An Old School Romantic DIY Wedding With Vintage Touches: Kate & Pete
Words by Kate. Images by Ben Clarke Photography.
I always knew I wanted a lace dress but had no idea I would end up choosing a tea length style. My mum picked it out as the lace was totally stunning. The moment I looked in the mirror I definitely had a ‘This is the Dress’ moment.
It was so comfortable, such a beautifully created dress and ultimately was perfect for our day as we had planned a marquee wedding on grass and wearing this dress meant I didn’t have to bustle and could dance all night.
My shoes were from the Vera Wang ‘White’ Collection (This is Vera Wang’s more affordable range and I fell in love with these shoes the moment I saw them. I was very chuffed with the price and at how perfect they were).
The bouquets and buttonholes were created by a friend who owns a wholesale florist.
The white bridesmaid dresses were designed from different pictures I’d found and hand crafted by a private dressmaker.
My dad Peter walked me down the aisle – yes my dad and my husband share the same name (and even funnier the same middle name too).
We walked down to ‘Bloom’ by The Paper Kites. It was sung by Pete’s cousin Laura while Pete’s uncle Neil and brother Nathan played guitar.
Our wedding photographer was Ben Clark Photography. Ben is unbelievable!! His eye for the ‘good picture’ is impeccable. He made that part of the day so effortless and easy. He is an absolute dude!! We cannot thank Ben enough.
The bridesmaids and myself styled the venue using handmade lace bunting strung from the roof of the marquee and defining the outdoor perimeter. We used lace, hessian, buttons and ribbon to decorate glass jars as our vases for table centerpieces giving a vintage romantic feel to the venue.
Vintage bound books, tealights (hanging and in glass jars) and vases full of gorgeous antique themed bouquets were used to style the outdoor spaces.
Furniture for the outdoor spaces consisted of hessian covered hay bales, borrowed white wicker cane lounge suites and rustic tree stumps. For the wishing well we used a vintage lace lined suitcase surrounded by mismatched baroque photo frames of different sizes that contained the wedding photos of my mum and dad, my in-laws and grandparents to add a special sentimental touch.
Our wedding cake was decorated with lace and hessian. We also wanted a simple cake that tasted delicious. Jane created us a pink champagne cake that was made using an old school recipe that uses champagne as the rising agent. It was to die for.
Both Pete and I have a love of cheese and we thought a cheese knife would be a perfect wedding favour. We wanted a gift for our guests that would mean something, would be a fantastic keep sake and wouldn’t end up in the bin or left on the table at the end of the night.
We bought the knives wholesale off the internet and had them engraved.
Our first dance was to ‘You and I’ by Michael Buble. We really struggled to find a first dance song, as we don’t have ‘a song’. However we loved the lyrics within this song and Rush Band sung it live so the moment was magical.
If you could impart any words of wisdom to a Bride to Be planning her marriage and wedding day, what would they be?
The cost of a wedding can blow out very easily, even if its a DIY wedding. Shop around for an inexpensive hire company that can supply you with what you are looking for at a competitive price. Try not to make all of your decorations, bunting, signage and vases yourself as this is very labor intensive and can often cost more than simply hiring the decor and returning it.
Have a live band!!
Find a venue that has a late finishing time. You will not want you special day to end. We were lucky enough to not have a finish time, at all, and danced the night away until 03:30 in the morning.
Have someone to look over the big day and ensure everything is running smoothly (preferably not a guest). You don’t want to be thinking about things whilst you’re getting ready, its your time to relax and be pampered.
What was your most memorable moment of the day / evening?
The father of the bride speech, walking down the aisle to Pete, seeing the magic we had created once everything was finished, candles were lit and everyone was having a great night.
Kate & Pete Harry {Wedding Highlights} from Aleisha Grace Videography on Vimeo.
Lots of Love
XxX Sonia
and remember… keep wanting!
wedding credits / photographer: ben clarke photography / wedding venue: beach road holiday homes, noosa north shore, queensland, australia / brides dress: fiorenza / brides veil: borrowed / grooms suit: michael innis menswear – west end, brisbane / grooms shoes: windsor smith / brides shoes: vera wang ‘white’ collection / hair & makeup: friend & renee chambellant / florist: wholesale / wedding cake: sweetness contained, noosaville / entertainment: rush band / wedding decor: house of hearts event hire