With just their celebrant, photographer, videographer and two witnesses, they made their way to Point Cartwright to be married. You can see in their photos by Emma Nayler Photographer, theirs was a meaningful, intimate ceremony all about their love for one another and their family.

Vendors

Photographer: Emma Nayler Photographer

Videographer: Nick Hargans Media

Celebrant: I Am Celebrant Sam

Florist: Suncoast Flowers

Hair + Makeup Artist: With Love Creative 

Bridal gown: Rue De Seine

Flowergirl dress: Miya & Ma

Lisa, describe how the day of your elopement went.

We cooked a bbq lunch at home with my sisters and cracked a bottle of champagne. I then left to get ready at my friend’s house and my hair and makeup lady came there.

Dan and the kids got ready together at home with my two sisters. It was nice for them to be a part of the day even though they weren’t coming to the elopement. My friend drove me there, and we had a simple ceremony that the rain was kind enough to hold off for!

It then rained on and off, and we got lots of photos and popped some champagne. Once it was all done, we picked up take away Thai on the way home and didn’t even see the New Year in!

What was something important to you that you simply had to include?

I wasn’t phased about anything being an absolute necessity. I wanted it to be as simple as possible with no fuss. It was important to me that everyone there was chill and casual about everything. I was so lucky to have a photographer and celebrant I already knew, and my videographer was recommended and so easygoing as well!

Share a special moment from the day.

Our son read a beautiful poem he wrote with my sister during the ceremony and it was really nice. I also loved watching the kids play in the rain on the rocks during photos. I felt so grateful to have such a beautiful family.

Did you have a honeymoon?

No honeymoon! Lots of people asked if we would do a honeymoon, but when you have a beautiful family and live at the Sunshine Coast, I always say, “my life is a holiday!”

Who did you invite to be part of your day?

My friend Rose, who I met when I first moved to the coast. I have a lot of friends, so it was hard to not involve them all, but we decided one person each! Dan’s mum, Lucy, was also there. We didn’t tell her until the day before!

The post Lisa + Dan | Elopement at Pt. Cartwright appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

1)The date they chose was Alexandra’s grandmother’s birthday;

2) their dream photographer was available;

3) the venue Alec found was available, too.

It seems like fate was on their side, especially as the bride, Alexandra, chose the very first dress she tried on! Even though she had to double check it was still The One a couple of months down the track.

One choice Alex never questioned was the one where she decided to marry Alec. Their love and downright joy in each other’s company is evident in the images and film below, telling the story of their dream day. I couldn’t help but smile and fall a little in love with them myself when putting together this article!

I know you’re going to adore them and their super stylish wedding, too. The Brisbane couple were married at the Mooloolaba Marina venue, Pier 33, before taking off for a fun photo shoot with their bridal party at Point Cartwright.

Alexandra and Alec share their story below.

Vendors

Photographer + videographer: XOX Weddings

Venue: Pier 33

Florist: Oh Honey Florals

Cake: Whipped Cake Co.

Makeup artist: Renee Jean Makeup Artist

Hair stylist: Roca Verde

Decor hire: Harrison and Co. Event Hire

Entertainment: John Veloso

Celebrant: The Wedding Wanderer

Alexandra and Alec Gold from bxcsmxth on Vimeo.

Let’s hear from the Groom…

I had been trying to propose all day however there were a number of interruptions to my efforts. We spent the morning at the beach with her sister and brother in law, but they decided to pack up and leave before I got a moment. Then, Alex ran into an old friend, and the conversation kept flowing. When they departed, the weather had turned so we headed back home. The ring went back into the pocket for another day. With an overcast morning the next day, I was able to convince her to have a coffee on the beach. It was overcast and slightly windy, not ideal, with Alex wanting to go home- somehow I convinced her to stay ‘until the sun comes up.’ I kissed her and maneuvered onto one knee before she realised what was happening, I asked her to spend forever with me. After smothering me in kisses, I realised she never actually said yes.

Most emotional moment of the day

I now pronounce you Mr and Mrs Gold!

The one thing I’ll never forget

Repeating the words ‘my husband’ and ‘your wife’ during the vows- the smile could not be wiped from our faces.

Highest wedding planning priority

I always knew that I wanted Beccy Smith (of XOX Weddings) to photograph my wedding, so the moment that we were engaged she was the first vendor we messaged to see if she was available.

