Offbeat & Bright Bayside Wedding

Sarah & Mathew

Don your very best sequins today folks, because we’ve got the backyard beauty wedding of Sarah and Mathew and you’re all invited!

Just the ticket for The Colour Issue, AM For Love Studio captured these two souls as they married, with all the magic moments in the groom’s grandparents’ backyard, surrounded by their favourite people. Dreaming of a relaxed and fun day, which was filled with homemade cake, ice cream cones filled with flowers, sequin wedding gowns and even a gorgeous baby bump, this is a wedding that was less about pomp and circumstance, and more about everything just as it should be – with love, friendship and family at the very centre of it all.

After these two both “swiped right” it was an unexpected proposal for Sarah, who thought she was taking part in a radio interview. She fills us in on the story. “I was at work when my boss told me that a local radio station wanted someone from our work to go in and talk about hair colour on the radio, and I reluctantly agreed.
The next morning I made my way to the radio station and was told I would be talking about suggesting colour ideas to PJ. They introduced me and after a few moments, they said they were going to be taking some phone calls. The second caller I recognized as my boyfriend!
He started talking about how he thought I was a good hairdresser, and as I looked up he suddenly walked into the station!
They admitted they hadn’t got me in the station to talk about hair & with that Mathew started talking about our life together and his daughter and then he asked me to marry him. I said yes!”

The bride donned a lilac Needle & Thread sequin gown, purchasing it online. “I loved that it had sequins all over! I was 18 weeks pregnant with my son on my wedding day I got it altered a couple of weeks before the wedding.”

Sarah and Mathew wanted a casual ceremony, and it turns out Mathew’s grandmother’s backyard was just the place for it! Sarah explaining “We chose Mathew’s Nan’s garden as we loved the gazebo which was built to remember his grandad who had passed away. Mathew is close with his Nan and wanted to do it somewhere special.”

The bride was lucky enough to have her father fly all the way from the UK to walk her down the aisle Sarah choosing her friend Connor to play Danny Elfman’s “Ice Dance” (from Edward Scissorhands) on the piano as they walked down the aisle.

Of the ceremony, the couple could not have been happier, especially with their choice of celebrant – Marry Me Dee. Sarah shares “Our lovely celebrant Marry Me Dee made it personal & very fun! My mum flew over from the UK and did a reading by Pam Ayers – Yes I’ll Marry You.”

This was a day, that was truly personal, only coming to life thanks to plenty of help from family and friends, explains Sarah. “We designed our invites and playlist. I did my own makeup too. We also had lots of help from my friends.

Louise, Mathew’s sister decorated the garden and gazebo on the day. Mathews’ uncle Neil had spent weeks repainting the gazebo and getting it ready for us.
Fiona made the flowers at the reception and did the girls’ hair, Steph made little desserts for everyone, Nicole Yates made my wedding cake.”

Sarah and Mathew, after a recommendation, asked Bloom Boy to style the bright and beautiful floral details – including flower-filled ice cream cones for the flower girls! “The flowers were amazing and one of my favourite things! ”

The Deck Brighton was chosen to host a delicious sit-down reception for the newlyweds. “We chose this venue as we loved the space, it was close to the beach & the food was great!”

“We didn’t have a first dance” notes Sarah, “but made a playlist that included our favourite songs. A special song for me was David Bowie, As The World Falls Down from The Labyrinth.”

As the day drew to a close, the newlyweds took a moment alone with their photographer, by the bay for photographs. “Mathew & I at the beach was one of my favourite moments” remembers the bride. “It was super windy and we almost got blown away. My talented friend Michaela Barca from AM For Love Studio was the photographer, she captured the day perfectly and I loved having her part of my wedding.”