Willow Bud Archives | The Bride's Tree

Beth loves Luke | Luxury Estate Wedding

Sally Townsend — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 19:30:45 +0000

Covid-19 struck again and brought Brisbane to a standstill, and many weddings along with it! Thankfully, Beth and Luke’s wedding day in Montville was minimally affected with only a few guests unable to attend. Luxury estate reception venue, Spicers Clovelly, was decked out in next level floral arrangements by wedding florist Willow Bud, and a stunning intimate wedding celebration was had.

Bride, Beth, kindly shared her wedding day story with us below.

Dream Team

Photography + videography: Artography

Venue + catering: Spicers Clovelly Estate

Florist: Willow Bud

Stylist: Simply Style Co.

Cake: Elisabeth & May

Makeup artist: Tasleema Nigh Makeup Artist

Hair stylist: Hair by Nicola

Entertainment: The Famo’s Duo

Stationery: Lily Kiss

Celebrant: Noosa Style Ceremonies

Wedding night accommodation: Spicers Clovelly Estate

The “Proposal”

We were at a close friends wedding (our MC and her husband) and there was so much love in the air that day that we caught some of it and decided it was time for us to get married. That was end of August so just over 4 months later we had it all done and dusted!

How We Met

We first meet through Army Reserves. We were both in the same unit as finance officers. We were friends first for a few years, started a business together and from there our friendship developed to bring us to here!

Why I Married This Wonderful Person

He laughs at my jokes! He is my best friend. We have created a wonderful life together and I couldn’t imagine living my life without him.

Wedding Planning Priorities

This was a second wedding for both of us so this time around simply planned the wedding we wanted. We kept it small to only have those really close to us share our special day. We also wanted a destination wedding where everyone could stay at the same venue and basically be spoilt rotten for a few days.

Biggest Challenge

When Brisbane announced they were heading into lockdown the day before, that causes a stressful few hours. We were so lucky that we weren’t in a high risk area and Spicers were extremely understanding. We had to ask a few guests not to come but I’m so grateful that we could continue on with having the wedding of our dreams.

The Location

Spicers were faultless. They delivered on every expectation and more. No request was too big and they were so accommodating to our every need. They even let me bring my cat along to stay! When we got back into our room at the end of the night they had moved the flowers and candles upstairs and run the spa, it was so romantic and beautiful. Made my heart melt!

Standout Vendor

Sandi from Willow Bud had some unfortunate news with the Hinterland Summer Showcase (now rescheduled to February 27-28) being cancelled so she had ample flowers and she very kindly flower-bombed our wedding which was so generous. We also had to move our ceremony inside because of the rain and what she did with the flowers made the ceremony look so magical and beautiful. I was 200% happy with the outcome.

Wedding Secrets

Biggest splurge: My dress and then secondly the neon sign! The sign wasn’t out of this world but it was definitely a want not a must have but I’m so glad we did it!

Bride’s dress: White Lily Couture

Hair piece + bracelet: Little White Couture

Shoes: Nine West

Groom’s attire: XILE Boutique Brisbane

Shoes: Julius Marlow

Flowergirl’s dress: Arabella & Rose

Honeymoon: Airlie Beach

Number of guests: 28 adults and 6 kids and 1 cat

Wedding budget: Roughly $40,000

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Maddie loves Bryce | Obi Obi Hall Wedding

Sally Townsend — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 04:04:11 +0000

Upon first meeting, Maddie knew Bryce was The One. Mutual friends introduced them, and even though Bryce took a little more convincing, they were obviously onto something!

The couple became engaged on a mountaintop while on holiday in Queenstown, New Zealand and married here on the Sunshine Coast. They worked to such a strict budget that they managed to come in under budget by $5k!

The Crew

Photography: Adriana Watson Photography

Venue: Obi Obi Hall

Florist: Willow Bud

Catering: That Pizza Guy

Makeup: Evoque Makeup Artistry (+ Hair)

Celebrant: Jarrad Bayliss

Planning Challenges

Budget and compromise. I had to remind myself that it’s his big day too. The biggest thing was other people’s opinions. We were the first children in both our families to get married, so there was a lot of expectations.

Advice for Future Brides

Stress less. At the end of the day, the people that are there are there for you and your husband to be. It doesn’t need to be 100% perfect.

Wedding Secrets

Biggest splurge: Photographer and celebrant.