Biggest challenge

Planning it in five months! We decided to get married on my grandma’s birthday on the 27th of September. When we confirmed Pier 33 and Beccy were available in 2019, we couldn’t wait for the following year. It was definitely stressful at times, but it also encouraged us to not fret over the small details and to make quick decisions.

I chose my wedding dress six days after we were engaged. I tried on a few different dresses, but returned to the first one I tried on. I ended up having to go back two months later with wedding jitters just to make sure it was what I wanted as it was such a blur!

Our next big adventure.

We’ve nailed it. Wedding, house and baby in 12 months.

Wedding Secrets

Biggest splurge: Our neon sign that we got made purely for the reception, it now hangs in our dining room as a wonderful reminder of the event. It reads – The Golds.

Best money-saving decision: A few small DIY projects and cutting out all the typical ‘fluff’ that comes with a big event.

Dress: Chosen by One Day from Sphere Collective

Veil: Sphere Collective

Shoes: Loeffler Randall

Groom’s and groomsmen’s attire: Jacket was Scotch & Soda, Pants and shirt were Country Road.

Groom’s accessories: The watch was a gift from the grooms father- he wore on his own wedding day 30 years ago. The bow tie was from Peggy and Finn.

Shoes: Urge Footwear

Bridesmaids’ dresses: Bec and Bridge

Junior bridesmaids dresses: Sourced their own navy dresses.

DIY: Welcome sign, confetti boxes, seating chart and the place holders.

Honeymoon: Elements of Byron Bay

Number of guests: 100

The post Alexandra loves Alec | Mooloolaba Wedding appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Was it a hard decision?

Initially it did feel hard and a bit stressful! However once the decision was made (we moved our big celebration at Aquila Retreat till next October) I focused on creating a really magical day this year and was really relaxing and all about us. Funnily enough we now feel like we have the best of both worlds!

Tell us about what you did on the day.

The boys went out for breakfast while the girls got started on hair and makeup at our unit. I had my favourite music on, and did up some platters for us, and the whole morning was super chilled – we actually were running ahead of time!

We had our first look photos there, then headed to the ceremony together. It was the most stunning day with blue sky and wispy clouds, and when we were standing at the altar I couldn’t get over how stunning our spot was.

We did some sneaky photos together in a little forest path after the ceremony then met our guests at Ross’s parents’ place for the reception. Then it was drinks and canapés, and I took my shoes off straight away!

We had the most incredible 7-course degustation from 6:00, then carried on with drinks in the lounge setting by the pool. It felt so ‘us’ and we both couldn’t get over how perfect the entire day was!

Share a special moment from the day.

We loved getting first look photos at our unit overlooking the ocean! It was so nice to take time out together before the ceremony and get lost in the moment.

Seeing each other beforehand made it feel like the day was just for us and helped settle the nerves – we also loved getting chauffeured to the ceremony together in a gorgeous black Jag convertible.

Where did you spend your Honeymoon?

Thanks for supporting our A-list Vendors below, who helped make Sarah and Ross’ Point Cartwright Elopement so special…

The post Sarah loves Ross | Point Cartwright Elopement appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Sierra and Harrison met in the water, got engaged in the ocean, and were married in the rock pools at Point Cartwright. This surfer couple’s wedding was all about being wild and free, and natural simplicity. 

Bride, Sierra, has shared her dream wedding day with us, which the unpretentious couple pulled off for just $6000… 

Unforgettable Moment

I should probably say something like our vows but in all honesty it is probably the cheeky bum squeeze I gave Harrison right after we signed our marriage certificate during the ceremony. We were behind a table and I managed to pull it off without anyone seeing.

The Wedding Morning 

I actually surfed with Harrison the morning of. We love surfing and it’s how we met. Forget the tradition of not seeing the bride before the wedding! We got sunrise pictures in the water the morning of and some fun little waves.

Images by Mallory Sparkles Photography

Why a Sunshine Coast Wedding?

We live here! And I had connections for my reception venue so I got it very affordable, it only cost $80 for a permit to get married on the rocks at Point Cartwright. It’s absolutely breathtaking there. We met in the ocean, got engaged in the ocean, and had to get married in the tide pools there to finish it off!

Standout Vendors 

Sally Townsend came to my location to do my make up. She was quick, efficient, and listened to what I wanted. Mallory (Mallory Sparkles Photography) went above and beyond even helping direct people around that morning so I wouldn’t have to because I didn’t have a point person to take charge.

