Despite having been together for over a decade, Alice and Jon (first seen in the Real Wedding Special) had never given their (hypothetical) wedding day much thought.
£Apparently lots of girls grow up dreaming about their weddings, planning everything down to the last detail, but not me! We weren’t even sure what kind of wedding we wanted. We discussed having an overseas wedding, and a registry wedding, but in the end we decided to do it the traditional way. Although, Jon would have been more than happy to have eloped! says Alice who was grateful they didn’t rush their engagement, allowing her plenty of time (18 long months to be exact) to get organised.
One of the first things on their agenda was to find a venue, and after some searching they picked Athol Hall on Sydney’s north shore – a rustic space with beautiful harbour views that they could dress up however they liked. £We didn’t start out with a theme, however since the wedding happened to be on Valentine’s Day I decided to run with that? I wanted the vibe to be romantic but relaxed and fun. I think we achieved it.
Their florist, Hanako Floral Designs, certainly nailed the brief with Alice telling us, £One of my favourite details was the flowers. Our florist did an AMAZING job! I still can’t believe how beautiful the flowers were! I looove flowers so I wanted to go over the top with them. I love Dutch still life paintings with the vases overflowing with abundant blooms, and asked Hanako to include lots of rich reds, pinks and purples to fit the Valentine’s theme. They turned out even better than I could have imagined!
Alice shared the same enthusiasm for her other vendors too, including vinyl DJs We Play Records, celebrant Jessie Cachillo and prop and furniture hire gurus Timbermill Rentals but one woman this pair were particularly grateful to have on board was photographer Lara Hotz, who while taking some seriously awesome snaps, kept everything in check (letting them know when it was time to start the speeches, making sure the balloons were brought inside when it started raining and most importantly, reminding Alice not to get confetti stains on her dress).
£One of my favourite moments from the day was during the photo session after the ceremony when we were throwing the confetti. It was so much fun! It was a moment to let off steam and laugh it out. The ceremony was done and we’d made it through, and could relax for the rest of the day. We basically confetti bombed the street and then got back in the car and drove away! Hope the neighbours weren’t too mad!
And if they were, our guess is it would only be because they didn’t get a gig to this fun loving affair (or a piece of cake!).
To check out more awesome weddings like this one, pick up Issue 12, on sale now.
CREDITS Photos Lara Hotz // Bridal gown One Day Bridal // Shoes Senso // Accessories and bridesmaid gifts Mania Mania // Hair and barber / grooming Luc Espace // Makeup Natalie Urban // Rings Gary Thyregod // Bridesmaid shoes Wittner // Suit and tie / bow tie Hugo Boss // Shoes Lloyd // Florist Hanako Floral Designs // Stationery Galina Dixon // Ceremony, reception and catering Athol Hall, NSW // Cake Yael’s // Decorative elements Beaches Balloons and Willow Distributors via eBay // Wedding favours Designer Chocolates // Prop and furniture hire Timbermill Rentals and Vintage Patina // Lighting Timbermill Rentals // Entertainment and sound hire We Play Records // Celebrant Jessie Cachillo.