Beth and Matt are well versed in the trials and tribulations of the DIY wedding, but their wedding day snaps are proof that hard work pays off. Building their wedding day theme around a piece of rose quartz they purchased to commemorate their engagement, these two were keen on earthy, ethical and sustainable vibes. Essentially, a vegetarian wed festival radiating with love. Neat, huh? With her priorities set, bride Beth enlisted the help of HM fave Samantha Lee Makeup Artist as her very first vendor and it all rolled from there. Now, take a scroll through Akaness Sharks’ emotive snaps…
THE VENUE “We did have a couple of venues in mind but we decided it would be more meaningful to have our wedding at home, on the property I grew up on. My Father passed away in 2016, so having our wedding at home made us feel like he was very much still a part of our day.”
FAVOURITE DETAILS “The flowers! We started collecting flowers and foliage from various places. Wattle from our home, waratahs from my Uncle’s property in Bell, NSW, palm beads from Matt’s Dad’s house in Wollongong etc. We spent 7 months drying it all out in our garage. Instead of a hen’s party, I invited the girls over for a crafternoon where we all created beautiful dried flower arrangements for the wedding.”
LITTLE LOL “Our wedding was very DIY and all the family wanted to help out. I mentioned to my Mum that I was on the hunt for mismatched wine glasses and a few hours later she informed me that she was the highest bidder on a Grays Online auction. We had less than 24 hours to pick up “15 tables and 37 chairs in one storage container”. My brother and I hired a truck, arrived at the storage unit to discover it was actually two containers full of not only tables and chairs, but three sideboards, hundreds of tablecloths, napkins and a bassinet! All for $39, but not a wine glass to be found. She meant well!”
DIY “Our wedding was one big DIY project. From the bar crafted out of pallets by Matt and his Dad, to the invites with avocado dyed ribbon, the earthy strips of fabric from Spotlight used as tablecloths, the dried flower arrangements and the gorgeous flowers my sister created from our flower market haul the day before.”
REFERENCES “The first vendor I booked was Samantha Lee Makeup Artist, who led me to find Jaimi who did my hair. I found Sam on Hello May and relied heavily on Pinterest for inspo.”
A WORD OF ADVICE “If you’re choosing a DIY wedding, try to stick to the theme by creating mood boards as a reference point so you don’t get overwhelmed with all the other amazing ideas out there and find yourself confused.”
If you are smitten with Beth’s bridal look, then we recommend getting in contact with Samantha Lee Makeup Artist. You can find her contact details here and more of her beaut real brides right here. But first, be sure to scroll down right to the bottom for an epic vego feast…
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Akaness Sharks Stationery The Peoples Prints via Etsy, Unmeasured Event via Etsy, The Printable Shop DIY via Etsy Printer Vistaprint Venue Private Property Catering Chomp Cake Bake To Create Desserts Country Women’s Association Marquee & Lighting Hire Matakata Entertainment Luke Carlino, Tulsa Giles and Josh Sellar Rings Sofia Maria (bride) Crooked Howlet Designs (groom) BRIDE Dress Shona Joy Hair Piece Seed Loungewear Adairs Shoes Billini Hair Jimmy + Flo Makeup Samantha Lee Makeup Artist GROOM Jacket Politix Shirt Saba Pants Academy Brand Pocket Square Otaa Shoes ASOS