Kel and Stell’s North Coast wedding was the stuff dreams are made of. Choosing to have the ceremony and reception at Secret Garden Byron Bay (Australian artist David Bromley’s old digs) this loved up pair couldn’t have picked a better location for this low key backyard affair. But the good decisions didn’t stop there. They also hired two of our fave Byron locals to capture everything via film (Goldbear Films) and photos (Shane Shepherd Photography). But we’ll stop here and let the girls fill you in on the day…
THE VENUE “We went to Byron for a holiday to get away from a cold Melbourne winter. We had booked a small place on Airbnb, not realising that it was part of a larger property. The next day we met the owner Dan (total legend!) and we asked if we could check it out. He took us through and showed us around. We both fell in love with the uniqueness of the Secret Garden immediately and couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
FAVOURITE DETAILS “It’s so hard to break it down to one thing, as each aspect was beyond anything we could have dreamt of. The signage was super special, as it was designed by our dear friend and talented person, Natalie Martin.“
THE DRESS “For me [Kel], I came across LOHO Bride online and fell in love with the unique styles of dresses that they offered. They have stores in LA and SF, so when I was going to visit my best friend Libby in San Francisco I thought it would be too good of an opportunity to miss to go in and have a fitting and share that experience with her. Stel was taken dress shopping in Melbourne by another friend of ours. Hers was the first one she tried on and she loved the way it may her look and feel.“
A LITTLE LOL “We were getting our photos taken in front of a beautifully painted wall down an alleyway in Byron when a car topped with surfboards and filled with dudes straight from the surf drove past. As Shane stopped taking photos to let the car pass I heard this one voice exclaim to his mates in a surprised voice, ‘Oh, it’s two chicks!’. I laughed and laughed. Hopefully it won’t be so surprising to see in Australia now that the marriage equality laws have passed! “
WE’RE GLAD WE… “I’m stoked we did the flash-mob! We danced to Huey Lewis and the News’ ‘Power of Love’, and had around 20 friends and family join in with us about halfway through. No one else in the audience was expecting it, and it was just the best.“
STANDOUT VENDORS “Shane Shepherd is our main man and someone whom we are now proud to call a friend. Working with him at each and every step along the way was an absolute dream, and his photos are breathtaking.“
This wedding was originally published in our 2018 Real Weddings Special. If you’d like to check out more from this issue, limited copies are available via our online store. You’ll also find more real weddings shot by Shane Shepherd here and here.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Shane Shepherd Cinematographer GoldBear Wedding Films Event Planner & Stylist Frank & Joy Florist The French Petal Plants Northern Rivers Plant Hire Stationery Natalie Martin Ceremony & Reception Secret Garden, Byron Bay Catering EatDrink Catering Entertainment Miss Renee Simone Celebrant Ted O’Neill Rings Aestetik, Eg Et Al Transport Byron Bay Kombis THE BRIDE (Kel, top right) Bridal Gown Houghton NYC Shoes Diavolina Earrings Mimco Hair & Makeup Ave Belle THE BRIDE (Stella, top left) Bridal Gown One Day Bridal Shoes Stuart Weitzman Accessories The Line of Sun Hair & Makeup Ave Belle