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!

Bride’s Dress/Jewellery/Shoes/Accessories?

The dress, jewellery and Accessories all came from Princess Bride in Bathurst NSW. The shoes were purchased from Wittner Shoes.

Hair and Makeup?

My hair was done by the lovely ladies at Iko Iko and makeup was done by the wonderful girls from Skinsational.

Florist?

We used silk flowers from Florabella.

Groom’s Suit/Accessories

Grooms suit was a simple grey suit from Lowes with a white shirt and white tie shoes grey vans boat shoes.

Theme or Style and why?

autumn theme because it was in autumn

Wedding locations and why?

new life city church cause its our home church, Millthorpe skatepark then Tonic for the reception.

Did everything go to plan?

yes everything was perfect wouldn’t change a thing

Memorable Moment?

the whole day was just perfect

Favourite photo and why?

all the photos in the forest, because the trees looked cool and it was fun

Food and beverages?

spatchcock and lamb for main, and for desert was the cake with penacotta. beverages was a wide choice beers wines and soft drink was all delicious

The cake?

cake was a chocolate couchenbouch made by a friend

Music?

playlist of music we enjoy

Tell me about your honeymoon?

We spent two weeks in Phuket Thailand and on Naka Island. Both were perfect and we loved having a relaxing time together.

Special Touches/mentions/thank yous?

We would like to thank our wonderful parents for all their help and support. We would also like to thank Seth for capturing our day so perfectly.

Bride’s Dress/Jewellery/Shoes/Accessories?

My Nan & Mum bought my dress it was a strapless ivory gown with lovely peal & sequin detail on the bodice and train by Ella from J & J Bridal, I got my earrings from Little Extra’s in Forbes, my shoes & bag from Dubbo and my Mum made my pearl bracelets.

Hair and Makeup?

Hair was done by Jessica Brooking and make-up by Cindy Cook from Couklas, they were fantastic in every aspect.

Florist?

Flowers (roses in cream, pink, ivory) were done by Jenny Vogler.

Groom’s Suit/Accessories

Darren and the boys suit’s were purchased from Roger David.

Theme or Style and why?

We went with a my favourite colours of black, white and pink, very classic and dateless.

Wedding locations and why?

We were married in the Vineyard at Highland Heritage Estate and also had our Reception there, it was gorgeous at this time of year and was great no-one had to leave to enjoy the reception.

Did everything go to plan?

Everything was perfect except my wedding canopy from Dubbo blew down before the ceremony but once I got out of the Limo I didn’t even notice.

Memorable Moment?

Memorable moment was when Darren’s best man went to give me a James Boags bottle top as Darren’s wedding band during the ring exchange, was pretty funny.

Favourite photo and why?

Have a few favourite photo’s but main ones would be our son Isaac shaking his booty at Seth, other would have to be Darren & I dancing our first dance together.

Food and beverages?

We had a gorgeous potato soup with prawns or lobster bisque for entree and chicken or veal for main followed by a gorgeous chocolate mud cake with cream and berries for dessert was delicious.

The cake?

Cake was three tiered fruit and chocolate mud cake decorated with what looked like fresh roses on the top and had gorgeous detail of caligraphy flowers and pearls, was made by Shirley Myers in Forbes.

Music?

Music was by local DJ Adam Davies.

Tell me about your honeymoon?

We had a “Familymoon” with our 4 year old, went to Bangkok for 3 days and Phuket for 8. Was absolutely fabulous but went too fast!

Special Touches/mentions/thank yous?

I had framed pictures of both our Parent’s Wedding day’s on our Wishing Well table, everyone commented how lovely it was. We are very thankful to our Parent’s for their help and support and to all our other family and friends for celebrating our special day with us.

Bride’s Dress/Jewellery/Shoes/Accessories?

I wore a white dress with shoe string straps and aline dress followed with medium length train. I also wore creme heals for the cermony and electric blue flats for the reception and pearl earrings, I also had a hankerchief which was passed down through four generations

Hair and Makeup?