Best money-saving choice: The catering. We had That Pizza Guy – biggest shout out to Simon and the team! They did the most awesome job with the wood fire pizzas and grazing table. If you’re on a budget or looking for a more relaxed atmosphere, That Pizza Guy should be your number one!

Bride’s dress: Andrea’s Brides and Grooms

Groom’s suit: Connor

DIY: We wanted a more of a relaxed, country wedding so we painted pallets white and had our own table settings.

Number of guests: 60

Wedding budget: $20,000

Actual cost of wedding: Just under $15,000

Thanks for supporting our A-list Vendors below, who helped make Maddie and Bryce’s day!

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Sharing the Love | Sunshine Coast Hinterland Wedding Inspo

Sally Townsend — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 19:30:02 +0000

It’s no secret the Sunshine Coast wedding industry has taken a huge hit in 2020 with Covid-19 being such a bully and whatnot. However, the vendors who work in this region would not be defeated. Knowing we’re made of tougher stuff in this region, Kristy from Maple Weddings and Events and Lisa Brereton Celebrant put their heads together to come up with a way to share the love and support one another in this difficult time.

They selected some talented collaborators to showcase the Sunshine Coast Hinterland region, which is one of Australia’s most popular wedding destinations. The crew took to The Old Dairy Maleny and created a wedding vision that spoke to the heart of this stunning location, showing it off in all its glory.

Images by Luke Middlemiss Photography

The Old Dairy – Styled Shoot from Jensen CREATIVE on Vimeo.

Creative Crew

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Lauren loves Joe | Sunshine Beach Wedding

Sally Townsend — Wed, 20 May 2020 12:08:16 +0000

Beautifully styled in the most stunning beach location, Lauren and Joe’s wedding was a heartfelt dream of a day. The on-trend colour palette of peaches and warm neutral tones with pops of rust and peony coral were perfect for the beachside location of Sunshine Beach SLSC. The ceremony, styled by Simply Style Co., overlooked Sunshine Beach and guests didn’t have to travel far to the reception – in fact, it was right upstairs!

Bride, Lauren, kindly shared her wedding secrets with us below…

Why I married this man

Joe is unbelievably thoughtful and considerate. We both have strong family values, which is very important to me. He can always make me smile – no matter what mood I am in or how bad my day has been. He is one very attractive man! If you look up the word “gentleman” in the dictionary, I swear there would be a photo of Joe (right next to a photo of my Dad.)

Why he married me

Joe says, “Lauren is a kind soul who has strong family values. She makes me feel like I am important to her. She’s my rock – whenever I have a bad day, within two seconds of being around her, my troubles melt away.”

Biggest wedding-planning challenge

Our guest list – we are both from quite large, tight knit families, so even before we added any friends, our numbers were up there!

Images by Klee Photography

The Music

Walking down the aisle – Bloom by The Paper Kites

Signing #1 – Love Someone by Lukas Graham

Recessional (aisle exit): You Are The Best Thing by Ray LaMontagne

Bridal Party entrance: I’ll Be There For You (Theme From Friends) by The Rembrandts

Bride & Groom entrance: Sugar by Maroon 5

Cake cutting: Say You Won’t Let Go by James Arthur

First dance: Everything by Michael Buble

Father/daughter dance: My Girl by The Temptations

Mother/son dance: Two Hearts by Phil Collins

Wedding Secrets

Biggest splurge: My dress – I am not a very confident person and knew I wanted to feel beautiful yet comfortable on the most important day of my life to date!

Best money-saver: Asking for recommendations from locals for decorators and florists – a few of the ones we spoke to originally wanted to charge us per head, and we couldn’t understand why (given we weren’t having anything that was on a per person basis, such as chair covers or table settings) – but the ones we worked with (Rachelle from Simply Style Co. and Sandi from Willow Bud) were absolutely amazing, well priced and gave us a completely bespoke service.

Bride’s dress: Erin Clare Bridal

Bride’s shoes: Nine West

Groom’s attire: InStitchu

Groom’s watch: Tommy Hilfiger

Groom’s shoes: Florsheim

Bridesmaids’ dresses: They each ordered their own, and were all different brands – Alabaster the Label, ASOS, Flounce London, Bec + Bridge.

Bridesmaids’ earrings: Ruby & Sage

Bridesmaids’ shoes: Kmart

Groomsmen’s attire: Shirt and pants – Sportscraft, shoes – Betts Shoes

Honeymoon: We stayed on at Sunshine Beach/Noosa for a week after the wedding. We were planning on having a honeymoon later in the year to either New Zealand or Tasmania, but COVID-19 has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works there!

