuncurry also wanted to have a keepsake of my and they couldn’t have been more flowers for years to come so the day accommodating! after my wedding I packaged up the The best part about the reception venue flowers from my bouquet and sent them was although it wasn’t our first choice, off to Blooming keepsakes in Cairns they did everything possible to make our where they are currently being day great and give us the beach vibe we preserved and turned into glass orbs wanted. They set everything up for us which ill be able to keep forever. that I originally planned to and transformed the room. They also were MAKEUP & HAIR... happy to work with White Palms I chose Dallas from Saabi collective for Weddings & Events to switch out the my hairs because not only is she my chairs so we could still have the gorgeous normal hair dresser, she is very talented tiffany chairs. and she is also my friend and was

coming to the wedding anyway so it was an obvious choice. I chose Karina Hair and Makeup for my make up as she is from the Mid North Coast and absolutely loved my trial with her. I think it is important to have people you are comfortable with and you like their work as you do spend a lot of the morning of your wedding getting ready and you obviously want to look your best.

Anything else you would like to share? Whatever happens, just go with it.

Covid through many hurdles at my big day (number restrictions, no dancing etc) but it still turned out magical and we had such a great time. Remember to relax and enjoy the day you spent all the time planning it and when its finally here just remember to slow down and enjoy it.

Also its very possible to plan a location wedding without too much stress. I found vendors were happy to communicate via phone and email and it went just as smoothly as if it had of been in person.

Ashlee & Adrian

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ON THE BRIDE: Veil from McKinsey. $281 Dress from Celine Perez Collection

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ASHLEE & ADRIAN

THE DRESS...

I found my dress at Vision in White Parramatta and the bridesmaid dresses came from Belles and Beaux Newcastle.

What was your experience like looking for a dress? I went shopping with my mum and bridesmaids and it was a really fun experience with all the girls. Getting to get all dressed up and choose something special and then we all went out for lunch afterwards so it was a fun girls day out.

Was the dress you chose anything like the one you had in mind and why? I didn’t really have anything in mind at all when I started out. I went in with an open mind and then quickly found a style I liked and that suited me.

I think this made it easier not having any particular style in mind as I was more open to what was on offer.

Any advice about your bridal attire you would like to share?

Choose something that your comfortable in. I loved my dress and it fitted perfectly and I was happy to wear it all day. Adrian and I also learnt to dance for our first dance and during that process I bought a pair of ballroom dance shoes. I changed into those for the reception and they were so comfortable but still had a heel and I loved wearing them!

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ON THE BRIDE: Veil from McKinsey. $281 Dress from Celine Perez Collection

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ON THE BRIDE: Veil from McKinsey. $281 Dress from Celine Perez Collection

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VENDORS PHOTOGRAPHER - Mel Hayes Photography | CELEBRANT - Monty King Marriage Celebrant STYLIST - White Palms Weddings & Events | FLOWERS - Gingermegs Styling Flowers Hire RECEPTION VENUE - Sporties Tuncurry | MAKEUP - Karina Hair and Makeup HAIR - Saabi Collective (Sydney based) | CAKE - I made myself 😊 ENTERTAINMENT - Dance routines by Brianna Mills | CARS - Love Bus Kombis

GABI & DANIEL

INSPIRATION...

Where did you get most of your wedding inspiration and ideas from?

A lot of our inspiration was built around the greenery of the Diamond Waters Tree House Retreat. We weren’t sure on how to pull together a rustic greenery vibe however with the help of our wedding stylist and florist (Gingermegs) she was able to pull together our wedding inspirations based on previous weddings she had completed and also my Pinterest page.

Daniel is a plumber; we knew we wanted a copper arbour so Daniel decided he would make one and it turned out amazing. Our colour theme was mainly greens, whites and copper which we decided on with the arbor in mind. From that I allowed Megan our stylist to have full creative freedom with the ceremony and reception flowers and styling.

THE CEREMONY...

We chose Diamond Waters Tree House Retreat because it holds as special place in our heart. It has beautiful luscious greenery, and the ceremony location feels like an actual outdoor Cathedral. From the moment we visited the Tree House, we knew this was the exact location we wanted to get married.

The best part about the ceremony location was it is on the same grounds as our reception venue. It also has the Cathedral feel with tall trees, open air and the river in walking distance. It is a magical place.

THE RECEPTION...

We chose The Fernery as our reception venue because we were lucky enough to have this beautiful venue freshly built. It has beautiful greenery surrounding the building and expands out to the beautiful gardens with winding pathways, and small bridges over fish ponds. The bar area is separate to the venue, this allows guests to explore the gardens whilst getting a beverage. We had guests indoors and outdoors enjoying the gardens and the venue.

