Real Weddings

Article by

Laura Wilson

Posted on

31/08/2020

Posted in

Real Weddings

If nothing else (but obviously there is plenty more!) marriage has meant “clearing up a date for us,” says this cute as pie couple. “It was 10 years either June the 10, 11, or 12… We always forget the actual date!” And after 14 months engaged, they finally got married in this loved up seaside ceremony with the wonderful Tilly Clifford Photography behind the camera. And if you’re wondering who created the beautiful blooms, it was one of our go-to florists, Mable & Elsi, of course! Scroll down for all the deets and don’t miss the bride’s wise words of advice, friends…

LITTLE LOL “Two days before the wedding, I went to our cupboard to get out my wedding shoes and realised our dog Whiskey had found them first. Whiskey had completely destroyed them, and what ensued was a panicked last minute shopping trip to find anything that would suffice.”

THE VENUE “We wanted a venue that was close to the ocean but wouldn’t end up being a stereotypical ‘beach’ wedding. We wanted a coastal vibe minus the sand. Avalon Beach SLSC is a blank canvas with simple styling needed to achieve what we had in mind. It was already set up for cocktail parties and allowed us to bring our own catering company in. We then stumbled across Bangalley Headland nearby, where we held our ceremony. The beauty and view of the ceremony location really bought the vision of the day together for us.”

FAVE DETAILS “In every part of the day you could really feel all the special ways our friends and family had helped contribute their time and effort. They sung us down the aisle, made Bryce’s silk shirt, made cheese boards, set up for the wedding, made flower arrangements, hung up signs on busy highways, prepped food and so much more. Our beautiful friend from California surprised me with a mediation and smudging ceremony for myself and my bridesmaids on the morning of the wedding. And for the wedding party photos at the Sunset Diner (the restaurant who were catering for us) they had set us up with a table, a sundae and a bottle of champagne – which was a highlight of the day for us!”

THE DRESS “I knew I had found part of it when I fell in love with the most beautiful lace kimono on Etsy. I then found a Free People slip that fit perfectly under it. As I wanted to wear my hair naturally curly on the day, I realised that I would be unable to wear a traditional veil that was attached in my hair. Determined to have that flowing tulle effect, I found a cape veil on Etsy that attached to the back of my dress. As soon as I tried this combination on together I knew I would never find anything that was more perfect and me.”

A WORD OF ADVICE “Don’t get yourself in debt. Budget wisely but make sure you have enough help so that you can relax on the day. Make sure you spend money on a quality photographer (Book Tilly Clifford Photography!), think sustainably and work with the space you have as best you can. Focus on quality, locally sourced food, because as soon as the sun sets – no one notices your excessive styling!”

STANDOUT VENDORS “Tilly Clifford Photography was snapping pictures all day and delivered well above anything we could have hoped for. So many of our guests commented on how beautifully candid her photography style was and how unobtrusive she was on the day. Sara and her husband from Toni & Guy, who did my hair were incredible. Our celebrant Theresa Mullan was so friendly and approachable – she really went above and beyond. Our catering at Sunset Diner left guests raving about the food, some even heading back to the Diner the next day for a hangover burger. The bar staff and management at Avalon Beach SLSC were so fun and friendly on the night, and really made our guests welcome. And our beautiful coordinator Cassie, took on way more than she was responsible for, just so that we would have the day of our dreams!”

If you like what you see and want to find out more about the talented Tilly Clifford Photography, head to her Directory listing with us here. And to see more from the creative Mable & Elsi, head here.