Winery weddings are always a favourite of mine, but there is something about Jannah and Mark’s elegant take on it that drew me in to today’s celebration. The handmade touches, the smart yellow and navy colours and the incredible moments I’ve come to know and love.
Jannah tells their story. “Mark is Irish but had been living in Sydney for about 4 years when he met me, Jannah at the polo at Centennial Park in November 2009. Two years later, Mark was offered a promotion in Singapore and I (after a lot of umming and ahing) decided to go with him. So we went about packing our things and saying some tearful goodbyes to friends and family. The day before he left to fly there (I was joining him in two weeks) he took me to Doyle’s in Watson’s Bay for lunch, then we checked into the Shangri La! He proceeded to take me to est, where we had had our first dinner date. As I thought all these special things were just because we were leaving Sydney, he convinced we that we needed to take a walk around to the front of the Opera House… Where he got down on one knee and proposed!!! I was so shocked and amazed. Was the best night ever!”
Sarkodie Photography captured today’s photographs. I love the different perspectives and angles he caught from Jannah and Mark’s wedding!
Jannah and Mark’s wedding had a yellow and navy colour scheme running throughout it. Jannah explains “Mark and I fell in love with some very bright and cheerful invites that were yellow and navy, so that became the colour theme for the day. I found the navy Calvin Klein bridesmaid dresses online and ordered them. Luckily,the bridesmaids (my sisters, Laura and Melissa and my best friend Lizzie) loved them and looked stunning on the day! My 12 year old niece Abby was a junior bridesmaid and looked very grown up. To complete the colour theme, we decided on yellow and white flowers for the tables, buttonholes and bouquets, which added some great colour to the day. The yellow billy balls and paper daisies used to grow wild in the paddocks of the farm where I grew up and the green bell flowers are Bells of Ireland, so they were also meaningful. As my dad was a wheat farmer, mum dried some golden wheat to go on the tables as well.” Jade MacIntosh Flowers created the bouquets.
Jannah chose a gown from Love Yu, Bridal, Singapore.
The groom and groomsmen wore custom made grey suits by Ermenegildo Zegna. Jannah recalls “Mark then had the not so easy task of trying to find a suit fabric to compliment the navy blue of the bridesmaids and yellow of the buttonholes. The grey worked perfectly and he got all the suits custom made in Hong Kong and made a great choice on some very cool navy ties with small white polka dots and brown brogues. Was an amazing celebration and wish we could do it all again. But with relatives arriving in Hong Kong from November 28 and the festivities ending in Dublin for Christmas, we may need a rest first!”
Jannah and Mark married at Church of the Immaculate Conception, Broke. Jannah remarks, “After deciding on the reception venue, next was the church. This was easy – there is only one Catholic church within 30km of the venue. Church of Immaculate Conception in Broke village is a small station church with mass only once a month and apparently only seats 60-70 people. We got 100 people in there! The paper fans we supplied came in handy! It is a charming little red brick church in a bare paddock with wooden floors and a lovely bright interior thanks to big windows and white walls.
Music has been a very big part of our relationship, so music was one of the easiest decisions for us. Aisle: Higher Love (cover by irish singer Vincent Mcmorrow), signing papers: To Build a Home (cinematic orchestra) and leaving church: Here Comes the Sun (the Beatles)”.
Of their photographer, Jannah says, “Our photographer was awesome! He has a distinct and unique style. And he got processed hi- res files to us within a month of the wedding! When we got the shots I was surprised at how many different angles he got In the church. I don’t even remember seeing him move around! He had done three of my friend’s weddings and so I knew him a little and he also did a great job on their weddings. He suggested a few styles and shots that I wasn’t sold on, but they turned out great! Got to trust the professional I suppose!”
For the reception venue, Jannah says, “Margan Family Wines won hands down. Not only is it an amazing venue with outstanding food and nice wines, but it also came with the special offer of the services of The Wedding Designer, which was invaluable. Jess and Lane were fantastic and they had endless ideas and props to create a very personalised setting for the wedding – and they also set everything up on the day. I mailed them copies of old wedding photographs that included Mark and my folks, grandparents and great grandparents. The wedding designer framed them and displayed them at the reception, which was a lovely touch. They also supplied the photo booth at a minimal extra charge.”
There were plenty of DIY touches, including the wedding cake! Jannah remember,s “As I have a few coeliac friends and a never-fail recipe for a gluten-free chocolate cake, I decided to make my own cake (much to mum’s horror). So Mum and I got to work making a trial cake and about 40 metres of navy and white striped table runners (mum’s a demon on the sewing machine!). The day before the wedding, I iced the cake, made the welcome punch and my sister arranged the flowers for the church. I also designed the order of service booklets, recipe cards and napkin wraps. The napkin wraps served as our bonbonniere, which was a $5 donation to the MS Society of Ireland and the Cancer Council of Australia. In different ways, these two diseases have affected our friends and families and this made more sense than wasting the money on some forgettable trinket.”
“Myself, my sisters and a couple of friends also made slices and other tempting treats for a sweets table. These were devoured! Mark and I didn’t even see them come out, then all we saw was crumbs! Amazing speeches. Food was divine. the band were very very very good.They had a duo and 5-piece band set-up giving us flexibility. Their duo played cool, chilled-out jazz versions of modern songs on the lawn for welcome drinks (which of course included Guinness) and canapes, while the band rocked the dance floor. D-floor was packed and only subsided when the band were on a break! I don’t think the band even wanted to stop playing at midnight, but the bus driver came in and tapped his watch!”
Jannah describes the wedding as, “A magical gathering of the most awesome people in a relaxed and love glazed atmosphere!” And for the first dance? ” I set up a last-minute dance lesson, but we got lost and were an hour late for the 1.5 hour lesson and the teacher had already left!!! So, standing in the empty ballroom, we put the music on and played around with some moves!! Very simple – but was better this way ‘cos on the night we just relaxed and had fun in our first dance rather then trying to remember steps and feeling stiff!! Easy to dance to one of our favorite songs: acoustic version of Temper Trap’s ‘Sweet Disposition’.”
Congratulations Jannah and Mark! Thank you for allowing us to share your wedding! Thank you also to Sarkodie Photography for sharing today’s images with us!
fun wedding thanks.