Glamorous Retro Wedding - Polka Dot Bride

Sarah & Lloyd

We can’t help but wish we had been present at the fun, retro wedding of Sarah and Lloyd! From Sarah’s gorgeous tea length gown to quirky fast food stop over photos, this couple did their day their way, and we just adore it. The bride’s family all came from Queensland and New South Wales, and it meant so much to her that they were all together sharing in the day with her and her groom. The brilliant Peggy Saas was on hand to photograph their glamorous retro wedding, and we know you’ll love it!

Sarah remembers, “We first met when I was 15 and Lloyd was 17, and we were working at the same shopping complex. We were a bit shy and went our separate ways, but kept running into each other for the next three years and then that was it! We’ve been through late teens and early adulthood together, and now moving into the next phase of our lives together!”

“Our rings were actually made from rings given to us by both of our mothers,” tells the bride. “My mum gave me her engagement ring from my dad, and Lloyd’s mum gave us an eternity ring. The stones were used for my ring, and the yellow gold was used to make Lloyd’s. They’re one of a kind and so special to us for that reason. I also wore my Oma’s earrings given to her by my Opa for her 21st birthday when they were still in Austria.”

“I always knew what style I wanted for my wedding gown, so when I came across the gown from Elvi Design, I knew it was the right fit for me. Even thinking about it now, after our day, there is nothing I would have changed about the dress. I love the tea length and the silhouette is reminiscent of my favourite fashion decades of the 40’s and 50’s. Having this dress made by hand around me was amazing. It was all so delicate and beautifully made, I wished the experience could have lasted longer!” Claire Randall Creative styled Sarah’s wedding day hair and makeup, as well as for her bridesmaids.

Lucky for them, Lloyd and Sarah like the same style, so they knew from the beginning what he and his groomsmen wanted to wear. “He loves the look of the brogue style shoe, and is quite partial to a bow tie when he gets the chance,” says his bride. “He didn’t want to wear a suit or anything he knew he would feel uncomfortable in, and just wanted to do things his own way. As long as he could bust a move on the dance floor, he was happy!” Lloyd chose his wedding day attired from H&M, and dapper, vintage style shoes from Julius Marlow.

Sarah used to live down the road from Point Walter Reserve in Bicton for several years, and when she and Lloyd started dating they would spend a bit of time down there, so when he chose it as the venue for the ceremony, he knew he was on to a winner. “It’s so beautiful up on the grass, just seeing the river through the trees. We wanted it to be relaxed and full of fun,” tells the bride, who walked down the aisle to Florence and the Machine’s “You’ve Got the Love”. “Walking into our ceremony to it was one of the first decisions we made early on in the planning process. We both love that song, and could imagine it all happening when we listened to it, and got teary too!”

The set-up of the ceremony was a special element to to the couple as Sarah had been friends with the owner of Little Love Story, who styled their day, since primary school. “It was really special to me that she has still been such a good friend for all of these years, not to mention what a hard worker and visionary she is when it comes to what she does,” gushes the bride. “The furniture really set the scene with the mismatching coloured vintage chairs, and the florals from Botanica Naturalis made everything so bright. The florist clicked with me from the beginning and knew exactly what I was looking for. When I saw everything she had put together on the day, it was a million times better than anything I could have dreamed of. ”

The couple tell that they really kept their ceremony and vows light hearted and funny, and that their guests commented on how it was all very “them” on the day, which was exactly what they wanted. Their celebrant, Nathanael Ditchburn, was another “click” for them, as they got on so well, and they felt he understood their slightly offbeat humour. “He made our ceremony flow and was keen to make sure it reflected who we are as a couple.”

“Our photographer, Peggy Saas, is amazing and captured so many things I didn’t even realise she had until I saw all of the photos later on. There were so many moments that were captured when we didn’t expect it, which made for so many good candid shots. We loved that there was a mix of some posed photos, as well as documentary style ones. Catching people in the moment is so special and it really shows the atmosphere of the day. We’re having a hard time deciding what to print out for display at home!”

A fun, memorable part of the day for Sarah and Lloyd was and impromptu stop into MacDonalds after the ceremony with their bridal party. The couple say they don’t muck around when it comes to food, and this highlight of the afternoon made for some terrific photos!

The pair held their reception at The Raffles Highway Bar. “I knew it had been renovated into this deco style space,” explains Sarah. “It really reflected us and the style we both like, so it complemented everything really well. There is a cool vibe and atmosphere, and you can’t go wrong with that view of the Swan River and the city. The food was amazing and the staff were really helpful in the planning and on the night.” Their decadent, striking cake was created for them by Cake Love Couture.

“We actually have two plush Star Wars characters dressed as a bride and groom that my friend had made for us as an engagement gift!” laughs the bride. “She even matched the Chewbacca bridal bouquet in the flower colour scheme I was planning, with a bird cage veil and all. They took pride of place on the guest book table so the guests knew they were at the right place immediately!”

“Lloyd actually chose our first dance song before we even got engaged. He randomly told me one night that he could imagine us having our first dance to Lana Del Ray’s “Young and Beautiful”. I was completely thrown, because I didn’t think he even wanted to get married. It completely suited our style, so it totally worked on the night!”

The couple say that they remember laughing and smiling a lot on their day, with some teary, joy filled moments along the way. “We’re not overly serious people at the best of times, so hearing everyone’s kind words during speeches and saying what we felt in that moment was really special,” says an emotional Sarah. “We’ve been together for 9 and a half years, so we’ve been through a lot to get to this point in our lives. Sharing in that with everyone was an amazing, uplifting feeling.”