Weddings

5 Ways To Remix Your Wedding Speeches

<a href="https://www.sarahtonkin.com.au/">Photographer: Sarah Tonkin photography </a>
Photographer: Sarah Tonkin photography

1. Break tradition from the normal speech givers

Even if tradition holds that Uncle Kev delivers a speech at all the family weddings, you don’t have to uphold this. Here’s a tip for you to keep the family happy: give him a special role that isn’t delivering a speech but still makes him feel valued and a part of it. You could ask him to share a short reading at the ceremony or to say a prayer before eating at the reception. There are many other smaller ways he can be given a moment to shine. Ultimately, you want to choose people for your speeches who are going to make them meaningful to you and your spouse and these aren’t always the most obvious choices. Don’t be afraid to mix it up.

2. Deliver speeches in a different location

Imagine standing amongst all your family and friends under the festoon lighting of the deck adjoining your reception room. A crackling fire in the centre is warming you and your guests as some special people in your lives share some words of wisdom and happy memories. Sounds idyllic right? Speeches don’t have to be at a podium in the reception room, they can take place anywhere that you can fit everyone. Be mindful of choosing somewhere everyone will be able to see, hear and be comfortable, but don’t be afraid to move things outside. There are some great photo opportunities to be had in these special moments too.

3. Plan a sneaky performance

Have you ever been to a wedding where the couple or bridal party broke out in an unexpected dance or song? It’s so much fun! The guests erupt with applause and delight and it is yet again another great photo op! Perhaps you want to organise a flash mob with your entire bridal party, or maybe arrange a few guests who are scattered around the room to break out in song or dance. You could also perform a choreographed couple dance that surprises your guests during the speeches. Whatever it is, it’s sure to keep things interesting and keep guests awake!

<a href="https://inthewildsofsomeplace.com.au/">Photographer:In the wilds photography </a>
Photographer:In the wilds photography
<a href="https://www.barefootphotog.com/">Photographer:Barefoot photography </a>
Photographer:Barefoot photography

4. Open mic delight

Ok, this one comes with some provisos. But hear us out! Allowing anyone at your wedding to share a few special words or memories of you guys could make for some seriously heartfelt moments, for you and your guests. If you do this you’ll need to set a time limit and have someone keeping track of the time. This is where having a trusted emcee at your reception is really valuable. They can help facilitate the speeches and jump in if someone is taking up too much time or senses that things are getting awkward. You could even word up a few friends you know would get things off to a good start and set the tone for the other impromptu speeches. This would certainly mix things up!

5. Joint speeches

We know that one of the most pressing concerns about speeches is whether they’ll fit on the runsheet or go overtime. One way to help manage this is to arrange for joint speeches. Perhaps you could ask all your bridesmaids to plan a speech together and deliver it in turns. Maybe your parents are already friends and they want to share the speech altogether - that would be a cute moment! You and your spouse getting up together and addressing your guests for the first time as a married couple is also a special moment. However, you decide to do it, having some joint speeches can save you time and keep things interesting.

You can incorporate some or all of these ideas to remix your wedding speeches and add some flavour to the night. Just remember that at the end of the day, you want to have created meaningful moments and happy memories that will last. So be sure to plan your speeches around what you know will be special to you as a couple. If your guests can see that you are delighted with the speeches, they’ll be delighted for you - we dare say even Uncle Kev won’t mind having been replaced!

<a href="https://www.weareallstardust.com.au/">Photographer:We are all stardust </a>
Photographer:We are all stardust

Five Traditions You Can Throw Out The Window- If You Want To!

Photographer: Shannon Stent photography

Weddings are full of traditions and often this is what makes them so special. Maybe you’ve been dreaming of your wedding since you were little and have already planned to use fabric from your mums  wedding dress, have your first dance to “I will always love you” and wear your great grandmother’s sapphire necklace as your ‘something blue’. 

If the traditions are important to you and you want to follow them to the letter, that is more than okay! But what about when traditions are just followed for the sake of tradition and they don’t actually add meaningful value to your wedding day?

 

Here are five traditions we’ve seen couples ditching and want to give you permission to ditch too.

