Sally and Brendan

There is nothing like kicking back on a Friday afternoon with a bunch of amazing friends, good food & wine and music and so it seems very apt that we finish off this week in Polka Dot Bride with exactly that – the beautiful wedding of Sally and Brendan which feels like just the kind of celebration you want to join in – it helps that it’s the wedding of two musicians (check out Sally’s website here) who understand and adore the presence of live music at weddings. In the words of Sally “Live music is one of the best things you can have at a wedding. It really brings so much energy and atmosphere to the event.”

Sally recalls how she met her husband. “Brendan and I met at a gig (we are both musicians), and our relationship has been very strong from that very first meeting. I think we both knew instantly that this was going to be something very special, and we both feel very blessed that it’s turned out that way.”

Photography today is by Welsch Photography Oh I love how the Welsch team have captured the vibrancy and energy of today’s wedding. From the vivid colours, to the littlest details and the feeling of love and happiness in the air. It’s such a lovely day for a wedding!

Sally wore a short lace gown from Alex Perry, she remarks “As the bride, the dress was very important to me, and I found the perfect dress off the rack from Alex Perry. I spotted it in a magazine a year or so before we got married, and I wanted a short dress that would work in a backyard setting, and also one that I could wear again – this dress was it! I also wanted a lot of lace. Everyone remarked that it was perfectly “me”.” Sally paired her wedding gown with shoes from Peeptoe Shoes and earrings from Fabienne from Reclaim by Monica Trapaga.

Sally arranged the flowers herself with one of her dear friends. She recalls “I did them myself with the help of my dear friend Monica Trapaga. We got up early the day before and went to the flower markets and it was so much more cost effective. We were able to really fill the venue on a very tight budget!”

Sally and Brendan were married in Sally’s parent’s backyard. Sally remarks “The great thing about having the wedding (ceremony and reception) at my parents house, was we were able to constantly reference the venue during planning, and try things out in advance, and we could also take our time in setting everything up before the big day. My parents definitely don’t have a very large back yard, and we ended up having about 110 people, but the smaller size made it intimate, and allowed for everyone to really mingle and get to know each other.

My dad built a deck that covered most of the backyard, and they put up beautiful tents and covers that gave the place an exotic and enchanting feeling. It was extra special because they had created it.”

Although the wedding was casual, a few traditions were upheld. Sally explains, “We stuck to a few other traditions. My dad walked me down the aisle, and he drove me from our house to their house, and the whole street turned out to see me arrive. It was really lovely.”

Only one nervous moment was had by Sally who remembers “Well, apparently it’s good luck, but it rained on our day, which definitely made us nervous since it was an outdoor wedding!! But my amazing Dad erected an extra “wedding tent” on the morning of the wedding, and by the time we had the ceremony, it had stopped, and all went beautifully.”

Of the ceremony, Sally says “The ceremony was performed by Jessie Cacchillo and it was just perfect for us. It was definitely one of the the highlights”

There was an extra special guest at the wedding. Sally tells “The most special part of the day, was getting married in front of our beautiful daughter Charlotte. She was a shining light on the day and we will always remember how remarkable that was.”

Sally says “The creation of the backyard was a huge part of what made it amazing. We didn’t want a particularly traditional day, so the most important things for us was the ceremony and vows, the music, the food and the atmosphere.

We aren’t traditional people, and because we’ve played at many weddings ourselves, we know what full on, crazy, and sometimes over the top occasions they can be. We wanted a wedding that was truly us. One that was warm, loving, and fun, and it was definitely all of those things”

The wedding was full of DIY touches. Sally explains, “We DIY-ed EVERYTHING! Our theme was Moroccan elegance and we used bright pink and orange to bring it to life. We wanted the venue to feel relaxed, with lots of casual seating, and colour everywhere. We found fabric, cushions and bits & bobs at Spotlight, and I also sourced great ottomans, cushions, and decorations from the January sales. We were on a very tight budget, so I just looked around for the best deals on what I needed.

I made the “save the date” cards and invitations myself, and we also did the flowers ourselves. It was an incredibly joyful experience being so creative, and really making the day look exactly as we wanted it to. I also did my own makeup!”

The food was delicious, Sally says “We had a cocktail style reception catered by Wagamama, who were also amazing, and we found that it flowed really well, and gave the whole afternoon and evening a relaxed elegance.

The cupcake wedding cake was made by Baby Cakes By Renee.

The guests made the wedding really special to Sally and Brendan. “The people – family & friends who had travelled vast distances, and some who we hadn’t seen for years – that was definitely the most beautiful part of it.”

Guests were kept entertained with live music from George Washingmachine & James Muller Duo. Sally remarks “The band were delightful. They played throughout the ceremony, and each song chosen was just so appropriate, and they created a wonderful feeling.”

Sally says “It was all the things we wanted – relaxed, fun, intimate and joyful!”

Congratulations Sally and Brendan! Thank you for sharing your day with us on Polka Dot Bride! Thank you also to  Welsch Photography for sharing today’s photographs with us!