Number of guests: 130

Wedding budget: We didn’t set an overall budget – we knew what we wanted, found the right priced vendors, and saved accordingly.

Actual cost of wedding: $53,000

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Modern Romance in the Hinterland

Sally Townsend — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 10:11:19 +0000

When you get a group of talented Sunshine Coast wedding professionals together and give them creative license to deck out a stunning space as they see fit, you know you’re in for a treat.

The Decor

Under the canopy of a Sperry Tent, the crew from Simply Style Co. created a dreamy wedding space that brought in both timeless and trending elements. Using a modern colour palette of white, oatmeal, gold and pastel tones, they dressed the tablescape with luxurious oatmeal linen, layered with textured muslin table runners. They set the table with white Bentwood chairs, gold taper candles, bohemian crystal glassware and modern gold and white cutlery.

The Flowers

Willow Bud‘s Sandi Shankster took to the tent with the aim of showcasing exactly what can be done in a large tent space, ensuring plenty of variations in floral designs from hanging installation to trailing pole installation and various arrangements and bouquets, so brides with varying budgets can imagine their own wedding flowers.

“We wanted to use a current colour palette that brides have been loving for 2020 weddings but take it to the next level with adding hints of plum with the foliage and subtle terracotta tones. We subtly wanted to bring in the dried floral trend with incorporating lunaria, dried fern, preserved ruscus and other textural elements.” – Sandi, Willow Bud

Creative Crew

Styling: Simply Style Co.

Florals: Willow Bud

Photography: Jennifer Oliphant Photographer

Stationery: Peach Perfect

Structure: Sperry Tents Sunshine Coast

Dress: Marilyn Crystelle Bridal

Ribbons: The Coterie

Hair Stylist: Rolling Scissors

Makeup Artist: Louise Henzell Makeup Artistry

Thank you for supporting our A-list Vendors below, who were creative forces behind this stunning collaboration…

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Zoe loves Zac | Fun Wedding in Maleny

Sally Townsend — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 01:08:48 +0000

Zoe and Zac love their local region of the Sunshine Coast (we’re with you there, guys!) so much. Having moved from Rockhampton, they fully appreciate all the local beauty they’ve come to call their home, so marrying here was a no-brainer.

Zoe shares her experience planning their unconventional, super fun wedding at Maleny Retreat…

Fun Times

“The whole day was all smiles and laughs, however our stand out fun moments were the jumping castle, the dancing all night – even before dinner. Walking back down the aisle to You Make My Dreams having rainbow bio degradable confetti was also a very fun highlight of our day.”

The Proposal

“We were down at Gold Coast for the weekend as I (Zoe) was competing in an F45 comp. Being spontaneous as always Zac decided to surprise me with sunrise hot air ballooning which I had always wanted to do. Being distracted with the competition on that weekend Zac was able to surprise me with a proposal just after we touched down at the end of our flight, it was perfect. This was followed by a champagne breakfast!”

The Perfect Fit

“Who wouldn’t want to marry their best friend? Zac has so much personality and can make any moment more fun than what it already is. He offers so much to our relationship and treats me with so much respect.”

Images by Coastal Love Collective

The Venue

“Originally both being from Rockhampton we wanted to embrace how beautiful and grateful we were for now living on the sunshine coast by getting married here. Our venue complimented all our needs, it was a one stop place for the whole day, it provided accommodation for our family and friends who had to travel, and it was topped of with the most unreal views.”

Advice for Future Brides

“Once its the wedding day let the stress go, it’ll all fall into place. Take time to take in the moments.”

Wedding secrets

Biggest splurge: The band and flowers. It was Zac’s aim to have a band groovy enough to have everyone dancing the whole night and that’s exactly how it went. We wanted to keep the day simple and our flowers were our way of making the simple features of our day stand out. Our stand out piece was the hang floral arrangement above the dance floor.

Best bargain: My dress from Spell Byron Bay. I found it perfect in every way and was able to keep in under $1000.

Bride’s dress: Spell Byron Bay

Earrings: Samantha Wills

Bride’s shoes: White heels – The Iconic, white sneakers (reception) – Seed

Bridesmaids’ dresses: Zimmerman

Bridesmaids’ accessories: Rings – Samantha Wills, Bracelets – Linden Cook, Earrings – Mimco

Bridesmaids’ shoes: Lipstick Shoes

Groom’s and groomsmen’s attire: Roger David

Flowergirl’s dress: Arabella and Rose

DIY: All our signs, candy bar and reception set up was DIY.