Jenna Caldwell at Hair @ four one Orange, Elisha Beard at Elishas Skin Clinic Orange

Florist?

My Aunty Carmel

Groom’s Suit/Accessories

Adam wore a black suit, white tie and a black vest

Theme or Style and why?

Casual and Country

Wedding locations and why?

Married at St Michael’s Church Manildra and Reception was at the Gumble Hall Manildra

Did everything go to plan?

Everything went to play even though it rained throughout the night

Memorable Moment?

the whole day from start and finish

Favourite photo and why?

Photo at the dam bank cause its a cracker

Food and beverages?

Central West Catering Scott Dowling

The cake?

Made by my Auntry Carmel Choc Mud Cake

Tell me about your honeymoon?

8 Nights in Hawaii. It was very relaxing and Beautiful

Special Touches/mentions/thank yous?

My niece’s and nephew’s walked down the aisle before me, the girls holding blue flowers and the boys carring the rings .A photo Booth was at the reception for the guests to take home a photo to remember the night.

Bride’s Dress/Jewellery/Shoes/Accessories?

My dress was a bespoke 1920s style gown, with sequinned georgette and silk fabric with a low cowl back and train made by Louise Alvarez Couture in Roseville. I couldn’t have been happier with my dress, it was exactly what I was after and felt so elegant and beautiful on. The girls especially, Erin, were so wonderful to work with and understood my vision perfectly Our jeweller is Ben’s grandmother’s (Nola) jeweller John Whittaker Jewellers in Newcastle. He created our engagement and wedding rings and provided us jewellery for the day including my diamond pearl drop earrings and pearl bracelet. Nola has known three generations of John Whittaker jewellers – even dating his grandfather and we’re so happy to keep the relationship going. My hairclip was a Swarovski crystal and pearl encrusted 1920s style clip, which worked perfectly with my dress.

Hair and Makeup?

Jane from Iko Iko Hair in Orange did the hair and was so lovely and creative. I wanted something simple yet elegant and couldn’t have been happier, she’s a gem. I do my own makeup for television everyday and wanted to do my own on the day as I just wanted to look myself.

Florist?

Janet Bowman created all the bouquets, table settings, button holes and arrangements on “ground zero” (the name given to the outdoor structure we were married under which was built especially for our wedding) and at Borrodell. Janet was just wonderful. I wanted a simple bouquet something that looked as though they’d be picked and gathered up from a field. They included white and cream lisianthus with a mixture of open flowers and buds. The Bridesmaids had the same but included blue bur like flowers called Sea Holly to match their dresses.

Groom’s Suit/Accessories

Ben and his groomsmen wore black SABA suits with white Farage shirts and Calibre thin black ties. Ben’s cufflinks were vintage Georg Jensen which were his late Grandfather’s Ross. It was a nice way to have Ross be a part of the wedding. Ben’s nephew Mannix is a big part of our lives and was our ring bearer. He was dressed in a similar style with Ben and I buying him his brimmed hat, which he knew he looked gorgeous in!

Theme or Style and why?

We didn’t really go for a certain theme, style or colours, we just went with what we liked. Our favourite saying throughout the whole process was “We make our own rules” and didn’t stick to anything conventional. Saying that… we did go for a classic elegant look and most of what we chose colour wise ended up being blue and yellow! There was no throwing of the bouquet or garter – we along with out guests were having too much fun on the dancefloor. We didn’t want a bridal table nor an introduction/entrance as we walked into the reception…we made our entrance with the helicopter instead from Montoro to Borrodell.

Wedding locations and why?