The Proposal

We were squeezing in yet another ocean adventure between my night class training and my daytime teaching schedule so it was very spontaneous. We were paddling to Old Woman island (a special place for us) off of Mudjimba beach. We were about halfway when there was a fish/bird/ splashing full blown feeding frenzy so there’s a good chance there’s also sharks feeding on the fish. We stopped and Harrison wasn’t sure we should continue but I was all for it. I said this is the kind of adrenaline I needed in my life so Harrison did it right there in the water on our surfboards. We then went to the island and had a surf and adventure around the island.

Why I Married This Man

Harrison is my best friend. We love having fun adventures together and hanging out. We are opposites that balance each other out and are able to get along with our very different personalities. Harrison is very patient and kind. He’s a peacemaker and his humility before God and dedication to do what is right is what first attracted me to him.

One Thing I’d Change

Get a point person to boss everyone around for me and make everything happen. I wrote an itinerary with instructions for everyone but no one really followed it and some transitions were not so smooth. But I didn’t mind, I was dead set on having fun.

The Music

I walked down to “Best Friend” by Queen because it was fresh and funky just like our whole relationship. Also just so accurate. Harrison had to surprise me with our first dance. He chose “Dancing in the Moonlight” by King Harvest since we spent a lot of time running around beaches at night and it was one we loved.

Check out our Walk Down the Aisle Playlist with suggestions from real couples, and some of my own suggestions… 

Wedding Secrets

Biggest Splurge: My amazing photographer Mallory (Mallory Sparkles Photographer). Harrison and I are very bare essentials and DIY sort of people. So having a photographer that was not one of Harrison’s friends was a slight debate. However, we decided in the end that it was worth it to get a professional in the mix. Mallory captured our day in it’s raw and beautiful form so we can continue to relive it! While we were looking through our wedding photos Harrison said, “You we’re right, Mallory was totally worth it. She made it really fun and easy to have genuine photos.”

Best bargain: I custom-ordered my dress online only 1.5 months before our wedding. It was only $250. Luckily I got it early enough to have the underlay of the dress altered because it wasn’t quite right. I got referred by a friend to an amazing seamstress who did it for $80.

Bride’s dress: Ali Express, the supplier was named Nancy Li. I was afraid I’d end up with one of those online orders that comes nothing like the picture but I messaged her extensively before ordering asking about the fabric and everything. She was very responsive and I had buyer protection so I could send it back for a full refund.

Groom’s attire: Country Road on sale for $300

Shoes: No shoes. Wild and free just like us!

Bridesmaids’ dresses: Baby Lemonade

Groomsmens’ attire: Whatever white shirts they had and Country Road pants

DIY: Table centrepieces, cakes, wedding favours (shells we found on the beach during our engagement), bride’s hair, and bridesmaids’ hair and makeup. 

Honeymoon: Road trip down the East Coast of Australia. It was amazing we scored some pumping surf at Lennox Heads, Angourie, Cabarita Beach, Coffs Harbour. 

Number of guests: 80

Wedding budget: As little as possible!

Actual cost of wedding: $6,000

The One Thing I Wouldn’t Change

Enjoying every minute, even the messy moments. Being spontaneous and going off script with dancing and my vows.

Our Next Adventure

Probably just change the world for Jesus, following the passions he’s given us and watching how he unfolds his plan to use us.

The Crew

Photographer: Mallory Sparkles Photography | Reception Venue: School of Biblical Studies Campus | Florist: iBlossom | Makeup: Sally Townsend Makeup Artistry | Catering: Kunara Organic Catering | Stationery: Amazon.com.au | Celebrant: Daniel Gettis from Goodlife Church 

The post Sierra loves Harrison | Point Cartwright Wedding appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Amy says she fell in love with Joe at first sight. It was certainly was a fateful weekend away from Kingaroy for Joe to Amy’s hometown of Toowoomba. Who knew he would meet his future wife? 

Eight years later Amy married Joe in a blush pink bridal gown at beautiful Point Cartwright beach with 90 of their family and friends in tow. It was an overcast day with showers, but it didn’t dampen the happy couple’s spirits at all. In fact Amy says the cloud cover made for amazing photos and she’s grateful for her wedding day weather. 

Said perfect photos were taken by the very talented Renee Towers. 