The venue overall offers the opportunity to have your wedding and reception and photos on the grounds and is also situated close to the beach.

THE FLOWERS...

We chose Gingermegs Styling Flowers Hire as our florist because she is so creatively talented! I sent her pictures of what I wanted and she created exactly that! They were such amazing flowers, I absolutely loved them.

What was the inspiration behind your bouquet? It was based on what Meg had already done in previous weddings and I gave her full creative freedom to come up with the arrangements.

Any advice you would like to share regarding your flowers? Give creative freedom to your florist, they know what is best! Also, goats love flowers – fully recyclable.

MAKEUP & HAIR...

I chose Keira Brassil Makeup Artistry for my makeup and Grace Kelly from Shag Hair for my hair because they are my absolute favourite Newcastle girls to do hair and make up. I gave Keira full creative freedom and Grace recreated a style I’d worn many years ago which was perfect for our day.

Anything else you would like to share? The Diamond Waters Tree House Retreat and The Fernery are eco friendly. They have a strong focus on sustainability and as a result there was no plastic at our wedding. There is also onsite accommodation available and plenty of other accommodation options close by. We provided bus transport for all our guests.

Gabi & Daniel

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THE DRESS...

I found my dress at Rachel Gilbert. I love Rachel Gilberts designs, I went to her shop one day and walked out with my wedding dress. It was a nice and easy experience.

Was the dress you chose anything like the one you had in mind and why? Yes definitely. With my body type, I always knew I wanted something fitted and plain. I love a one shoulder however couldn’t find a dress just like the one I had chosen.

Any advice about your bridal attire you would like to share? I already had my wedding shoes in black that were comfortable and knew I could last in for hours. I don’t like buying shoes that aren’t comfortable, so the shoes I chose specifically met the criteria of comfort and can be worn with other future outfits.

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VENDORS PHOTOGRAPHER- Little Glimpses | RECEPTION VENUE - Diamond Waters Treehouse Retreat RECEPTION CATERER- XS Food | CELEBRANT - Margo Smith Marriage Celebrant STYLIST - Gingermegs Styling Flowers Hire |

FLOWERS - Gingermegs Styling Flowers Hire

MAKEUP - Keira Brassil Makeup Artistry | HAIR - Grace Kelly - Shag Hair CAKE - Fika for Days | STATIONERY/INVITATIONS - Zazzle ENTERTAINMENT - Jake Davey Music | VIDEOGRAPHER - Wilkie Productions

ABBEY & RYAN

INSPIRATION...

Ryan and I always knew we wanted to have a relaxed outdoor wedding, we already had a lot of ideas but we used Pinterest and Instagram for further research and visualisation. Some of our ideas had to be altered to fit within our budget and Pinterest was helpful in finding alternatives to some of (my) grander plans. We also got a lot of our DIY ideas from Pinterest.

Kaidee helped us organise a timeline for our day and ensured we had plenty of time together, which was so important to us. The best part about having our ceremony and reception at Nantucket Farm was the relaxed environment, the beautiful views and the ability to flow straight from ceremony to reception. We were able to celebrate with our guests without having to worry about a closure time.

CEREMONY & RECEPTION...

We were lucky enough to have our ceremony and reception at our friends farm on the river at Herons Creek.

“Nantucket Farm” held such a special place in our hearts and we were so grateful that our friends allowed us, our friends and family to celebrate our wedding at their property.

Ryan and I were married under a beautiful old tree overlooking the river and our reception was set up not too far from there. We always wanted to have a later ceremony so that we could flow straight in to the reception without too much delay.

We also enjoyed the idea of having our ceremony and reception at the same location so our guests didn’t have to travel to two separate locations and they could relax as soon as they arrived.

The farm also accommodated room for our guests to camp there if they wished.

Ryan and I loved the idea of having photos done before our ceremony, to include our “first look” and some special time with each other and the kids.

Our photographer Kaidee from The Photo Trail picked the most beautiful locations for these and held so much space and love for us in this time. After the ceremony we were able to mingle with our guests and then Ryan and I snuck off with Kaidee (photographer) for a few photos on our own around the farm, we danced in the rain and had some more alone time before heading back to the reception.

THE FLOWERS...

It was very important for Ryan and I to chose local, small businesses as vendors for our wedding. Our florist “Fieldwork Flowers” in Laurieton was one of the amazing vendors we used for our day.

Christies talent with Australian natives and her “undone floristry” approach was what appealed to me when selecting a florist. I had followed her on Instagram for a while and loved all of her content.

