Two words: Flash. Mob. Yep, when Tara married Liv, she planned a super-secret squirrel surprise flash mob for her new wife, getting their friends to bust out all the moves at their wedding. “Our friends were getting together secretly in small groups all over the venue (including the bathroom) to practice the flash mob moves before the reception! We had no idea until afterwards that they had been secretly congregating in bizarre places to throw a few moves around because they were nervous!”
Obviously a whole lot of fun and lols at this wedding, folks, and with the brief of “warm, bright, homely and filled with laughter and joy”, it sounds like it was goal achieved. “It was important to us that it felt like a big celebration of family,” share the couple, who looked phenom in a Karen Willis Holmes gown and Couture Menswear custom suit, and sealed the deal with a couple of gorg Meg Maskell rings. And those florals! Not that we expect anything less than freakin’ amazing from the folks at Film & Foliage, but these pics by Lara Hotz Photography are proof they nailed it yet again.
“The whole day was one incredible moment after another,” Liv says, “but my favourite moment was at the very end of the night when Baker Boys Band played the last song, Simply the Best, and we all danced and sang along at the top of our (very hoarse) voices. Tara just stood there and cried because the day was over. It really summed up how much fun we had and how much we didn’t want the day to end.”
THE VENUE “We are from Sydney and knew we wanted to get married somewhere more regional because we wanted to make a full weekend out of it. As soon as we finished the tour of Adams Peak Country Estate, we got back in the car and Tara turned to me and said, ‘We are going to get married here.’ I couldn’t have agreed more!”
DIY “Tara and her family made so, SO much jam and chutney for our wedding favours. Literally litres’ worth. Tara’s mum is also very crafty and made the labels for the favours and a small run of invitations for immediate family.”
FAVE DETAILS “FLOWERS! Our flowers by Film & Foliage were incredible. We remember having a conversation with our florist and Tara saying, ‘You are not a florist, but an artist’ – and that is exactly what she is.”
THE DRESS “I saw the Cassie dress on Karen Willis Holmes’ website and I had to try it on. I booked an appointment with my mum and two bridesmaids and tried on about five dresses. As soon as I put the Cassie dress on I knew I didn’t need to try anything else. Which was lucky, because a week after I found it, the pandemic started and we couldn’t try any dresses on in shops anyway!”
THE SUIT “I scrolled the internet for what I think was 5000 hours to find a company that would make a suit for my body type that I would feel comfortable in. It was difficult. But Liv sent me the Instagram for Couture Menswear and I realised there was a company that understood the amount of exaggeration and pizzazz someone should have on their wedding day. I met Shay and the team and knew instantly that I trusted these people to make one of the most important outfits of my whole life and that I would feel amazing wearing it.”
TALK ABOUT TRADITION “We did a handfasting. In traditional Irish culture, the mothers weave the cord that is used for the handfasting. Our mums sat down over tea and wove our cord, which was then used during the wedding ceremony.”
A WORD OF ADVICE “Choose vendors whose aesthetic and vibe you love. Focus on that and trust them – no need to get swept up in the tiny details. If possible, pick vendors who have worked together before. That way it’s easier for them to communicate and organise. The day just goes more smoothly! Start planning early and figure out your priorities, e.g photographer, florist, stylist, venue. Once you lock in your priority vendors, the rest will fall into place around them. On the day, sit back and let your vendors take the wheel. They have your best interests at heart and know what they are doing! Oh and remember to breathe. Eat. Drink water. We can’t emphasise that enough. It’ll help you savour each moment of the best day ever.”
WE’RE GLAD WE… “We were really glad we found a venue that had accommodation on-site big enough for our immediate families and doggo. It felt like one big holiday weekend. Having the venue the following day meant we had a chance to invite guests back around for coffee and a beautiful catch-up. We were really blessed to have the Isn’t It Lovely Events team and Film & Foliage work together to ensure that our guests who returned the next day received a beautiful bunch of fresh and dried flowers as a memory of our special day.”
STANDOUT VENDORS “Lauren Prattent MUA, what a woman. Lauren is SO good at what she does. She made us all feel super beautiful, even those of us (including Tara) who rarely wear makeup. The Adams Peak Country Estate staff were so attentive and didn’t let any detail get overlooked. The on-site coordinator, Kimmy, made it her business to know our families’ preferred drinks, had them ready on time, and even recorded the flash mob so she could take it back inside to my grandmother, who couldn’t get up and outside easily, so she didn’t miss out. And of course, Lara Hotz Photography. Where do we even start? Lara photographed our proposal and was such a wealth of knowledge for us during wedding planning. She gave us so much guidance and help, then was incredible on the day and didn’t miss a single moment.”
You know we love to give you guys the very best recs we can and this big day is packed full of goodies. Get in touch with some of our faves over on the directory – you’ll find the likes of Karen Willis Holmes aka the queen of dreamy looks, Film & Foliage for heckin’ incredible blooms, Baker Boys Band for epic tunes, and Meg Maskell for the rings to seal the deal!
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Lara Hotz Photography Stylist Isn’t It Lovely Events Florist Film & Foliage Stationery House of Ela Ceremony & Reception Adams Peak Country Estate Catering Monkey Place Catering Coffee Cart Short Black Pony Cake Nulkaba Cakes Photo Booth Creative Booth Lighting Hire Love Glows Signage Ink and Snow Entertainment Baker Boys Band Celebrant Julie Muir Rings Meg Maskell THE BRIDE (Tara) Suit Couture Menswear Shoes Habbot Hair Tooth & Nail Makeup Lauren Prattent MUA Bridesmaid jumpsuit The Fated Bridesmaid shoes Wittner Bridesguys suits Zara THE BRIDE (Liv) Gown Karen Willis Holmes Shoes Loeffler Randall Earrings Amélie George Necklace Luke Rose Hair clips Morgan & Taylor Leather jacket Wilson Ink Designs (custom made) Hair Makeup by Bonnie Lee Makeup Lauren Prattent MUA Bridesmaid dresses Shona Joy, Pilgrim, Vine Apparel, Cooper Street via The Iconic Bridesguy suit Zara Bridesmaid shoes London Rebel