Photographer: Katie Grant Photo
Cake: The Cake and I

1. Cutting the cake

While you can probably think of many of your friend’s wedding photos including a shot of the happy couple cutting their cake, this does not mean you have to do this at yours. Maybe you want to leave it out because you have six different speeches to fit in and you’re short on time. Maybe you don’t even want a cake? Dessert tables have been very popular lately and a great way to cater for different dietary needs. Plus they can add such an instagram worthy element to your reception! So if it’s not right for you, cut the cake cutting from your day.

2. Walking down the aisle with Papa Bear

For many people this is not a suitable option. Sometimes dad hasn’t been around enough in their life or has sadly passed away. Sometimes couples want to honour both parents or a lifelong friend and have them walk down the aisle. You choose what is right for you even if it means walking down the aisle by yourself. You might be worried about feeling alone in that moment but the reality is when you walk past all of those excited, happy faces towards the face of the love of your life, you will feel so supported.

3. Not seeing one another before the ceremony

While some think it is bad luck to see your bride or groom before the wedding, the origins of this tradition have nothing to do with luck. The tradition actually stems from arranged marriages where the couple often hadn’t even met each other before the wedding. So whether you want to avoid each other for a day before the ceremony is completely up to you. Now it’s becoming increasingly popular to have a ‘first look’. This is a special little private moment between the couple to break nervous tension and share personal vows. You might also find this a good option if time is limited between your ceremony and reception and you want to get some photos taken of just the two of you.

4. Throwing the bouquet

Maybe you want to hold onto your bouquet and don’t want those gorgeous florals to become scrunched when they are fought over by thirty of your single friends. You might also want to spare your single friends the spotlight of this moment. Whatever the reason, if you don’t want to include this in your wedding, don’t throw the bouquet, throw the tradition.

Photographer: Jemma Keech Photography 
Photographer: Katie Grant Photo

5. Having gender rules for the bridal party

Traditionally a bride has had female bridesmaids and a groom has had male groomsmen. But in recent times this tradition has been ditched and we think it’s great. Maybe you’re the bride and your brother or a male friend is your BFF and deserves the title of MOH (man of honour), or perhaps you’re the groom and your best man is not a man at all? Don’t exclude these special people just because of tradition. Mix things up! You can easily match your female friend’s dress to the colour of your other groomsmen’s suits, ties or pocket squares. A man of honour can also match the bridesmaids in this way. When it comes to your special day, you want the right people around you so choose accordingly.

Photographer: Lee Griffith

At the end of the day, your wedding will be memorable because of your love for one another and because of the special things you have chosen to include because they actually matter to you. Anything that doesn’t have a meaningful purpose shouldn’t take up space in your mind and have a place in your day. So throw those unwanted traditions out the window and you do you boo!

Ten Red Flags you Shouldn’t Ignore when Choosing a Vendor

Let’s be real. You be the most organised bride on the planet, but vendors, those who provide the products and services for your event, can make or break a wedding. The good ones know how to support a couple as they prepare for their big day. They listen to your needs and they work tirelessly to bring your dream wedding to life while minimising your stress. The vendors that you do not want to work with? Those are the ones that can multiply your stress tenfold!

 

But before you start nail biting, we’ve got you! We’ve put together the ten red flags that you must pay attention to when dealing with vendors. These tips will help you stay clear of the dodgy dealers and put you in good stead to find your wedding dream team.

 

  • 🚩Sketchy online presence

A legitimate business is going to have an appropriate online presence. If you find an instagram page claiming to be a florist but they have no link to a website, a limited amount of followers and their last post was over two years ago, you should probably move along! A website or facebook page with reviews will help you discern whether the vendor is legitimate and any good at what they do. Take advantage of other people’s experience.

 

  • 🚩Lack of industry knowledge

“Nah nah you don’t need a microphone for an outdoor wedding of 180 people”. Ok, hang up the phone right now! If the vendor does not know how things actually work in the industry and what it takes to make your event seamless, you need to find one that does. Make sure you ask lots and lots of questions to determine their experience in the industry. Their lack of experience or knowledge will cost you. Bye Felicia!

 

  • 🚩Missing important documents

A caterer providing your booze without a liquor licence? This is a massive no no and could cause major problems for you. Unless you want the police to gatecrash your party make sure your vendors have all the appropriate licences and insurance documents. No one wants to find a whopping big fine in the wishing well!

 

  • 🚩 Just trying to make a sale

How to tell if the vendor is actually listening to you? They are not trying to sell you unrelated products and services. If a vendor truly wants to meet your needs they will hear you out and only offer you those that add value to your day. Be open to hear what you may not have considered but beware of vendors who are just trying to sell sell sell!

