sethbuchanan.com.au

Bride’s Dress/Jewellery/Shoes/Accessories?

I tried on a lot of dresses and never found anything quite right for me. I ended up taking a design to a dressmaker and having my dress made. It is a little scary not knowing what the finished product will look like on but I loved the result and really enjoyed being able to select all the elements and see it all come together. We bought the diamond and ruby engagement ring from an antique shop in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, where we got engaged. The earrings I wore were given to me as a gift when I was Maid of Honour at my best friend Sam’s wedding, only 9 weeks before. We swapped roles and she was my Matron of Honour on the day. My garter and veil were both bought online through etsy.com, the garter from LaBoheme and the veil from Sibo Designs. I looked around online and found the style of shoe I wanted – Badgley Mischka Randall – then managed to find a pair in my size on eBay. Actually I don’t know how I would have organised myself without the internet!

Hair and Makeup?

My hair was done by Mel from Fitness First, she was wonderful. Anna from Utopia did our makeup and my nails, she did a brilliant job. I generally have no idea when it comes to these things but I knew I could trust both the girls to do an amazing job and to add to the atmosphere of fun that morning. The Skin Care Crew took care of us all the week before for massages, facials and manicures.

Florist?

The bouquets and buttonholes came from Jane Nixon in Blayney, lovely David Austen roses and beautiful soft colors. She did a great job. The flowers for the signing table and the marquee came from our dear friend Jane Cowper. Jane practically cut down her garden and transported it to our tables. It was so beautiful and exactly what we had dreamed of, she even tucked herbs into the bouquets so they smelled divine and looked spectacular.

Groom’s Suit/Accessories

The boys bought their suits from Herringbone (some embarking on strict diet and exercise programs in the months leading up to the big day). Pete is an Ancient Historian and he carried with him, for good luck, a Sassanian silver coin from the 7th Century AD that his colleagues had presented to him as a wedding present the week before.

Theme or Style and why?

We didn’t set out with a theme, we just chose things that we loved and felt sure that all the elements would pull together. Our whole wedding was pretty hands-on, we made invitations, set tables, polished glasses, created decorations and moved furniture. It was a lot of work but we loved that it looked and felt all so personalised.

Wedding locations and why?

Mayfield! We had a lot of fun researching venues in Orange, ate lots and drank lots, and discovered that we arecertainly spoiled for choice in this area. But we fell in love with Mayfield the first time we saw it, could see everything unfolding there. It was great for us because it was all in one place, accommodation, ceremony and reception. The venue is ridiculously romantic, the garden and the trees look like an open-air cathedral and there are white doves, geese and peacocks wandering around. Cathy and Jess from Mayfield are an amazing team, between the two of them they tend the bar, mow lawns and bend over backwards to ensure that everything runs smoothly. In the end it felt like we were marrying at a friend’s home rather than a business, and that made it all the more special.

Did everything go to plan?

Well… we had one or two minor hiccups, that in the end made us laugh and no one else noticed. Really everything ran beautifully, once the day starts you have no choice but to just get swept up and go with the flow – to enjoy it no matter what happens!

Memorable Moment?

I loved seeing the kids enjoying themselves so much. I turned around at one stage and saw them all rolling down the hill in their dresses and suits. Childhood friends of Pete wrote and performed a lovely song for us that had us both charmed. Getting ready with my sisters and nieces, with friends around too – that was a lot of fun.

Favourite photo and why?

We pretty much decided our date based on when Seth was available to photograph and it is impossible to choose one favourite, sorry! I do love the pics he took through the doorway of me by the window in the cottage. I love the photo of our nephew Alex holding up a sign saying ‘GO GRANDMA GO GRANDPA’ during Pete’s parents speech – Seth must have looked at just right moment and captured that gem. I also love the family and bridal party photos in the vineyard as the sun was going down. You can see how much more relaxed we all are by that stage, and just how happy we felt.

Food and beverages?

Michael Manners provided all the food which included canapés, dessert platters and cheeses at the end of the night – it was all fantastic. Mayfield provided the wines of course and made fans of all our guests. My Dad stocked up on beer in the months before and may have largely over-calculated, but he’s not complaining.

The cake?

Our cake was made by a friend in Canberra, Alana Thomson, who is starting up her own business (Laneycakes). She is a very talented cook and put together a dark chocolate and milk chocolate mud cake with a layer of ganache under the icing and a beautiful handmade sugar peony flower to sit on top. The whole construction was driven carefully to Orange by our friend Jade in a move dubbed ‘Operation Cake’.

Music?

We have some very musically talented friends. Peter Harding, Mick Carney, Ben Sticpewich and my sister-in-law Min all played/sung during the ceremony. We had the song ‘Book of Love’ as I walked down the aisle, ‘Real Love’ during the signing and ‘What I Like About You’ to get the party started. All the songs are great but to hear them played by people we love was just so special. Our friends Stephen and Amy provided the music and equipment for the reception – we pretty much had to kick people off the dancefloor at the end of the night!

Tell me about your honeymoon?

I had just started a new job and didn’t have much leave so we didn’t go too far. We booked a place on the beach at Noosa and enjoyed the sunshine and the quiet and each others company for a whole lovely week!

Special Touches/mentions/thank yous?

Our wedding was all the more wonderful for all the friends and family who were involved. Pete and I were amazed at the levels of generosity and just how much people wanted to be a part of the event. Friends and family worked for days leading up to the wedding, making placecards, ironing tablecloths, cooking, packing and unpacking and gardening. My parents handpicked bucketloads of berries in the months before and made up hundreds of jars of jam as favours. Everywhere we turned someone was doing jobs for us and taking care of things, it was such a joyful process and we couldn’t have had the wedding we wanted without them all!