“One of the most important parts of the planning stages for me was to have my mother with me when I first tried on my wedding dress. That was a very special moment.”

“I must admit I spent many hours on Google and pinterest and of course the amazing brides tree website searching for inspiration. Once I had my colour pallet everything seemed to come together from there. I really had a mixture of themes.”

“My best friend Tammy read out a beautiful reading during the ceremony, I also included my beautiful nieces in the bridal party as flower girls.”

“The first thing that I booked was our ceremony location and our photographer. My ceremony was so important to me. I wanted our commitment to each other to be memorable and special. I also wanted a photographer who stood back and captured the day as it unfolded.”

“We complement each other in many different ways, he makes me laugh all the time and we are always there to support each other no matter what. We are inseparable and I love that!”

“Luckily for us the weather held out just long enough to get photos done at the beautiful Point Cartwright at Buddina.”

Wedding Secrets 

Biggest splurge: My dress, Joe’s suit and our honeymoon

Best money-saver: DIY reception decor

Bridal gown: Allure Bridal Gown from Hills in Hollywood Indooroopilly

Accessories: Silver Shop Toowoomba

Shoes: London Rebel

Bridesmaid dresses: Caser Elegance Toowoomba

Bridesmaids’ accessories: Lovisa

Groom’s and groomsmens’ suit and shoes: Les Roice Jindalee

Rings: Angus and Coote Mt Ommaney

DIY: Seating plan chart, table place cards, table number frames, bombonnieres, signage, wishing well wooden box. 

Honeymoon: The Whitsundays

Gift registry: Wishing Well

Number of guests: 90

Wedding budget: $25,000

A-LIst Vendors

Photographer: Renee Towers Photography 

Makeup Artist: Natalie Hunter Makeup Artist

Hair Stylist: Sass & Niki’s Wedding Hair

Cake: Ideas in Icing 

Reception venue: Headland Golf Club Buderim Florist: Buderim Florist / Caterer: Headland Golf Club / Transport: Friends Cars / Decorators: Beach and Garden Ceremonies / Gift registry: Wishing Well / Celebrant: Vikki Speller / Wedding Night Accommodation: Surfside on the Beach Buddina

Take a look through the rest of Amy & Joe’s wedding album. 

The post Real Wedding: Amy & Joe at Pt. Cartwright appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Their wedding day included a frantic search for some missing rings they are still unsure whether or not should be blamed on the groom or the best man, but to them this just added to the character of their perfect Sunshine Coast wedding day! 

After their ceremony, they and their guests walked the bridge over to Chambers Island, Maroochydore, amidst romantic paper lanterns to be greeted on the other side by the welcome sounds of a lone acoustic guitar. Their wedding reception was held at the Maroochydoore Sail Club on Chambers Island. 

Katreena and Shannon’s perfect day was captured beautifully by Light and Shade Photography.

Katreena and Shannon’s Hand-picked Team That Made It All Happen

“It was important for us that we had a water sharing ceremony. Also that the day was as relaxed

as we are, that we had a great time, that we could share our day with our favourite people and

that everyone had fun. Our wedding rings were the most important physical element of the day –

dragon and the pheonix with the eternal sun = double happiness.”

“We have a lot in common, we both love the ocean, animals, being outside, and we share a lot of the same values”

Wedding Secrets Revealed

“As a wedding gift a friend of Shannon’s shaped a surfboard for us. So we decided to glass it and use it as our guest book, which turned out to be a very cool piece of memorabilia that doesn’t just sit unseen on the shelf.”

“I am a big lover of animals great and small, and so is Shannon, and I really wanted to have my pets with me, so we came up with the idea of having all their pictures on the sweets table, cause that would have been their favourite! It was next best thing to having them with us.”

. “Our wedding was started by us, built onto by friends and family, and shared by all, with a big party at the end.”

The post Chambers Island Wedding appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Perfect lighting and the pretty blue sky are the stars of this shot, alongside the beautiful couple of course, and we absolutely adore her fun and colourful bouquet as well! Just too many reasons why this is today’s Photo of the Week, and none more than the fact that it has come from one of our absolute fave Sunshine Coast wedding photographers, Emma Nayler Photographer. 

Happy Easter Saturday, lovely Sunshine Coast brides! 

The post Photo of the Week 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. 