Honeymoon: New Zealand

Number of guests: 100

Wedding budget: $20, 000

Actual wedding cost: $30,000

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Abigail loves Li | Flaxton Gardens Hinterland Wedding

Sally Townsend — Wed, 19 Sep 2018 19:00:50 +0000

From their home in Shibuya, Tokyo, Abigail and Li planned a Sunshine Coast hinterland wedding at Flaxton Gardens with gorgeous glam style. The bride was originally a Sunshine Coast local from Caloundra, but now resides in Tokyo with her love, Li.

Love in Tokyo

“We met while I was exchanging at a university in Tokyo and although we were just friends in the beginning, he was my home away from home. He is my biggest comfort and support and that is why I fell in love with him and also why I knew I had to marry him.”

Wedding Party Style

“We wanted to give everyone in the bridal party their own individualality. Make everyone standout but also complement one another. I wanted the look to be less structured and more like a beautiful mess.”

My Standout Suppliers

“Nicola Holland Photography and Willow Bud. They are both crazy talented, have the same vibe as me and probably cared about my wedding just as much as I did. Also, shoutout to Graham Hobson. He is a lovely guy and did a spectacular job.”

Images by Nicola Holland Photography

The Proposal

“Li took me to a beautiful French restaurant located inside the Tokyo Skytree, that overlooked all of Tokyo. Then, when we walked outside, he proposed under our umbrella with the lit-up tower hovering over us.”

Most Emotional Moment

“When my pastor acknowledged the people who couldn’t be there for our wedding. He mentioned my dad, who passed away four years ago. It was very emotional for me as my dad was a huge supporter for me to study/ live in Japan and he would have loved Li.”

Best (Man) Decision Ever

“Li said the one thing he wouldn’t change for the world was having his dad as his best man. His original best man got his passport stolen while getting to Australia, so his dad stepped up. Even though Li’s dad didn’t know any English, he did such an amazing job and delivered an incredible, heartfelt speech.”

Abigail + Li’s Next Big Adventure

“Once Li graduates from University in Tokyo we want to settle down in Australia. We are hoping to move his parents from China too and all live together!”

Wedding Secrets

Biggest splurge: Flowers

Best money-saver: Inviting fewer guests

Bridal gown + accessories: Rosa and Mary Bridal Boutique

Bride’s shoes: David Jones

Bridesmaids’ dresses + accessories: BHLDN

Groom’s suits: Bruno’s Suits

Groomsmen’s attire: Suits Direct

Honeymoon: Melbourne

Number of guests: 55

Wedding budget: $25,000

Actual cost of wedding: $27,000

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Kate loves Ricky | Noosa River Wedding

Sally Townsend — Tue, 28 Aug 2018 02:37:31 +0000

Kate says she married Ricky because, “He is the most genuine, caring person I have ever met and he makes me smile everyday.”

Of his bride, Ricky says, “Kate’s the smartest and most unselfish person I’ve ever met with a beautiful smile.”

Altogether now, “Awwww!” We can see the love is real in this Noosa River wedding, and bride Kate has shared some words about her day…

Our biggest wedding wants

“Noosa is our favourite place in the world and we wanted our guests to experience everything it has to offer as well as make it fun and relaxing for us and our guests, so the entertainment was a huge priority.

“It is the most beautiful place in the world. We holiday here with our family each year and often eat at the Noosa Waterfront Restaurant & Bar. Even being the busiest weekend in Noosa, It is a private and intimate location right on the waters edge. It is such a special location.”

Standout Vendors

“Willow Bud and Splash Events. Both were so accommodating and went over and above to make sure our setup was perfect. Of course Sally and Niki with the hair and makeup were incredible in the lead up to the wedding. They were heaps fun and so calming to have around!”

Images by White Images

Kate wore a couture bridal gown by Noosa designer, Erin Clare Couture

The Proposal

“Ricky convinced me to go for a walk along the triathlon course to loosen up before the race. After 3km of walking along the Warrnambool foreshore, Ricky decided it would be the perfect moment to propose. He stopped on the path, got down on one knee and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. Of course I said… yes!”

Unforgettable Memories

“For me, the most emotional moment was walking over the bridge to marry the man of my dreams with my two biggest supports and the most influential people by my side, mum and dad.

“We will never forget how sore our cheeks and feet were were from smiling and dancing so much. It was just the best day of our lives.”

