One Perfect Day.

26.05.2016
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Lizzy & Johnny’s Wedding at The Grove in the Byron Bay Hinterland.
Images by Ming Nomchong of Sail me to the Moon.
Twilight & evening images by one of my guests, Zissou

Suppliers:
The Events Lounge ~ my divinely gorgeous wedding planner, Rachael.
Anise Catering ~ Delectable eats & drinks.
Wedding Celebrant ~ Cara Gallagher
The Palace & Co  ~ Rugs + cushions.
The One Day House ~ Custom made these low tables for us.
Tigmi Trading ~ Cushions & poufs + gorgeous Beni Ourain Rugs + vintage Moroccan silverware.
Lovestruck Weddings ~ Assorted verandah furniture
The Borrowed Nursery ~ Brought in assorted tropical plants to create circular ceremony space.
Vanessa Megan Skincare  Organic love-spray party favours for table settings.
Hair & Makeup ~ by my sister Luciana Rose & her team.

I never really got it when women spoke about their wedding day having been ‘the best day of their lives‘… I mean – better than climbing Machu Picchu?? Better than that day you swam with dolphins? Really?! But now, having experienced it myself, I GET IT! Imagine this; You have all the of your favourite people in the whole world in one space, and they’re all there to celebrate your love. And the space that you get to celebrate it in is your perfect space, the perfect vessel. It’s everything you love in the whole world condensed into one perfect day.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Nothing is perfect. But for me it was all about what I wanted, and what I didn’t want.

I was a pretty laid-back bride. When I met with my wedding planner (aka my fairy godmother and my all round wedding-spirit-animal!) only 12 weeks out from my wedding all I’d locked in was the venue. I didn’t have a caterer, a dress, a guest list or invites and I hadn’t considered music options or transport… You may be thinking i was more ‘lazy’ than laid-back, but in my defense, I was so busy with the family and the business in those months leading up to the wedding that all the planning kept getting put on the back burner.

Thank the good lord that Rachael from The Events Lounge flew down from heaven into my life… she totally understood that  there were a few non-negotiables for me: 1) I wanted everyone to be sitting on the ground in a circle during the wedding ceremony, 2) I wanted the evening to be the most beautiful, intimate dinner party I’d ever been to, and 3) I didn’t want a dance floor.

A lot of people were perplexed about my veto of the drunken dance floor, but I was adamant… (there was no way anyone was going to do the YMCA or the Nut Bush at my wedding) but eventually I decided if we kept it classy people could dance, we kept it to jazz and I snuck in a couple of songs by Stevie Nicks songs and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zero’s for fun. It was awesome, and there was no village people.

So, the dress. I didn’t realise that so many wedding gowns were actually made to order! We had already started doing wedding gowns at Spell, so I assumed that all the gorgeous pieces I’d seen around online were all off-the-rack, but once I started looking for a gown for myself I found this wasn’t the case. There were 12 week turn arounds as most dresses were made to order, and as I only started looking for a dress around 12 weeks out, it was cutting it too fine. So I decided to ask my team to make one for me. And they did, and I was in love with it. There was barely any lace in it, and it was simple sheer cotton, the softest I could find. I felt like a prairie girl, lost in a field of daisies. It was my dream wedding dress.

Marrying my Johnny that day was truly the happiest day. We were both completely shocked and taken by surprise how desperately and deeply we loved that day. I admit, right up until the day before the wedding I was having party anxiety and wishing I’d eloped, but the moment I woke up on the morning of my wedding, to one of my bridesmaids massaging my feet and another shoving a Moet in my hand I started smiling, and didn’t stop all day. By the evening my face ached from smiling. I didn’t even get a chance to eat dinner because I kept running around hugging everyone, or standing alone on the verandah looking out over the perfect dinner party, my heart aching with gratitude and pleasure!

I’ve had so many of you email to ask for photos and details from our day, so finally I’ve decided to share them here.  I hope you enjoy them ~ thank you for being so patient! xx biggest love Lizzy