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Today some words of wisdom from guest blogger, Fiona Roberts of Celebrate With Fiona. This lovely lady is one amazing Sunshine Coast wedding celebrant we simply adore! Take it away, Fiona! 

So you thought it would be great to write your own vows, but now a substantial dose of writer’s block (not to mention an overriding fear of embarrassing yourself) has hit you squarely on the head.  Not sure how to transform your life-altering feelings into a paragraph of coherent words?  You’re not alone — but don’t worry, your goal is within reach.  Just take it one word at a time!  

Before you get started…

Make sure your Celebrant will accept personalised vows.  If you’ve chosen a Civil Marriage Celebrant, you’re in the clear – as long as you include the legal wording “I call upon the persons here present to witness that I, A.B., take you, C.D., to be my lawful wedded Husband/Wife/Spouse.”  Religious Celebrants, on the other hand, may require you to recite all or part of the traditional vows, though in most cases that’s left to the celebrant’s discretion.  Having said all of that, please remember: even the most accommodating Celebrant should review your words in advance!

Agree on your ‘tactics’

Ensure that you and your fiancé feel the same way: Are you each going to pen your own vows, or will you write them together?  Will you show them to each other before the ceremony?  Or will they remain a romantic secret to be shared on your special day?  Something to remember: Secret vows often mean tears on the day – happy tears of course – but tears nonetheless.  So, if you do take this option, you may want to have a tissue somewhere handy!

Establish some ground rules

An outline helps to establish a structure, so that your vows (whilst perhaps different), are still a similar length and follow a similar format.   For example, plan to first talk about how you met, then about how wonderful life has been as a couple, then about what you’re vowing to each other.  Don’t underestimate the power of humour either – consider throwing in at least one playful sentiment.  The most important thing is that your vows ring true and sound like they’re from your heart – after all, these are the promises you are basing your Marriage on!

What on earth do you say?!

To help you think of what to include, take turns answering these questions. When you’re done, look through your answers for the phrases that best capture your intended message and blend them into the structure of your vows.  Alternatively, your Celebrant may have some ‘sample’ wordings that you can check out – here you will be able to get a feel for the sorts of words and phrases that you like and don’t like, and then you can incorporate those ideas.

1.      What did you think when you first saw him/her? Start from the very beginning.  When did you realise you were in love? The more specific you are able to be, the more touching the story. 

2.      What do you have now that you didn’t have before you met?  Focus on the heart and head, not material possessions.

3.      How has your view of the world changed? Life has likely gotten better since the two of you joined forces, so share that!  What do you miss most when you’re apart?  Where do you see yourselves in 10 years? What are your long-term hopes and dreams?

4.      Do parts of the traditional vows resonate with you? Maybe you’re not too sure about the obey part, but can you really go wrong with love and cherish?  Perhaps try a little humour here to lighten the traditional sound – for example: I promise to cherish and honour you all the days of my life, especially when curled up on the couch with takeaway.

5.      Can you think of a funny or touching experience that put your partner in a new light?  Is there a harrowing experience that strengthened your bond? 

6.      What goals and values do you both have? Stating your common bond may just expose your inner wordsmith.  What about him/her inspires you?  What do you most respect about your partner? 

7.      What promise can you make to show your devotion? Here’s an opportunity to personalise your vows — many couples pledge their endless love, but how many promise to take the rubbish out, even the rubbish in the bathroom, without being asked?  (Yes, that HAS happened!)

8.      How will you change together? You know what your goals are — think about the steps the two of you will need to take together to reach them.  Why are you entering the bond of marriage?  Why is marrying your fiancé is so special.  What will keep your marriage strong? 

9.      What are you most looking forward to about married life? The wedding is just the beginning.  What do you expect out of married life? Defining your expectations will help you make and keep promises. Think about your dreams, and what you’ll have to vow to do to make them come true.

10.  What words do you associate with love? Make a list of romantic terms so you can avoid overusing love — too many repetitions dilute its power.

So there you have it, some useful tips for making your vows your own.  Don’t forget, your very best source of assistance is your Celebrant.  Ask for help if you need it – I personally love being able to help couples craft the perfect vows to reflect their relationship and base their Marriage on!  And one last thing – if you are feeling shy, consider writing your vows together and reciting the exact same promises.  If there’s more you want to say, there’s always the option to say it privately, in a card or on your honeymoon!

Image by Chesterton Smith Photography, taken at a Point Cartwright wedding. 

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