Why did you decide to get married where you did?
Stu is from England, and I’m from New Zealand, but we have lived in Sydney for many years. We knew that our family and many friends would be travelling to the wedding, and wanted to have a holiday feel to the celebration. We picked Byron Bay, having visited many times we love the relaxed vibes, beautiful beaches and weather. It was the perfect location for us to get married, and Fig Tree Restaurant is such a beautiful venue.
How many guests did you have?
We had just over 60 guests. We wanted to keep it quite intimate and be able to spend time with everyone, but also big enough to be a party.
Tell us about your outfits.
Georgia: I wanted something timeless and elegant that wouldn’t date, yet felt modern and simple. As soon as I tried on my Monte dress by Kyha Studios, I knew it was perfect. I had my hair pulled back into a slick bun so it was out of the way and showed off my beautiful pearl earrings from Christie Nicolaides, as well as the neckline and back of both of my dresses. I kept my makeup really natural. My veil was a bit of a last minute decision. I was on the fence because it felt very traditional however, honestly my mind was made up when I saw Jenna’s photos of other brides in a similar sheer veil - and when else do you get to wear one?
I got changed into my Galvan dress after dinner, which meant I could easily dance. (We also booked a club after the wedding and my gown would not have worked there) It also had a fun element with the back detail. Stu: During the ceremony I wanted neutral linen suit from a local Australian designer (Assembly Label) because it fit with the relaxed vibe of the wedding. I teamed this with a grandad collar shirt and
Derby shoes. Knowing it would be hot that day I wanted a way to accessorise when I took my jacket off, so I got a custom hat created from my favourite hat designer Phylli Designs to wear during the reception.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
One important aspect was ensuring it didn’t become a stressful and negative experience. I’ve heard too many people say that planning their wedding was stressful and they were glad when it was over! It was so important to us that this was an enjoyable and relaxing time (see below point - get a planner). We also wanted to make it as smooth, fun and holiday-like as possible for our guests, which meant we considered things like transport to and from the venue, gave lots of notice on the schedule so people had time to book etc.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
We wanted the overall vibe of the day to be fun, romantic and relaxed. Lots of food, drinks and dancing. It was important for us that we had a great time and everyone else also did. We tried as much as possible, to keep that in mind with all of the decisions that we made - from the length of the ceremony and speeches (fairly short) to the amount of food and drink we ordered (lots) to the overall flow of the day.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Get a planner! Natasha from Du Jour Events was an absolute dream. She made the whole experience so smooth and stress free which meant we could relax and enjoy. And don’t stress the small stuff, only you will notice - everyone else is there to celebrate you and your love, and to eat, drink and party. A flower out of place is not going to make or break the day (not that we had any flowers out of place, of course).
Trust your vendors and don’t micromanage - they are the experts and you chose them for a reason. Invest more in the things you care most about and save on the things that aren’t as important to you.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Yes all of them. Actually thought we had the best vendors and would happily recommend them to anyone. I cannot stress this enough - book early to get the vendors you want. We booked our photographer over a year before the wedding!
Our planner Natasha of Du Jour Events: W can’t say enough positive things about her. Talented, expert in her field, went above and beyond at every turn and made our wedding the best day. We couldn’t have done it without her.
Our photographer Jenna Fahey-White : She is incredibly talented, captured all the big moments and the small ones. I love our photos so so much!
Our video from Fly on the Wall Films is so special to us and will be rewatched now and forever.
I absolutely loved my Hair and Makeup Artist Alex Ousten, it was exactly what I wanted and she was also such a fun vibe to get the day started.
Estelle from The French Petal created such a dreamy romantic vibe with the florals. I had so much trust in her vision and she delivered it magically.
Niall Lochhead was awesome. He literally learned a new song for us to walk down the aisle and created such a romantic ceremony atmosphere and then fun dancefloor - he can do it all!
Fig Tree Restaurant : So, so incredible. Amazing service, nothing was too much trouble from the stunning night before accommodation to the delicious bridal breakfast, the champagne tower to the espresso martini toast. Such a beautiful place to get married cannot recommend enough.
Photographer : Jenna Fahey-White @jennafaheywhite | Videographer : Fly on the Wall
@flyonthewallfilms | Ceremony + Reception Location : Fig Tree Restaurant @figtreerestaurant | Celebrant : A friend | Entertainment : Niall Lochhead @niall.lochhead.music | Planning + Styling : Du Jour Events @dujourevents.co | Hire : The Wedding Shed @theweddingshed | Flora : The French Petal @frenchpetal | HMUA : Alex Ousten @alexoustonbeauty | Catering + Beverages : Fig Tree Restaurant @figtreerestaurant | Cake : Mary’s Cakes @marys_cakes765 | Stationery : A friend | Ceremony Dress : Kyha Studios @chosenbykyha | Reception Dress : Galvan @galvan | Engagement + Wedding Rings : Natalie Marie @nataliemariejewellry | Shoes : Bared Footwear @baredfootwear | Earrings : Christie Nicolaides @christienicolaides | Wedding Party Attire : Various labels