 

  • 🚩Bad or no reputation

They might “not give a damn” about their reputation, but you should. If no one has heard of them before, or others have had bad dealings with them, you should be very wary. Read reviews…DO YOUR RESEARCH! We can’t stress this enough. Read lots of them so you get a clear picture of how they operate. One bad review can really sink a business, and sometimes unfairly, so make sure to read enough to get the full picture. If a business is brand spanking new it may not have any reviews but you can ask to see their portfolio or a gallery of any events they may have worked with before.

 

  • 🚩Confusing or missing contract

A vendor with a contract that is full of confusing clauses? Be careful. Have a thorough read through and write down any questions you have for them that they can clarify. You don’t want to be blindsided by unexpected charges. If they have no contract at all, do not hire them. If something goes wrong you have no legal protection.

  • 🚩Arrogance

Do you feel as if the vendor is acting arrogantly and dismissive? This could indicate their lack of attention to detail and put your event at risk. A vendor should be confident in their services but not over confident. Overconfidence leads to mistakes. Thank you, next!

 

  • 🚩Full payments upfront

Is the vendor asking you to make a full payment upfront before the event? This is not standard and you do not have to go with them. Service providers typically charge a deposit to protect themselves in the event that they face cancellations, but a full upfront charge is not necessary. We all know things can change in the lead up to the wedding, guests can pull out or you may want to add or remove certain features, so you want the amount you pay to reflect that, which is only really possible much closer to the event.

 

  • 🚩A deal too good to be true

There is always someone that will do it cheaper, but at what cost? As with many things in life you get what you pay for. There will always be someone that comes in shockingly less than others or tells you that they will beat all other quotes.  If the deal seems too good to be true…it normally means it is! Be very wary of these vendors. Go and meet with them, view their products first hand and ask to see photos of their work because your wedding day is a huge investment so dont take a gamble with the seemingly “cheaper” option. 

 

  • 🚩You get bad vibes

Trust your gut. If something seems off it most likely is. If you are getting bad vibes from a vendor, make sure to ask the important questions to see if their answers relieve any of your uncertainty. If you still have a funny feeling about them, don’t feel obligated to continue to work with them. You don’t need the lead up to your event to have any unnecessary stress. Good vibes only.

 

There are many sensational vendors out there to work with. Those that care about your big day and want to make it as hassle-free as possible. We have worked with some incredible teams and are always so happy to share with you the vendors we love and highly recommend. Biggest piece of advice is do your research and go with your gut!  

Get in touch with us today to chat about all things weddings and who our recommended suppliers are!

4 Reasons why you should Prioritise Wedding Stationery

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Photo: Katie Grant Photography
Stationery: Small Brown Writes
Styling: Aravella Event Design

OK! We get it! What’s the point in prioritising stationery? We live in a digital world where we send emails, DM’s and texts. When was the last time you sent a postcard or letter to a friend? Probably not in a while.

The thing is though, being out of the ordinary is what you want with a wedding. It’s not every day that you get to celebrate the love of a beautiful couple, so why not start the adventure to marriage the right way by sending your wedding invitations in the post.

When it comes to wedding stationery, we find that there are always two types of couples around this topic –
1. those who choose to eliminate stationary and put the money to bigger things and
2. those who value the sentiment that comes with stationery.

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Photo: Jessica Liebregts Photography
Stationery: Emma Louise Design
Styling: The Wedding Concept

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Photo: Paris Hawken Photo
Stationery: Emma Louise Design
Styling: Hire in Style

We’ve given you our reasons why you should be prioritising wedding stationery for your special day!

Have a read through and let’s see which couple you identify with…

1. Your stationery communicates important information

Your guests need information so they too can be organised for the day. If your wedding venue is at a winery, on a beach, in a barn, in a marquee, they need to know! Having this information will help them plan where to stay as well as organise transport plans etc.

Stationary can also act as a signpost, giving direction on the day. This is seen in a table plan, welcome sign, table number, a menu, and the order of the day etc.

