Tom and I met on a night out on the town. We stayed in contact and started dating about six months after we first met. Our relationship definitely grew as we found out we had more and more in common. We are both very relaxed, love going to the beach and are into our sports. Tom and I had been together for eight and half years when he proposed. We knew that we were going to be together forever and the marriage proposal cemented our relationship.
Tom proposed when he surprised me on Christmas Eve; I really did not expect it. After spending the day at the beach with our dog, Tom took to me to dinner to my favourite restaurant at Southbank. Afterwards we went for a walk at Kangaroo Point cliffs. This is where Tom asked me to marry him. Little did I know that he had seen a jeweller months earlier, designed the ring with them and had asked my Dad for permission!
My bridal party consisted of my older sister, Jo, and two high school friends, Carla and Gillian. It was only natural to choose my sister as maid of honour as we are very close. To ask the girls I put together a card, reasons why I needed them to share the special day with me, a small bouquet and a candle in a glass jar and gave it to them individually.
The girls’ wore dresses from Jarlo, London. I found them on Pinterest (definitely my ‘go to’ site!) and located them on ASOS. However they were sold out. I contacted Jarlo directly and they arranged a special order for me. I loved the neutral colour (I avoided a colour scheme), and the style suited each of the girls. The low back and high neck also complimented my dress. For a present, I gave each of the girls a Samantha Wills ‘Bardot’ ring which they wore on the day.
Tom included his brother and two friends from high school in the bridal party. In typical male fashion, he asked them at a barbeque!
I thought finding my dress would be a tedious experience. I can be very particular, but it turned out to be very easy – only 45 minutes spent in one bridal boutique! I found it during a visit to Sydney to see one of my bridesmaids. She really wanted to help start the process and on my final day we went to the Dymocks building. We did go into a number of bridal shops and nothing stood out for me.
Then I found it – it was the ‘Sheridan’ dress by Roz La Kelin. While I loved the fit and style, being strapless I wasn’t convinced. After trying on some more dresses to get a feel on how they fitted my body, I tried the Sheridan dress back on. The shop assistant totally took in all the feedback I was giving and showed me a lace jacket that could be attached. As soon as I put it on, my bridesmaid and I started crying. I was exactly what I was after. A classic gown. I also wore my Mum’s veil on the day.
We chose to get married in a church and recited the vows that were recommended to us by the Reverend. We did not sing any hymns but instead included poems that were special to us. I walked down the aisle to ‘Angels’ by The XX and left the church as husband and wife as ‘Banana Pancakes’ by Jack Johnson played.
My florist, Nat at Heavenly Blooms, was the best! Since I love flowers a lot, it was important that they were everywhere. I decided on having white flowers complimented with greenery. The bouquets and reception flowers were mainly roses and baby’s breath.
We chose Heart and Colour as our photographers; they were so great in helping to organize the day and making us feel relaxed in front of the camera. A friend recommended Lemon Tree Film House for our videographers; we hadn’t budgeted for a video but it something that we will value for the rest of our lives. I knew on the day there would be things that I didn’t see or speeches that I forgot. It is such an amazing way to re-live your special day.
Tom and I held our reception at Bistro C which is on the beach front at Noosa; it already had so much style that I didn’t have to add anything expect the flowers – the amazing hanging installation we had looked wonderful! Our cake was made by Creative Cakes by Venilu.
The speeches very all very heartfelt and touching. Our band, Gee’d Up Music, was also great. We chose music that was a mixture of some of our favourite songs as well as some tunes that we knew would get everyone up and out of their seats. Our first dance was to ‘Higher Love’ by James Vincent McMorrow.
Having a wedding day that would be remembered by our family and friends for years to come inspired me. I want to be able to look back in 20 years and still love the choices that we made. We created the wedding day that we intended to – a classic, fun day that was filled with love.
Ms Chinoiserie Says: Congratulations to you both Tracey and Tom; you certainly created a beautiful wedding day that will be remembered for years to come!
About Tracey: I am 29, a high school teacher and recently married the man of my dreams! I am passionate about fitness, health, education and sharing of good vibes! The beach is my favourite place to be.
great photos