We had the ceremony on the grounds of my parent’s vineyard “Montoro” in Orange. It was really special having it at my home and for me to get ready there with my bridesmaids. A lot of time was spent in the garden on the property in the months leading up to the wedding. Ben and I along with his parents spent many a weekend in Orange on “working bees” getting the vineyard gardens looking sensational for the day. Although there was a lot of wine consumed on those weekends which along with mum’s cooking proved powerful motivators! The “Ground Zero” structure was a vision of my Dad’s that nobody could stop him from building…he built it in the months leading up to the wedding (along with help from Ben’s parents and Ben and I) and it was so majestic and beautiful to be married under. We had the reception at “Borrodell” Vineyard and from the moment we saw it knew it was the perfect venue. Gaye from Borrodell was a dream to work with, so calm, caring and stressfree – she’s such a beautiful person.

Did everything go to plan?

Well it thunderstormed about an hour before the wedding (which was all to be held outside) which was a bit stressful, but right on 3.30pm when we were to be married the skies cleared…it drizzled a bit as we were walking back up the aisle, but then it stopped, the sun came out and the rain never returned. It added a new element to the wedding though, cleared before it could stop any of our plans and even made for some great photos, so we didn’t care.

Memorable Moment?

We danced and danced and danced the night away at the wedding. It was such a memorable moment when we were dancing and we looked around and there was no one left inside, the whole dancefloor plus the grassed area of Borrodell was filled with our guests dancing and singing at the tops of their lungs. We had Ceceila and Rocky Rochelli as our band and they were fantastic.

Favourite photo and why?

We both love the photo of us sitting on Ground Zero straight after the ceremony. It was an impromptu moment where we escaped for a few moments to sign some documents…we stayed there a little longer just chatting, laughing and taking it all in while our guests enjoyed champagne and canapes in the gardens. We had just said our vows and for those moments it felt like no body else was in the vineyard, we didn’t even notice anyone taking a photo. Just bliss!

Food and beverages?

We had Scott Turner’s Delish cater for canapes and drinks straight after the ceremony at Montoro before our guests left for Borrodell. He was just so lovely and the food was fantastic. We couldn’t go past Bloodwood’s Chirac Sparkling wine for our drinks at Montoro! It was sensational! The food for our reception was, of course, Borrodell and was amazing!!!

The cake?

The cake was a four tiered Chocolate Jaffa Cake made by my sister Gemma. Gemma designed and did everything herself, baking the cake and icing it in the week leading up to the wedding. We have no idea how she did it as it was the first wedding cake she had made, but it was absolutely beautiful to look at and delicious to eat! Many of our guests were going up for seconds and thirds and there wasn’t much of the four tiered cake left at the end either! Gemma is an academic with a PhD but is able to make Betty Crocker jealous in the kitchen!

Music?

Kyle Manning provided the music at the Ceremony with his wife singing “Songbird” as I walked down the aisle. Kyle came to our rescue at the last minute and was fabulous! At the reception Cecelia and Rocky Rochelli performed and were incredible! They had every one of our guests up and dancing, created the best atmosphere and picked our audience well, with all stretching across the dancefloor and grassed area of Borrodell, dancing and singing at the tops of their lungs – they helped to make the evening so magical and SO much fun!

Tell me about your honeymoon?

We went on a “Mini-Moon” for a week at the Margaret River staying at Injudup Spa Retreat which was fantastic and so relaxing. We are headed on our “Honeymoon” in June, July to Europe where we plan to visit my old home in Berlin, Sail Croatia, visit my sister in Spain and spend a week following the Tour de France as we’re both massive sports fans and love watching the Tour every year.

Special Touches/mentions/thank yous?

We can’t talk about our wedding without mentioning our fantastic photographer. He was the first thing we booked as his photos are just so beautiful. Seth captures the moment so well, has an incredible eye for detail and produces such creative pieces of art from his photos. We didn’t even know he was there half the time but he didn’t miss a moment. We love our photos and believe they tell the story of our wedding so magically.

Luckily Bonnie and Cameron brought some warm clothes so the shoot went on and we left with some beautiful pics.

Can’t wait for the wedding

Bride’s Dress/Jewellery/Shoes/Accessories?