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Photo: Mrs Gardiner Photo
Stationery: Lala Design
Styling: Duo Events

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Photo: Katie Grant Photography
Stationery: Small Brown Writes
Styling: Aravella Event Design

2. You as the couple can both be involved

Stationery is one of the aspects of your special day that you can actually make informed decisions about together. We all know that there are some aspects of the wedding that the groom chooses to stay clear of, for good reason too! Sitting together as a couple and chatting through decisions can be a special intimate time together. Remember to have fun with it!

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Photo: Teneil Kable Photo
Stationery: For Paper Sake
Styling: Rosewood Events

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Photo: Teneil Kable Photo
Stationery: Paper Fusion Boutique
Styling: The Southern Creative

3. Stationery design can be a great addition to reflect you as a couple

Including aspects of your relationship that are special to the two of you are great when thinking of your stationery design. Do you both like a particular colour? Are you getting married where you first met? Why not include it?

Intertwining your story as a couple with the feel of your wedding day can help with the decision process for your guests. The design of your invitation can communicate whether it’s formal and elegant or cazy and fun!

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Photo: Shannon Stent Photography
Stationery: Smash Graphics
Styling: Blush and Bloom

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Photo:Flossy Photo
Stationery: Paper Fusion Botique
Styling: Pop Up Planning Co

4. It’s meaningful to keep as memories

Aside from the memories, photographs and your wedding dress and suit, everything else has a life span. Your flowers wilt, the cake gets eaten and all you’re left with is the topper. Having stationery that you can keep and store away to show your children and grandchildren one day is a beautiful keepsake.

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Photo: Lee Griffith Photography

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Photo: Teneil Kable Photo
Stationery: For Paper Sake

So there you have it… 4 reasons why we think you should prioritise your wedding stationery for your special day.

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Photo: Paris Hawken Photo
Stationery: Emma Louise Design
Styling: Hire in Style

Real Wedding: Hannah & Cody- Credaro Estate

This gorgeous love story started looooong before the 27th of February 2020. Hannah and Cody actually grew up 7km down the road from one another in a dairy farming town. How cute is that? Cody would watch his sister’s dance performances, which Hannah was also involved in and Hannah’s dad was the local Father Christmas, so there may or may not be a photo floating around with Cody on his FIL’s lap.

They caught the same bus as teens but their story really started in 2010 on a night out at a club, with Cody’s unforgettable pickup line… wait for it…. “Your dad keeps crossing the cows in the morning when I’m on my way to work, making me late.” Good one Cody!

From that fateful night, their love story began and the rest is history as they say.

How do you feel you balance or complement each other, and how do you feel this played out during wedding planning?

I (Hannah) am a people pleaser and Cody is more of the practical kinda guy, he always helps to ground and calm me when things get overwhelming or when things don’t quite go to plan. A perfect example of this was our unexpected change in wedding venue!

Our sense of fun is very similar though so we were always on the same page when it came to the overall vibe.

Did you both have similar ideas about what you wanted for your day?

Yes we both wanted something more relaxed and fun to celebrate our love after the official bits were done, we wanted to recreate a fun feast for everyone. We chose to remove the “traditional” bridal table from our brief and mingle with our friends on long tables for a laid back vibe.

During the planning process, what were the aspects you both decided were the most important?

The overall atmosphere, great food, entertainment and a whole lot of love!

What was the style/look/feel you wanted for your wedding?

We wanted a minimal/modern style but timeless and elegant at the same time feel. We just wanted a really grand party.

We wanted to create a fun-filled and relaxed vibe. A style that would get us mingling with everyone. We also wanted maximum dance time also!

How did you go about choosing your venue and vendors? Were any friends or family involved who you would like to mention?

Our original venue actually cancelled on us, and this started the hunt again for a beautiful lush green location, that was beautiful in itself. Credaro was perfect! We both grew up surrounded by nature so to us this was so important to find!

We also chose a clear marquee to help bring the outdoors in.

All of our vendors were incredible! I researched for months to find our perfect dream team! We chose them as they reflected our style. I think it’s so important to find suppliers that suit you as a couple and the style and vibe you are after! (We could not agree more!)

Any unique features about your day/the lead-up? What did you want to wow your guests with the most?

Our ceremony was super important to us, after all, that’s the official part!

Our celebrant was more of a storyteller and created a custom ceremony that captured our love story. This reflected our personalities perfectly and had us laughing for most of the ceremony.

We also took dance lessons prior which made our first dance so much more special. I grew up dancing and it was a huge part of my life and my friendships to this day. Cody doesn’t mind busting a move either! My bridesmaid’s brother in law choreographed our dance to be epic.  We wanted a show stopper that reflected us!

