This is a unique wedding guys. Just the way we like it! Only engaged for three months, the bride explains… “Cal, being the practical man he is, had a bit of a ‘shower thought’ one evening and called out to me to come chat. He then announced he felt it was time we started making babies and why not throw in a wedding beforehand so we can all share a family name. He oozes romance!” And being in the midst of COVID last year, Casey adds, “We really didn’t want to put off getting married.” They’ll have another celebration in New Zealand when travel is safe again with the bride’s family (Casey plans to wear her “gorgeous Lola Varma outfit again,”) but for their big day, it was just Cal’s parents who witnessed their love. Ayzia Jade Photography was there to capture it on camera, so scroll down for all the feels…
THE VENUE “I knew I wanted nature as the backdrop. Ideally someplace that had accommodation on-site. Empire Spa Retreat [is] a boutique hotel / restored farmhouse in Yallingup. The venue features loads of character and has all the luxury trimmings I could ever want; a spa, a luxury villa, nature at every turn and the most gorgeous breakfast dining room overlooking bushland. We were unable to visit the venue beforehand, but thankfully it was even more than I expected.”
THE DRESS “I had mentioned to a friend that I was keen to find a top and skirt combo instead of a traditional dress. Being a serial bridesmaid herself, she immediately knew where to send me – Lola Varma. I fell in love with a skirt and just needed to find a top to match. I booked a second fitting and took Cal with me. He absolutely loved it and we found a top during the second fitting also. The style of Lola Varma felt right for our low key style of day and being locally made, made it all the more special.”
DIY “Susan [Cal’s mum] had very kindly organised some lovely foliage and flowers from her friends’ local properties to make an ‘upside down’ bouquet. She and Cal worked on the bouquet together and then I helped with the final touches and tied it together. It was such a thoughtful gesture and watching Cal and his mum work together as a team really stuck with me.”
FAVOURITE DETAILS “A few years ago, a lovely couple purchased some large pots from our store for their boutique jewellery studio, Rohan, just down the road. They were so lovely and now that we were in the market for some rings, I looked them up right away. I learned some wonderful things that resonated with me. Rohan is a multi-award winning jeweller and their pieces are handcrafted in their studio. It was the perfect fit for us and our personal values and we selected some rings together. I have my engagement ring and will go back at a later stage to get my wedding band when we are able to travel again. We will then have a mini ceremony and celebration with my family in New Zealand where I’ll receive the second ring.”
MEMORABLE MOMENT “The private ‘chefs table’ experience for dinner. George Cooper, owner of Tiller Dining is renowned for being one of the best chefs for weddings and he did not disappoint. Every dish came with a story and was a true culinary experience, by the end we were festively full. George has a gorgeous personality and entertained us with stories all night. We were very lucky to have him prepare our wedding dinner in such a private and intimate setting.”
A WORD OF ADVICE “I was really naive to lead times. I genuinely had no idea that it was standard for dresses to take nine plus months to be ready and that a lot of venues and photographers book out one-two years in advance. Due to work commitments, we had our ceremony during the middle of the week which is the only way we were able to pull everything together at short notice. I would highly recommend you plan well in advance.”
WE’RE GLAD WE… “Were able to attend a lot of things together such as selecting rings, my final dress appointment and sharing a villa to get ready in together. This journey was about us and our relationship so I’m glad we focused everything around that and shared these experiences with each other.”
STANDOUT VENDORS “Ayzia Jade Photography is nothing short of incredible. She quietly captured moments while we were getting ready and made the whole experience of our day so enjoyable and fun. She truly made our day extra special! I did loads of online research trying to find a style that resonated with me. I had my heart set on someone capturing moments, not forced smiles and overly posed images. Her style felt so organic, timeless and she specialises in golden hour, making everything feel dreamy and intimate by doing some shots right before sunset.”
If you’re loving the moody vibes of these Ayzia Jade Photography pics, get in touch via our Directory here. Not before you scroll down to finish looking at this gorgeous elopement though…
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Ayzia Jade Photography Florist & Cake Family Ceremony Empire Reception Tiller Dining (‘Chefs Table’ Private Chef Experience) Wedding Favours Empire (Hampers) & Kura Studio (Handcrafted Comb for Groom) Celebrant Confetti Days Rings Rohan THE BRIDE Bridal Gown Lola Varma Shoes Nine West Accessories Holly Ryan Hair Hair Solutions (Cody) Makeup Kathie THE GROOM Suit George & King Shirt Gibson via David Jones Tie Politix via David Jones Shoes Hush Puppies via David Jones Watch Omega (Heirloom) Grooming Oxford Street Barbers (Adam)