Sometimes, the huge celebration isn’t your style; it’s the slow, intimate day to be present and intentional. That was the case for Niwa and Bastien’s beachside wedding! “It was exactly what we had hoped for.” With Martine Payne and Weekday Wedded Bliss on their team, Niwa and Bastien had their dream celebrations surrounded by the ones they most cherish.

After meeting through his best friend, Niwa and Bastian were inseparable! Flash forward, and they were celebrating their first date night as new parents, going out on the town for her birthday dinner, when Niwa experienced the surprise of a lifetime. “We went to a very impressive fine dining restaurant with gorgeous views of Sydney harbour, and I remember thinking it was a little fancier than our usual celebrations. Even so, I was not suspicious AT ALL. The meal was impeccable, and we were both very impressed, and as the night progressed, I took a bathroom break. On my return, I found Bastien seated in the cozy and empty bar area and asked him why he was there. Before I knew it, he got up and went down to his knees. I was completely caught by surprise and it was so nice to have the moment all to ourselves even though we were in a public area. The restaurant staff quickly congratulated us with a glass of champagne and we returned to our dessert course filled with joy.

For her wedding attire, Niwa stumbled upon this stunning Aje midi dress on eBay and instantly fell in love! The dress is constructed from an air-like organza and finished with delicate floral applique and satin ties. “It epitomised easy elegance! I love that I will wear it again and again! My clutch was also bought on eBay, and I finished off the outfit with a pearl headpiece and white satin peep-toe heels. I had bought another dress months ago, and although it was very me, I quickly realised I didn’t feel very confident in the fitted silhouette, so I flipped the coin and went in the complete opposite direction. The whole experience was very casual, and I didn’t involve anyone else, which is how I like to shop (even for my big day!).”

While dancing is a shared hobby between Bastien and Niwa, they had no official first dance. That didn’t stop them from having a little boogie on the beach during their pre-ceremony portraits, though! And these photos turned out to be Niwa’s favourites – and we can see why!

Sub.Subtle Studio took care of all things florals and styling for Niwa and Bastien after coming highly recommended by their planner, Weekday Wedded Bliss. “I relayed my inspiration for the flowers, including a touch of blue, a sculptural flair and some tropical greens to pay homage to my East African roots. A couple of emails later and we were good to go! It was such a joy to see it all come together on the day and they completely nailed the brief.”

Martine Payne was the creative genius behind all of these incredible photos, and Niwa and Bastien couldn’t have been happier with her work! “I had stumbled upon Martine’s work on Instagram about two years ago and I knew I wanted to work with her one day. When wedding planning came into the picture, she was the obvious choice,” she shared. “It’s amazing how efficiently she worked on the big day and put us at ease during the process. As a freelance creative, I’m very comfortable being behind the camera, so it was nice to be able to trust someone’s eye and story-telling.”

The Public Dining Room in Balmoral, Sydney, was the backdrop for this stunning, intimate wedding. “We wanted to get married at Balmoral Beach, our local family beach, and we wanted a venue that could facilitate both the ceremony and lunch reception.”

Niwa walked down the aisle with her dad, a tradition that was important to her to honour.

Their ceremony was super simple, out on the terrace of the Public Dining Room, with a stunning view of the beach. “We wanted it to feel intimate and relaxed. My dad shared a bible reading which was an important cultural inclusion for my family. Andrea (Weekday Wedded Bliss) was a wonderful celebrant and really made it all so special.”

Since it was an intimate ceremony, the only person at their wedding party was their beautiful 1-year-old daughter! She wore a gorgeous bridal outfit gifted to her by Niwa’s mum and sister-in-law. “The vow exchange included us holding our daughter as she insisted on being part of the moment. It was just so fitting in the end.”

All of the vendors picked out for this intimate wedding were the perfect additions! In Niwa’s words, “They were all amazing. I have to acknowledge Andrea (celebrant) as the maestro who brought them all together. It was incredibly easy to work with Sandra Wograndl (makeup), sub.subtle studio (flowers) and Martine and each delivered on the vision with great care and professionalism.”

The four things that made their intimate wedding so special were:

“1. We did it our way, it was minimal fuss (before, during and after),

2. We had the iconic Balmoral beach practically all to ourselves on a Friday morning,

3. We could be present at every moment and enjoy time together with our guests,

4. Getting married at a restaurant guaranteed a delicious lunch.”

Congratulations, Niwa and Bastien, on your stunning, intimate wedding! And thanks to Martine Payne Photography for capturing and sharing this celebration with us.