What was your level of involvement in planning and styling your wedding?

100% full involvement! I mean I had been dreaming of this day forever.

We did hire a stylist to help which was amazing and took so much of the stress out of the process, so we as a couple could really enjoy the planning! Dom (Blush and Bloom) was so knowledgeable. I loved bouncing different and unique ideas off her. She is willing to try anything and helped execute our different ideas perfectly!

What was your favourite aspect of your wedding (apart from getting to marry the love of your life!) and why?

I absolutely loved the design process of the entire day and seeing the aesthetic we had pictured come to life was just MAGIC! But our favourite part was having all of our family and friends there to celebrate with us!

Oh, and literally just dancing ALL night!

Reflecting back, what is your best piece of advice for other couples planning their wedding?

Sit down as a couple and create your top 5 non-negotiable, dream WOW factors. This way you are both involved in what’s important to each other for your big day. Doing this then helps to prioritise your budget and re-evaluate your areas of spending.

Never give up no matter how overwhelmed you may become. You only get to do it once! Enjoy every aspect of the planning and give 100% to every part of your day! It’s the best way to feel no regrets!

And just remember to show gratitude to everyone who helps you out throughout the whole process. Wedding planning can be a big job but it’s so very worth it and doesn’t need to be stressful.

Vendors Involved:

Photography: Sarah Tonkin Photography

Styling and Set up: Blush and Bloom

Venue: Credaro Estate

Furniture, linen and decor: Hire in Style

Marquee: South West Event Studio

Lighting: Southern Light Events

Dancefloor: Lumin 8 Events

Makeup: Gemma Collins Makeup Artist

Hair: HBM Studio Bunbury

Cake: Sweet Styling Dunsborough

Floor Planning Made Simple

Jade + Josh

A good floor plan is crucial in making sure your wedding flows, and ensures optimal guest comfort.

We have put together some tips as a guide to design your perfect floor plan:

1. Visit the Space (Multiple times)

Know what you are working with from the get go – measure up the space, note down the exits and power points and get it down on paper. Most venues do have a floor plan which you can work from and also ask for photos of previous events to get an idea what has worked in the past.

Photo 1,2 and 3: Ingrid Kjelling, Ben and Ebony and Gordon Becker

2. Understand your vendors’ space requirements

Ask your vendors what space they need so you can work around it. For example caterers may require a certain amount of distance between the tables, then there is your band or DJ, bar areas and dancefloor which can take up a significant amount of room,  so knowing what space you are left with can determine the type and configuration of furniture you need to fit guests.

Photo 4 and 5: Shannon Stent Images and Natasja kremers

3. Guest Comfort

How can you fit everyone comfortably? Younger guests won’t mind as much being seated closer to the band/ DJ or at less desirable table (they are more likely to be up dancing all night!), and seat older guests where they can see the action (dancefloor), but still sit comfortably for the night. A tip is to do your seating plan using post it note markers so you can move people around freely until you’re happy.

Don’t be afraid to mix up your tables and seating too so it works with the space – combine long tables and round tables for sit down weddings or lounge spaces and cocktail tables for a standup do.

Photo 6 and7: Sarah Tonkin Photography and Tyler Brown Photography

4. Take a measured approach

Get measurements for tables and furniture to make sure it will all fit comfortably in the space before booking them in (your hire company should be able to help you with this). Ascertain how many guests can fit per table and play around with table and chair combinations to efficiently fit guests with the minimum amount of furniture.

When working this out keep in mind the style of dining e.g if it’s a three course meal you will need more space per setting than if it was a feasting style menu with one set of cutlery and crockery. Also think about your style of chair as this can play a big part in your layout for example our wire chairs are slightly wider than others in our range.

Photo 8 and 9: Katie Grant Photography

5. Play Around

Chop and change your floor plan until you are confident that the space flows, there are no obstructions to exits or doorways,  and your guests can be seated comfortably. It’s a great idea to revisit the venue once you have your plan drawn up to visualise it and use some tape if you need to mark our certain areas.

Finally, distribute your floorplan to your vendors well before the day so any issues can be picked up and resolved. Make sure your venue or wedding coordinator has the final version to oversee the setup and direct vendors on the day.

Photo 10: We are all Stardust