Lots of flowers in many and varying vases and bowls makes a seriously impressive centrepiece for your wedding reception. Guests will enjoy mingling amongst it, and it can give a sense of grandeur without even being terribly expensive. Here are some tips to successfully pull off this floral wedding trend. 

Pick a Colour Theme

We love the fresh white and lush green look, but you can also utilise colour. Just make sure you have chosen colours that blend well and that will be represented fairly evenly across the whole table.

Work in Tiers

Basically, the tallest blooms should be at the back, and the shortest at the front – it’s not rocket science! The idea is that you should work with the idea that the view of the flowers front on should appear full and lush. From the side, rows should be evenly spaced. This is a 360 degree feature. 

Symmetry is Key

You want the same height levels from one side to the other, and the same kinds of flowers represented on either side, too. Try starting from the middle of each rowand working your way out, adding to each side as you go.

Keep Costs Low

It may first seem as though a table full of flowers is an unaffordable luxury, but in actuality it’s very simple to pull it off very inexpensively. Because they are all arranged very close together, you can choose quite cheap blooms, and you can even use simple foliage to fill it out. Sunshine Coast florist, Twig & Blossom, who put together this table even artistically placed leaves, which cost virtually nothing, in bowls in this particular feature table.

////

The above images were taken by Chesterton Smith Photography for The Bride’s Tree free online magazine July 2013 edition.

The post Wedding Trend: Table of Flowers appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

5 things I can’t live without:

1. Apple

Love my iMac, iPhone and iPad. 

2. Refreshments & Slippers

Great Chai and Coffee for my little breaks ‘upstairs’ and I have a whole pantry/fridge to raid when I am hungry. Slippers (nanna style) are my chosen footwear for the Home Studio but I do hide them when clients call in.

2. Spotify

Love listening to music while I edit and design.

3. Google Calendar

Keeps my work and life organised.

4. To Do Lists

The old fashioned written kind. Love running my pen through a completed task.

5. Lovely Clients

They find me. How lucky is that! Gorgeous clients contact me to photograph their most important life events. I love hearing their stories and I get to see a lot of LOVE. Just like the song I am there with my camera – “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage.”

The post 5 things photographer Tanya Chesterton Smith can’t do without in her home studio appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Jaimee and Matt were married at Casuarina Gardens after a 14-month long engagement. 78 of their family and friends were in attendence to witness their joining as a married couple by gorgeous celebrant, Shona Anderson. Then they hopped on a boat and sailed away to their dream wedding reception at The Noosa Boathouse Floating Restaurant, which hugs the Noosa River. 

////

Wedding stylists and decorators, Splash Events, were responsible for the pretty styling, adding a sweet and unique flair to the day. A real stand out for us in this wedding is the bride’s fashion, which includes a pair of the most gorgeous shoes we have ever seen!

This lovely couple enjoyed the fun and relaxed wedding day they dreamt of and it was all captured beautifully by Chesterton Smith Photography. 

“Our family and bridal party were amazing, and would help out whenever asked, but the most important thing was having us together to pick the dresses, such a special, memorable day!“

“Matt had his brothers and I had my sister in the bridal party. We then asked Matt’s sister and my brother to do readings.”

“Our mums signed the bridal register (but this was a secret until our celebrant asked them to come up). And another little special touch to the ceremony was that we acknowledged our parents and grandparents and their many happy years together as married couples which came to a total of 268 years.“

“We had photos with family and friends at Casuarina Gardens. We then walked down through the pathways into the beautiful trees for bridal party photos before going to Little Cove for our beach shots.“

“Matt’s parents paid for the bar tab and my parents were very kind enough to give us money which covered the Reception and the Event“

” We wanted our wedding to be fun and relaxed and we just wanted to have a great time dancing the night away, so the music was very important to us and we were lucky enough to have our friends play at the ceremony and reception which was a big hit with all of our guests.”

“We wanted our wedding to reflect who we were as a couple and although it didn’t have a particular theme, it was simple, classic with attention to detail and everyone would say very ‘Matt and Jaimee’ “

“We had the following menu: Entree – House made gnocci with roasted pumpkin and mushroom pesto. Main – Eye Fillet on Potato Gratin with pancetta wrapped beans and red wine jus. Dessert: Wedding cake as dessert with berry compote.”

Wedding Secrets Revealed

Biggest Splurge: Wedding bands and the entertainment

Best Bargain: The stationery was designed by a friend, who is a graphic designer

Bridal gown: Karen Willis Holmes, Paddington $2500

Accessories: Karen Willis Holmes, Paddington $150 and Silver Shop, Toowoomba

$300

Shoes: Mimco, Brisbane $250

Bridesmaid dresses: Bariano, Hoe Boutique Brisbane $330

Bridesmaids’ accessories: Forever New and Lovisa $35

Groom’s and groomsmens’ suits and shoes: Studio Suits and Windsor Smith $350

DIY: The name places, which took me a very very long time. I made every guests name out of wire and attached it to a wooden peg, which I spray painted the same champagne colour as thebridesmaid dresses and then attached a small star fish and diamonte. These were very appreciated by the guests as a keepsake of anamazing day.

