Ally & Rich

I love a relaxed wedding and today’s couple Ally and Rich took advantage of Ally’s parents home on the  Gold Coast to make their wedding personal, relaxed and have the ability to kick back and relax with those that they love.

Ally tells their story. “Rich was my very first boyfriend in high school. We went to the same school and I knew some of his friends. We met just after he had graduated and we immediately got along really well. We lost contact for a few years until one day I saw him on Facebook and we got talking. There hasn’t been a day since then that we haven’t spoken. He is the love of my life and the man of my dreams.”

Adam Ward Photography captured today’s beautiful photographs- relaxed and rain filled!

Ally paired her ‘Geraldine’ gown from Sottero and Midgley with yellow David Lawrence heels, noting, “I really wanted to find a pair of yellow shoes for the wedding, and I loved them! They had a great chunky heel that didn’t sink into the grass! “

Of their venue choice, Ally notes, “We got married at my parents 10 acre property near Mt Tamborine on the Gold Coast. My mother’s gardens are spectacular and I couldn’t think of a more special place for us to say ‘I Do’.”

For her something old, Ally chose a truly beautiful family heirloom. She explains “My headpiece had been made for my grandmother when she got married. My mother and my aunty also wore it at their weddings. Not only did it fit the style of the wedding but I adored it, it was an honour to be able to wear it.”

For her walk down the aisle, Ally remembers, “My dad walked me down the isle to “Have I Told You Lately – Van Morrison” played by the harpist. Van Morrison is my dad’s favourite musician so it was special to the both of us.”

Ally remembers, “It rained, cars got stuck on the muddy driveway, the dress got dirty and my curls dropped before I could even walk down the aisle but even in it’s craziness it was the best day that any bride could ask for because I married the man of my dreams.”

“The Soft Rain – It rained!!! Supposedly it’s good luck but I think that was made up to make disappointed brides feel better. There’s nothing worse than a hysterical bride right?! I certainly didn’t love it at the time but as crazy as it sounds, it really made the day memorable. Looking back at the beautiful photos and the memories of the day, I actually love that it rained. One of the guests put it beautifully, she said ‘the soft rain gave the whole day an ethereal feeling, it was perfect.”

Of their photographer, Ally says,  “Adam was just wonderful! We loved his style when first saw his photographs and immediately knew that he would be perfect for our wedding. He was very reliable, reasonably priced and just an all round awesome guy! He managed to capture our day perfectly. I think choosing the right photographer is so important because after the day, the photos are the only thing that you have left (other than a dress you’ll never wear again). I am so glad that we chose Adam to help us capture those memories.”

Moss n Stone created the floral arrangements for the day. “The floristry was an absolute highlight! Simple and fresh. Ann managed to know exactly what I wanted without me even knowing 100%. They were a delight!”

All Occasions Party Hire  provided everything needed for the reception, Ally noting “From the marquee to the cutlery. They were great and managed to change a few things very last minute.We hired Very GC Catering to cater the wedding. The very best kind of people to work with, they were super helpful and super professional. No dietary needs were a problem and the food was wonderful, everyone commented on how delicious it was.”

“At each setting we had an “Advice for the Bride and Groom” card. We used these as our guest book. We got some beautiful heart warming messages and some hilariously funny ones. We love reading through them all! How well do you know the bride and groom? competition – between courses, for a bit of entertainment we had a little quiz, hosted by the bride’s best friend. With questions like ‘What is the eye colour of the groom?’ and ‘Who has traveled the furthest to be here?’. The head table scored the responses and the winning table got a prize! It was so much fun, got everyone on the tables talking and we even had some friendly inter-table rivalry going.”

Ally and Rich chose Michael Buble’s “Everything” for their first dance. Ally says, “The wedding dress got very muddy during our photo session before the reception so I changed into my going away outfit early, I didn’t get to wear my dress so I wore my veil and head piece instead. The band (Chris Hutchison Band) was absolutely great! Everyone LOVED them. A great mix of oldies and more recent songs. Something for everyone.”‘

Congratulations on your marriage Ally and Rich! Thank you for sharing your day with us! Thank you to Adam Ward Photography for sharing today’s wedding with us!