Fiona and Dan

Fiona and Dan

The countryside of Western Australia blows me away- it’s always got a real earthiness to it. Today’s wedding of Fiona & Dan really inspires me with it’s richness- there’s the elegant style of the bride and groom next to the rich red soil, the candid laughter, the special moments and the little touches!

Our newlyweds Dan & Fiona met 10 years ago when they both worked for a toy retailer, in fact at the time of their meeting Fiona was actually Dan’s boss. 10 years later, Fiona is still the boss! They planned the wedding from London!

Photos today are by White Tulip Photography– I love how Mandy has captured he vivid colours of the Australian landscape while still keeping that soft, elegant feel to her work she always has.

Fiona wore a gown by Jade Daniels from Confetti and Lace Boutique, UK. The bridesmaids wore floor length Dessy gowns. Jennifer Porter & Lorna Marie Liddelow styled the girls hair & makeup for the day. Fiona says “Nothing was too much trouble and both the ladies helped us with timetabling and even getting the bridal gown on. It was great that they could come to us on the day as it made the day more relaxing and enjoyable.”

A blue brooch was attached to lace wrapping the bouquet. The flowers were styled by Vintage Bloom Weddings.

Fiona and Mark were married St Thomas More Catholic Church. Fiona walked down the aisle to Blackbird by The Beatles, performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. She says “Although this song is traditionally associated with civil rights in America, most people take their own meaning from the song. We chose the song mainly for its references to looking to the future, for better times ahead. That, and I liked the tune.”

The couple held their reception at Xanadu Winery. Fiona says “Xanadu Winery is a stunning venue for any function. Although we choose most of our suppliers from the other side of the world, our nerves were put to rest when we met Leah Jenkins from Xanadu Winery. Her professionalism was refreshing, and she made the whole process of organising the day a breeze. Combine that with an amazing menu and some rather decent wine we knew the day would be special. Xanadu served up one last special moment as were drove into the property: a setting sun through the gumtrees was a moment that we couldn’t pass up, so we all took off through the long grass to capture the special light of a beautiful South West sunset in a bush setting.”

Guests received sweet treats as favors- a DIY project. As Fiona puts it “These days most weddings need a little DIY, whether it’s to add a personal touch or keep the budget in order. For us, there were a few areas we knew we would like to do ourselves. With Dan being a designer, it went without saying that he was more than happy to take the reins when it came to the stationery, but having your future wife for a client can be tricky! My mum mother Annette chipped in with organising and putting together the bonbonerie. Lastly, my sister-in-law Karen did an amazing job with the church decorations, as Karen says “It’s amazing what a quick trip to Spotlight can whip up!””

When I asked what made the wedding special to Fiona, her response was beautifully apt “We only need one. Our guests.”

There was one very special surprise for the bride and groom. Fiona recounts “We didn’t have many surprises on our wedding day, but Dan’s brother Jeremy, who was the MC for the evening, delivered up one of the most memorable parts of the day with a fun game of ‘Who’s the boss?’ where the bride and groom sit back to back both holding a pink and blue teddy bear answering questions about their married life ahead.”

The cupcake wedding cake was created by Tealicious House. The couple had a romantic first dance, Fiona recalls “We took a few lessons from a lovely lady called Josie, who did her very best to teach us how to dance the waltz. We chose Moonriver by Andy Williams, mainly because it’s just a classic song that we both loved. Although we did our best on the night, I’m not sure we’ll show Josie any footage of us dancing, she might be a touch disappointed! Sorry Josie.”