Number of Guests: 78

Total Cost of Wedding: Almost $30,000

A-List Vendors

Photographer: Chesterton Smith Photography

Celebrant/Other Officiary: Shona Anderson

Decorators: Splash Events

Caterer: The Boathouse Floating Restaurant

Florist: Blooms of Noosa / Cake: Sugar Dream Cakes / Bombonieres: Factory21 / Transport: Gondolas of Noosa / Makeup Artist: SallyR Makeup / Hair Stylist: Aleesha Darke / Entertainment: Mick Lindsay and Jimboss

The post Boathouse Wedding appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Soft pink is a popular colour for wedding day styling. And the great thing about this colour is it is so very versatile. Usually when you think pink, you might conjure up images of so much sweetness you end up with a toothache. Well we can assure you, including soft or shell pink in your wedding theme can be just sweet and girly enough, without having that overwhelmingly pink feel. 

////

See with this subtle colour, it’s great to team it with neutral or basic colours that blend, rather than contrast. For example, ivory rather than stark white will go beautifully. You can also consider teaming with brown, wood elements, latte, grey or yes, even black. 

From invitations to flowers, bridesmaid dresses to wedding favours, there are so many ways you can have your wedding absolutely dripping with pink and girliness, yet with such a subtle hue, you will still maintain a classic feel. Take a peek at this inspiration board for some sweet ideas for your Sunshine Coast wedding.

Thumbnail image: Image by Brock Beazley Photography 

Inpiration board, clockwise from top left: Soft shell pink Forever New dress, image by Julian Beattie Photography // Fabric wedding invitations by Stand Tall Design, image by Chesterton Smith Photography // Personalised Figgie Shoes, image by Figgie Photography // Lantern for ceremony styling by Lovebird Weddings, image by  Emma Nayler Photographer // Shell pink wedding gown, image by Emma Nayler Photographer // Pink and cream rose bouquet by Blooms of Noosa, image by Lindy Photography / Pink flower bridal hair accessory by Three Sunbeams // Pink heart cookie lollipop wedding favour, image by Chesterton Smith Photography

Lead image by Brock Beazley Photography

The post Shell Pink Wedding Inspiration appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

I am very pleased to share with you today the charming Maleny wedding of a couple of long-time lovebirds. Already a little family of three, this was an extra special day for their adorable little boy. Elyse and Peter’s chapel ceremony in front of their 50 guests was followed by a photo shoot in the Sunshine Coast hinterland’s most iconic spots with photographer-in-the-know, Chesterton Smith Photography. 

Here is the story of Elyse and Peter’s magical day. Enjoy!

////

“My mother and my sister-in-law both gave me beautiful garters to wear on the day.”

“Pete proposed to me when I was six-months pregnant, and we had already been together for four years. Our son is now four and a half years old which means our engagement was four and a half years.”

“When the doors of the church opened to reveal me and my dad to our guests and my husband to be. The look on his face was beautiful, he stood there and said ‘wow!’.”

The A-listers

Photographer: Billeta Wood for Chesterton Smith Photography

Makeup Artist: KJ Artistry

Ceremony venue: The Little White Wedding Chapel, Reception venue: Pomodoras on Obi, Florist: Suncoast Wholesale Flowers / Cake: Pamela Prisk / Entertainment: Amy Katrina / Stationery: Etsy / Celebrant/Other Officiary: Ali Dempster / Wedding Night Accommodation: Pomodoras on Obi

“My advice: have somebody organised to deal with any dilemnas etc on the day. The last thing you want is to receive phone calls on the day!”

“We paid for all the bridal party’s suits/dresses etc and we also gave them a beautiful photo frame with a wedding photo.”

“My father walked me down the aisle, and our best friends and siblings were there to support us unconditionally as our bridal party.”

“Ensuring that we had beautiful photos from our special day was really important to us both. Over time memories of your day are sometimes forgotten or lost, but photos will always be there to remind us.”

Wedding Secrets Revealed

Biggest splurge: Photography and honeymoon

Best money-saver: DIY lolly buffet

Bridal gown: Online from America for $200! Best bargain

Accessories: Etsy

Shoes: Etsy and my shoes were ‘something old’ as I wore them a few months earlier when I was bridesmaid for my friend.

Bridesmaid dresses and accessories: Etsy

Groom’s suit and shoes: Peter Morrisey

Rings: Bride’s – Michael Hill, Groom’s –  K’Dore

DIY: Lolly buffet, bonbonnieres, and stationary.

Number of guests: 50

Wedding budget: $15,000

“My good friend organised all the setting up on the day which was incredibly helpful and much appreciated.”

“All our guests were invited to RSVP with there favourite song which was sure to get them dancing on our wedding night. That was a really fun way of getting our guests involved.”

“Our ceremony and reception was at relaxed as we could make it, which made for such a fun night. By the end of the night everyone was up dancing the night away and noone wanted to leave.”

The post Real Wedding: Elyse & Peter in Maleny appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Look around before the time comes and find something beautiful, funky, cool and creative to do with your bridal gown for the dress photo. Think outside the box – not even the old Hills Hoist is out of the question!