I wore the ‘Gatsby’ gown by Maggie Sottero, purchased from Abbey Bridal. It was ivory satin with an ivory lace overlay. I added a custom made crystal belt to define the waist. With the intricate beading & lace it was exactly what I was looking for & fitted with our theme perfectly. My shoes were classic pumps from Siren. I didn’t need much jewellery as my dress was so detailed. I wore a Swarovski bracelet with clear and pale blue crystals. I purchased my headdress online from Jenny Packham.

Hair and Makeup?

Jessica Brooking did a fantastic job on our hair & Ellie from Sheer Radiance did our makeup. They both came to the house making it a thoroughly relaxed morning. Both the girls were so accommodating & friendly, it was a pleasure to share part of my wedding day with them.

Florist?

The flowers were done by Vanessa Pringle Floral Designs. My bouquet consisted of vandella roses with green succulents and black berries dotted throughout. The bridesmaids had posies of vandella roses with dusty milner leaves, bound with ivory satin ribbon. The wet Orange summer had led to a shortage of hydrangeas for the centrepieces so Vanessa went to all the trouble of getting them from Victoria for us & they looked absolutely gorgeous!

Groom’s Suit/Accessories

The groom wore a light grey Hugo Boss suit & ivory tie from Declic. The groom’s & groomsmen’s waistcoats were hired from Peppers Formal Wear in Cremorne.

Theme or Style and why?

Our theme was romantic, rustic & vintage. I wanted everything to be elegant but not over the top. Lisa Ditchfield from Sterling PR & Events did a beautiful job decorating the room. Touches like wedding photos of our grandparents & advice books given to us from friends for our engagement made it feel more personal. The lolly bar was a lovely decorative feature & was a hit with our guests.

Wedding locations and why?

The ceremony was held at Holy Trinity Anglican Church. It’s a beautiful church & the Reverend Margaret Finlay put so much time into preparing us for the day & the days after. We had many of our friends travel to Orange for the first time for our wedding. We wanted the day to be relaxed with everyone enjoying good food, wine & company. Borrodell encompassed all that so we couldn’t go past it!

Did everything go to plan?

Everything went perfectly & there is nothing I would change about the day. We were so lucky with the weather- it really set a relaxed tone for the reception making it possible for everyone to mingle outside playing quoits & botchi while canapés & drinks were served.

Memorable Moment?

Tim- When Em walked down the aisle, finally seeing everything come together & her looking so happy & lovely. Emma- The moment that we were introduced as Mr & Mrs Fleming and walked out of the church with our friends & family cheering us on.

Favourite photo and why?

We love the photo taken from the top of Borrodell looking over everyone mingling on the grass. It really sums up the day for us with all our guests relaxed, enjoying the best Orange has to offer.

Food and beverages?

We had so much trouble choosing the food up at Borrodell because it was all so good! Entreés were a wild mushroom & brie tart with baby spinach salad and potted tiger prawns with citrus salad & grilled turkish bread. For mains we served an eye fillet of beef w dauphinoise & cèpe sauce and chermoula chicken with mint tabouleh & mango dressing. Everything was delicious!

The cake?

Angela Mason made a delicious white chocolate mud cake that we served for dessert. It was a simple design decorated with a navy satin ribbon & vintage brooch.

Music?

We had a 4 piece band called ‘The Baker Boys’ travel from Sydney to play for us. The had the dance floor packed all night & everyone commented on how great the music was.

Tell me about your honeymoon?

We had 16 days on the east coast of the U.S.A., spending a few nights in both Washington D.C & Boston & the rest of our time in New York.

Special Touches/mentions/thank yous?

Having all our friends & family in the one place to celebrate our marriage was all we needed to make our wedding a day we will never forget. We had so many people travel to be with us it meant so much. And thanks to Seth now we have these incredible photos to look back on & remember all those happy memories made in the years to come.

Bride’s Dress/Jewellery/Shoes/Accessories?