Wedding Secrets

Biggest splurge: The Catalina to entertain the guests between the ceremony and the reception, while the photos. Being a destination wedding we wanted to make sure our guests got to experience some of the best parts of Noosa and to us that was the Noosa river.

Best bargain: Our invitations. We used Canva to create out invited and printed them ourselves. We also created a website with more detailed information about Noosa that guests could access and RSVP to all digitally.

Bridal gown: Erin Clare Couture

Bride’s accessories: Pearls for Girls

Bride’s shoes: ALIAS MAE

Bridesmaids’ dresses: Keepsake the Label

Bridesmaids’ shoes: ALIAS MAE

Groom’s and groomsmen’s attire: Country Road

DIY: Our invitations, signs, table decorations.

Honeymoon: Byron Bay + Hawaii

Number of guests: 115

Wedding budget: $35,000

Actual cost of wedding: $39,000

The cake was an impressive five tiers, complete with cutting cake and delicious donuts by the dozens, created by Chocolate2Chilli.

The Music

Walking down the aisle – Feels like Home (Matt Johnson Version)

Introduced as Mr and Mrs – Best day of my life – American Authors

First dance – Ho Hey by the Lumineers.

Advice: Bride to Bride…

“Your day is what you make it, so soak up every second of the day! Don’t stress if your run sheet doesn’t go to plan because it all works out in the end. What will be, will be!”

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Ethereal Blush Colour Palette

Sally Townsend — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 07:04:12 +0000

Blush pink in soft flowing fabric, and natural oatmeal linen are the grounding textures for a layered wedding colour palette. Pale pink and soft lemon roses with pops of rich pink tones among vivid foliage in the full floral designs are the focal point of the colour palette, which was created for Autumn, but would suit a wedding in any season.

White rattan details and natural wood, along with natural toned ceramics bring the earthy natural elements to complement the crystal glasses of pink champagne and gold cutlery details.

See more in our Autumn 2018 free online magazine. Images by Jennifer Oliphant Photographer

Creative Crew

Location: Spicers Clovelly Estate

Photographer: Jennifer Oliphant Photographer

Florist: Willow Bud

Film: Coastal Love Collective

Decor hire: Simply Style Co.

Cake: Zoë Clark Cakes

Stationery: Studio B Couture

Hair: Sass & Niki’s Wedding Hair

Makeup: Sally Townsend Makeup Artistry

Dresses: Anna Campbell Bridal

Cutlery + napkins: The Supper Club

Bouquet ribbons: The Coterie

Ceramics: Reed Ceramics

Table linen: Feather & Oak

Model: Amber Keith

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Sarah loves Tom | A Montville Elopement

Sally Townsend — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 04:50:54 +0000

For their wedding, New Zealand couple Sarah and Tom could think of no better way to celebrate than to pack up their families and head for a place that had previously captured their hearts. It was a cosy intimate affair with only 12 guests. They hired decor and lawn games, brought in a caterer and relaxed into the day.

Planning the day itself was as simple as booking a hair stylist and makeup artist for the bride, her sisters and mother, ordering some flowers from a local florist, and booking a photographer. The one crucial element they needed was a celebrant, and that’s where Sarah’s Dad came in, making for one very special ceremony indeed.

Sarah says she wouldn’t change a thing – especially not their destination or small wedding. Of course she was pretty happy with her choice of hubby too, saying, “He is the funniest, kindest person I know… and my best friend so it was a pretty easy decision!”

Images by Lisa Pearl Photography

The Location

“We chose the Sunshine coast as it was warm, beautiful and accessible from home. On our last trip there we had fallen in love with the charm of Montville so decided to have our ceremony there. We found the Montville Lake Terrace online and it exceeded our expectations!”

Destination Elopement

“Trying to plan a low key wedding that was special and intimate – a day where we could just relax and enjoy the time with our families.

“All of the suppliers we used were amazing – friendly, easy to deal with via email from New Zealand, and all did a beautiful job.”

Wedding Secrets

Biggest splurge: My dress.

Best money-saver: Eloping!

Bride’s dress: Lovers Society

Honeymoon: Noosa

Number of guests: 12

The Big Surprise

“The most emotional part of the day was surprising our families by announcing I was 12 weeks pregnant. Our wee bub is due in a month, so that should be a pretty big adventure!”

The Proposal

“We got engaged in Vanuatu last year. It was our second time visiting, the first time was our first holiday together so it is a special place for us.”

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