I met with Christie and her team and gave them a brief overview of what my vision was for florals “Natural and raw” and then gave them free rein in creating and visualising our floral crowns, button holes, my bouquet and flowers for the ceremony. Christie absolutely blew me away, everything she created was beyond what I had imagined. My bouquet especially, it brought me to tears when she delivered it to me the morning of our wedding. The colours and florals were everything I had wanted. You could feel the love she had put in to her work with every flower placement. Our floral crowns were so beautiful and elegant also and made my Maid of Honour and I feel very special.

My advice for brides selecting a florist would be to find someone who specialises in what you want for your day. Do your research and check their social media profiles to see their previous works. Meet with them and chat to them about what look you’re after and ensure they are confident in creating your vision

THE PHOTOGRAPHER...

Choosing a photographer for your wedding day is one of the most important choices you will make for your wedding. It is one of the biggest costs of your day and the one that will hold your memories of your day forever. I would like to take the opportunity to rave about our wedding photographer Kaidee from “The Photo Trail”. Kaidee is an absolute blessing to this industry! We were lucky enough to have this beautiful woman capture both our engagement photos and our wedding. Kaidee has this way of making you feel completely at ease in her presence, she made us feel so comfortable in our engagement shoot and our photos were incredible; memories we will treasure as a family forever. .On our wedding day, it was like having one of our closest friends with us every step of the way. Kaidee helped us create a day that ensured we spent as much time together as a family and a couple as possible. From our first look before our ceremony, to time together as a family - to our ceremony, to sneaking away for some private photos with Ryan, and then into the reception.

Kaidee ensures every special moment was not just captured, but captured with so much love poured into her work.

Her talent, professionalism, friendliness and sense of humour are just some of the qualities that makes Kaidee so unique in her field. And to top it all off her quality of work is mind blowing. .Kaidee’s style of photography is something that was important to Ryan and I, because we are not good at posing for photos. Kaidee captures your connection and love, by you being exactly yourselves. She tells a story in her work and has a way of capturing the beautiful moments in between the big moments which aren’t usually considered, making it incredibly special.

Abbey & Ryan

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ABBEY & RYAN THE DRESS...

From when Ryan and I first met and long before we were engaged, I knew I wanted to get married in a Grace loves Lace dress - an amazing Australian wedding dress designed and made in Australia. “The Dress” changed a few times over the years and then when we got engaged I had fallen in love with the “Verdelle 2.0”. My mum, sisters and I travelled to the Grace Loves Lace showroom on the Gold Coast for my dress fitting appointment. I tried on a couple of their beautiful dresses that I was tossing up between, but when I put on the Verdelle, I knew that was “the dress”.

My mum, sisters and I were all in tears.I knew I wanted a dress that I would feel comfortable in all day long and be able to dance in all night, but still held an effortless elegance and beauty. The Verdelle was that dress.

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MAKEUP & HAIR...

Selecting a hairdresser was an easy choice for me, I wanted to use my hairdresser whom I trusted and knew she would go above and beyond. Dee from “Sitting Pretty Hair Studio” in Port Macquarie did my hair for my wedding day, we had talked about my vision at every appointment I had with her leading up to the wedding day. My hair is quite curly naturally so we wanted to create some nice rolling curls to compliment the flower crown I was going to have. Dee created eight different hairstyles for my family and each of them perfect. Her talent and skill and friendliness sets her apart in her field. I’m so grateful she was able to be apart of our day.

Selecting a makeup artist was a little trickier for me, I’m not one to usually wear makeup or get dressed up very often. I was keen to find someone who would be able to create a natural, effortless look for me. I did a lot of research and spoke to Dee (my hairdresser) and she recommended I have a trial with Jess from “Adore beauty therapy” in Port Macquarie. Jess created the perfect look for my trial, she perfected the natural look I was after and recreated it effortlessly for my wedding day. Jess also created eight different looks for my family on the day. I was happy with my choice of makeup artist. Jess was approachable and so talented in her field. I would recommend her to any bride that was looking for a local makeup artist.

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VENDORS PHOTOGRAPHER - The Photo Trail | RECEPTION VENUE - Private Venue MARQUEE HIRE - Mid Coast Marquee Hire | RECEPTION CATERER - Flamin Pizza CELEBRANT - Margo Smith Marriage Celebrant |

FLOWERS - Fieldwork Flowers

MAKEUP - Adore Beauty Therapy | HAIR - Sitting Pretty Hair Studio CAKE - Dessert First | ENTERTAINMENT - MR - Mike & Roxy | TRANSPORT - Limitless Tours