The dress was created by Anita Sommer from Anita J Bridal Couture in Canberra. I fell in love with the lace first and then discovered the most amazing dressmaker and a kindred creative spirit in Anita who put together the gown of my dreams. The earrings were by Georgini and I loved that they had the same feathery pattern as my lace. The brooch I wore on the belt was a vintage piece I picked up from etsy.com and was the most gorgeous mix cloisonne and marcasite. The shoes – Wittner! – I couldn’t wear anything else!

Hair and Makeup?

I did my own hair and makeup as it just felt right that I knew what would suit my skin and face shape. I was very happy with the end results – luckily! :)

Florist?

Vanessa Pringle from Bathurst did our flowers. Simple blends of dusty coloured roses, succulents, deep purple berries and soft foliage with a blue tinge complemented our vintage theme perfectly!

Groom’s Suit/Accessories

Nick lucked out and only scored a new vest and shirt for the occasion! Most of his outfit was his own.

Theme or Style and why?

We wanted a relaxed, garden wedding with a vintage feel as this represented both of our personalities to a tee – Nick is the relaxed one and I run a vintage clothing business! It only felt natural to get married outdoors and to add just a little vintage touch to our reception with dusty colours and vintage framed chalkboards etc. We were so happy with the overall simplicity and beauty of the whole event.

Wedding locations and why?

We were married at Orange Highland Wines and Gardens (thank you Helen & Ross xx) in Nashdale. They have the most picturesque and elegant gardens up there and luckily for us the weather held out! The reception was at Tonic in Millthorpe. We had been going to Tonic every anniversary for the last four years and my husband surprised me by booking it for our wedding!

Did everything go to plan?

The weather was terrible the entire week prior to the wedding but on the day it was the bluest and most beautiful day! We were very lucky that there were no hitches

Memorable Moment?

The most memorable moment for me (Amber) was the moment I stepped out of the car at the ceremony. My nerves hit and I could not stop shaking! And when I saw Nick I had an overwhelming sense of falling in love all over again – it was a lovely moment. Nick agrees this was his ‘it’ moment too :)

Favourite photo and why?

There are SO many amazing photos we are finding it really hard to choose just one! A lot of them really depict Nick and I as we tend to laugh a lot and Seth really captured my love of arty, eclectic photos with a lot of close ups and some great shots of Cohan and Larry (son and doggie). There is one standout which is a B&W image taken through the foliage of Nick and I kissing. I think this was one we both agreed was an amazing shot.

Food and beverages?

Nick and I agreed that we wanted to keep our wedding ‘local’ by using service providers and produce from the Central West as the concept of keeping things local is important to us. All food and wines were from across Orange and the region

The cake?

Vanessa Wardle from Inspired by Cake made us the most amazing wedding cake!!! We saw a design early on in our planning of lots of little cakes that had messages on them. We adapted that idea to make our cake a personal gift for our guests by having cupcakes decorated with each guests’ name so they could take home their very own piece. Vanessa did the most amazing job of creating beautiful, delicate cakes for us and they were a HUGE hit with everyone!

Music?

We had Doreen Cumming and Helen from the Orange Conservatorium of Music playing violin and cello at the ceremony. It was lovely and personal to have live strings. Craig from DiscoTex was our resident DJ for the reception and he played all of our fave tunes – thanks Craig!

Tell me about your honeymoon?

Hmmmmm…when we get around to having one I’ll let you know :)

Special Touches/mentions/thank yous?

Thank you to my bestie and soulmate, Ker bear, who helped keep me calm on the morning and was my witness for signing the certificate. It was also very special that Nick’s Nonna and Nonno (Maria and Tony) traveled all the way from Italy to make sure they were there to help us celebrate. Thanks also to Jeff, our other witness and our brother in law, and to little Issa for her beautiful reading xxx And a big thank you to our little one, Cohan, for also making sure Dad had the rings on the big day!