////

Personalised hangers are very special

Photo by Jennifer Oliphant Photographer

A pine hanger to match the decor, and get all the girls involved!

Photo by Chesterton Smith Photography

Utilise the other decor, especially if it goes with your wedding theme. And a crochet hanger is always a winner

Photo by Nicky Stone Photography

Your lace gown will look amazing back lit, bringing out all the little details

Photo by Alan Hughes Photography

More backlit loveliness, and artistically bringing in the colour with the bridesmaid gown

Photo by Greg Gardner Photography

Get creative with the lighting

Photo by Julian Beattie Photography

Frame it in a pretty window

Photo by Andrea Sproxton Photography

Focus on the intricate detailing

Photo by Katja Anton Photography

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of Hills Hoist action!

Photo by Julian Beattie Photography

Another way to utilise the backyard, and get back to nature

Photo by Emma Nayler Photographer

Keep it real

Photo by Julian Beattie Photography

Always make use of a stunning view

Photo by Julian Beattie Photography

Dress photo bomb? I guess it’s really that special, it can steal the limelight even from your fabulous shoes!

Photo by Melanie McNiven Portraits

Have you any plans for your wedding dress photo? We would love to hear all! Share in the comments below.

The post The Dress Photo appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

It’s not hard to see why Tanya is one of our all-time favourite Sunshine Coast wedding photographers, nor why this is our photo of the week!

Happy Saturday, lovely Sunshine Coast brides!

The post Photo of the Week appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

I'm sure once you see the images of the beautiful venues below, you will only want to see more. So that's why you should take a lovely drive up the range today to enjoy the last day of the Maleny Montville Wedding Professionals annual bridal showcase. This collective of the best of the best wedding suppliers will help you to plan the wedding of the year! 

Below are links to all the venue reviews we shared with you this week, and once again the information you need to attend the many different showcase locations and places open for inspection today. And… the prizes you can win if you come along! 

By the way… the hinterland area is usually a few degrees cooler than the coast – just another incentive to mosey on up to see us today. 

Flaxton Gardens

Spicers Clovelly

Vue de Lumieres

House of Laurels 

Pomodoras on Obi

Make sure you come along and say hi to The Bride's Tree team at Maleny Manor today. We would love to meet you, and you could win some fabulous prizes! Last chance! 

The post Just in case you missed it… appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Right, it's the New Year, the world did not end in December 2012, so it's time to get serious about planning your wedding. We have just the way to kick off your year with some very productive researching.

On January 12-13, there is but one place you should be – at the Maleny Montville Bridal Showcase! This is your best opportunity to see all the best wedding venues in the picturesque Maleny and Montville in our Sunshine Coast hinterland. There is no more romantic place in the world, and there are no better wedding professionals than the ones you will find at the Maleny Montville Bridal Showcase. 

Chesterton Smith Photography

All of the best hinterland wedding venues will be hosting you, so over the course of the weekend, this is a brilliant time to have a good old nosy about them. 

You can still pre-register your interest in attending the showcase, specifying which venues you are most interesting in viewing, and you will gain entry into a prize draw to win $1,500 cash to spend on your wedding with the amazing Maleny Montville Wedding Professionals! 

Andrea Sproxton Photography

KJ Artistry

$1,500… think of all the ways you could put that money to great use – hair and makeup, cakes, photography, beverage package, celebrant's fees… the possibilities are endless! And let me tell you, your fiance will love you even more for shaving a bit off the cost of the wedding. Or… now, just putting this out there, but you could maybe just omit telling him and give that little bit of the budget back to your dress shopping!

CL Weddings and Events

There are also a bunch of other prizes you could win, including a cake by the incomparable Lee Berryman of Cake Designs, who is an amazing pastry chef with a wealth of experience, including having worked at Harrods of London. 

The Bride's Tree team will be stationed at Maleny Manor on the day, and we can't wait to meet all of you lovely Sunshine Coast brides! Alongside our little stall, you will find a bunch of brilliant wedding industry professionals, and many more at each of the venues showcasing over the weekend. Next week, we will be sharing with you some of these venues and the details you will need on where you can find all of the Maleny Montville Wedding Professionals you have been dying to meet. 

Maleny Manor

Photo by Calli B Photography

Bill Scurry Marriage Celebrant

 Penny Riddoch Photography

The post A Weekend of Hinterland Weddings appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Then there are the oodles of amazing wedding professionals to choose from. Oh, and of course the kinds of foods, style of dress, themes, colour schemes, styling options, stationery wording and design choices – it's really quite overwhelming! 

Unless of course you have a fabulous wedding planner to simplify matters and get you the best deals, and have your budget stretching (or pinching) where it's best required. That's why today's gallery of the week is for Beedazzled Wedding Planning, so you can see for yourself just a few of the amazing weddings they have pulled together by clicking the link above. Enjoy this and the weekend ahead, lovely Sunshine Coast brides! 

Photos of this Point Cartwright Wedding are by the always incredible Sunshine Coast photographer,  Chesterton Smith Photography. 

The post Gallery of the Week appeared first on The Bride's Tree.