Lauren & Phil

Its funny how a wedding can be simple, extravagant, crazy, over the top, sweet, romantic – anything you want it to be. I find it amazing and part of the magic, so when Lauren and Phil’s chic Bondi Icebergs wedding landed, I was smitten with the peaceful beauty of it. Just two people who love the water, choosing what they want for their day. Florent Vidal was there as the photographer to make sure every moment was preserved.

Lauren recalls their story. “Phil and I met while at work. I think we locked eyes with one another on my first day at the job! Despite not working in the same area of this big company we were able to make a bee line towards each other during after work social drinks……and here we are 7 years later! ”

Lauren loved that moment. “When you first get the images back from the photographer and get to see everyone having a great time. It was also great for me to see what the groomsmen were doing when they were getting ready, I’m sure it was the same vice versa. The story the images told captured so many precious moments, I still go through them constantly now – they help keep alive the best memories.”

Kicking off Lauren & Phil’s dream team were hair stylist and makeup artist Melissa Cauchi and Makeup By Megan. Lauren notes, “A big shout out to Megan Vaughn and Melissa Cauchi who were my makeup and hair artist for the day. These guys totally put me at ease – they’re not only very skilled at what they do, they were so professional, helping to make sure we all arrived to the wedding ceremony on time and calming my nerves. They were so lovely to talk with and have as part of my wedding day preparation.”

Lauren wore a strapless gown from Pallas Couture, noting, “I am glad I choose Pallas Couture for my wedding dress. It was so nice to have a wedding dress tailor made to fit my body. I customised the Angelika gown – it turned out just as I pictured and the process was completely stress free.”

Lauren’s bridesmaids wore chic white dresses from Winona Australia. Lauren remembers, “When selecting a dress for my bridesmaids I kept asking myself whether the dress would be something I would want to wear. I have seen a lot of not so flattering bridesmaid dresses, so was determined to find something fresh and modern, which would look great on all the girls. I was so relieved when I found their dress from Winona Australia – the dress was something I would wear, would look great on the girls while complimenting my wedding dress and had a great price tag!”

Lauren walked down the aisle to Stringspace playing Pachelbel’s Canon In D. She tells, “I remember walking down the aisle, faced with smiling faces of all our family and friends, and seeing Phil – who had a mixture of nerves and excitement written all over his face. In the corner of my eye the clouds were clearing in the sky leaving a rainbow over North Bondi. I couldn’t fully appreciate it as I had to focus on getting down the aisle without tripping up, however when I did see all the pretty colours up in the sky I remember thinking it was a very good sign!”

Lauren and Phil were married at Bondi Icebergs Club.“The ceremony was held under a marquee on the pool deck at Bondi Icebergs. We had family and friends traveling from overseas, so loved how our ceremony was going to be held at an iconic Sydney landmark. It was so beautiful being able to say our vows with the waves crashing below us. It also provided the perfect backdrop for our photos after. We love the beach and outdoor lifestyle so this location suited us perfectly, having it under a marquee added a touch of elegance and shelter against the elements.”

Robyn Pattison officiated the ceremony, the bride remembering “I highly recommend Robyn Pattison who was our celebrant. I wanted the ceremony to tell a story about us as a couple. Robyn helped us to write a ceremony that was warm, funny and emotive. Some couples just want to get the ceremony over and done with so they can get to the dance floor quicker, but for us this part of the day was really important, otherwise as Robyn would put it, it’s just a very expensive party. I think all our guests walked away learning something new about us as a duo with all the stories that were shared.”

Of their photographer, Lauren tells, “Phil and I wanted a photographer that would capture our day in a style that was timeless. Florent has this ability to capture mood and emotion in his photos with his photojournalist style. Looking through his portfolio you feel like you were part of the special days he has captured.

In 20 or 30 years time we can look at the images from our wedding and remember the special moments/ emotion like it was yesterday. We decided to take photos of our wedding party along the iconic coastal walk between Bondi and Coogee. Florent managed to capture some amazing landscape images of us with the beautiful scenery in the background – we were so happy with how these images came out.”

On their continuation of waterside venues, Lauren and Phil chose Zest Point Piper for their reception. “We loved Zest as it had the most beautiful views, it was also the perfect sized space for our wedding guests with plenty of room for a band and dance floor. What impressed us the most about Zest was the food and their focus on creating the perfect mood and ambiance through correct lighting. The dumpling bar which was set up for appetizers was a huge hit with guests as it was something different and unique. Guests also loved the roving desserts as they didn’t have to go back to your table to eat, they could enjoy dessert and dance at the same time!”

Maggie May Flowers  created the floral arrangements for the day, including the centrepieces, the bride noting, “The team at Zest Point Piper were terrific at creating mood with the spot lighting which looked really stunning in person and in the photographs. The flowers supplied by Maggie May I selected were in season, and added a touch of elegance to the tables. I added some Glasshouse candles that smelt beautiful, Tiffany chairs, a fun Polaroid camera for guests to take images with which they could either take with them of stick into the guest book with a note. There were also paper lantern bags down the corridor at Zest which I ordered online. They had a heart shaped cut-out and a candle in them which looked so effective as a welcome to the reception venue.”

“My two younger brothers were MC – they were hilarious and did such a good job. I was so proud of them. The speeches were so touching and so personal, especially Phil’s speech. Guys aren’t normally that great at expressing their emotions on a day to day basis – so hearing what he had to say about our relationship over all these years was all the more special.”

Of their first dance, Lauren remembers, “I was a little hesitant about doing a first dance, however Phil was really keen on the idea. Through friends we were in contact with Steph – a professional dancer who was going to help us with this dance. I spent a lot of time trying to pick out a song that wasn’t too cheesy or “cliche”, that would be memorable, however was finding it really difficult.

Steph suggested All of Me by Michael Buble (not the song by John Legend!). It wasn’t a song that I had heard before, but felt it was perfect! We were so nervous, however once the dance started the nerves eased and we were able to have some fun with it. In the end I’m so glad we did it! Not only was taking dance lessons something new and different (something we wouldn’t normally do, but a lot of fun!) having all our friends and family cheering us on made it so much more fun.”

The couple never regretted hiring professional musicians – Press Club Band  was chosen for the reception. Lauren says, “Having live music made all the difference. The string quartet made the special moment of the ceremony all the more emotional and moving. Walking down the aisle felt like a fairytale moment. The band was also a great way at the reception to get everyone dancing.”

Congratulations Lauren and Phil! Thank you for sharing your day with us! Thank you also to Florent Vidal for sharing today’s wedding.