Renée and Mark

For over 200 guests, it was a meeting of the minds as Renée and Mark blended together their Indian and South African backgrounds in an elegant Perth waterside wedding.

Captured beautifully by the team at DeRay & Simcoe Photography it was packed to the brim with fun details. Think a gin bar and another bar for whiskey, an amazing band, a marquee dripping with the most beautiful florals. Pull it all together and you have a wedding that looks a heck of a lot like one amazing party!

Describing their meeting as a “Tinder success story it was on a relaxing weekend away that Mark asked the big question! Renée fills us in.  “It was the weekend after I had just finished a job and was having a break before starting a new one. We went camping together and not long after we’d set up the tent and poured some drinks, Mark called me into the tent saying he needed a hand to find something. When I went into the tent, I found him on one knee and he proposed. I had never camped in my life before I met Mark, but now it is one of our favourite things to do together so it was very special.”

Renée worked with Zanzis Couture to create her dream wedding gown, She tells ” It wasn’t one of those “I walked in and fell in love with the dress” experiences, I fell in love with Zanzis style and designs and then worked with Jennifer to create something original from a dress she had started designing. I loved the combination of traditional floral lace with geometric patterns and all the little details, like the beading on the bodice. I absolutely love my dress and wish I had an occasion to wear it again!!”

It was really important to Renée that the day not only honoured her and Mark but also their culture and extended family. She tells “We had a traditional Roce, which is an Indian blessing ceremony, on the Thursday before the wedding. This is a ceremony during which we were blessed with coconut milk, symbolising the purification of the bride and groom in what is considered the ‘last bath’ as single people. Our wedding was also on my late Nana’s birthday – we were very close to her and she has always been one of Mark’s biggest fans!”

The bride walked down the aisle with her father to Ruelle’s “I Get to Love You”.

The couple chose St Benedicts Church for their wedding ceremony, married by Fr Jim Cochrane. The church, in the bride’s family parish, holds special significance for the couple, who tell of their ceremony “We had a traditional Catholic ceremony with friends and family doing readings and prayers. It was a beautiful ceremony, with some of our friends singing and playing music to accompany the mass.”

Of their photographers, the bride tells “We love how DeRay and Simcoe captured the emotion and excitement of our wedding day. The photos are really natural and filled with warm light and colours. They captured so many little details which we love. Great memories for us to look back on.”

Guests celebrated with a marquee reception at Mounts Bay Sailing Club. Renée tells  “We chose Mounts Bay Sailing Club on the beautiful Swan River – it doesn’t get much better with the backdrop of the shimmering city and sailing boats. The set up at our reception was out of this world and more than we could ever have imagined.”

The couple worked with floral designer Wayne Stubbs to deck out not only their marquee but a special tipi and all of their bridal party flowers. The bride remarks “All I can say is that Wayne Stubbs, our florist and event stylist, is a creative genius. He turned our ideas into the most magical set up including different styling on different tables, a gin bar and whiskey bar in tipis (a nod to our love of camping) and a dance floor and stage which brought the party to life! Our bouquets were absolutely gorgeous with different textures and soft colours – I loved them so much!”

Music was a huge part of the day for Renée and Mark who booked Summer Club Band. The bride shares “We wanted our wedding to be one big party and for everyone to enjoy themselves. Our band, Summer Club Band, played a big role in creating that atmosphere as well as our large families who love a party!”

Tells the bride “Our first dance was to “Die a Happy Man” by Thomas Rhett. It’s a country love song with simple but beautiful lyrics… “If all I’ve got is your hand in my hand, then baby I would die a happy man.”

“The best part about our wedding day was looking around at a room full of people who are your closest friends and family. It really is such a special feeling. From the meaningful ceremony to dancing all night, it really was the best day of our lives!”

Tells the bride “We loved the thoughtful and hilarious speeches and being surrounded by our amazing family and friends – joy is doubled when shared.”

Guests were delighted with a special tipi decked out with a whiskey bar and a gin bar for late-night tipples. “I had lots of little ideas here and there and it was amazing to see it all come together” tells Renée, continuing “I also loved working with some really gorgeous and creative vendors, they made the experience enjoyable and kept my nerves in check!”

The newlyweds worked with Inception Video to capture the magic of their day in motion!

A big congratulations to Renée and Mark on their marriage! Thank you for sharing the stories of your day with us! Thank you also to DeRay & Simcoe Photography for sharing today’s celebration!