Destination Wedding - Matthew & Melanie, Uluwatu Indonesia

August 21, 2020 In Beach, Garden, International, Latest Posts, Outdoor, Pastel, Real Weddings, White By Natalie Drum

Destination Wedding – Matthew & Melanie, Uluwatu Indonesia

Beautiful Bali was the ultimate destination for Matthew and Melanie who were hitched in an elegant Uluwatu celebration.

Pulling the day together from afar, they enlisted the help of a planner and started to flesh out the fancy details to ensure their wedding ticked all the boxes. Drawing inspiration from Bali itself, they simply sent any inspiration they found on Pinterest or Instagram to their team and what resulted was a romantic day filled with glorious greenery, whimsical lighting and memories to last a lifetime.

Melanie, stunning and simply beaming in her Karen Willis Holmes gown, made her way down the aisle to Matthew and felt like she was in a fairytale.

They danced and celebrated into the night and photographer Cassandra Ladru was there to capture all the fun.

The meeting.

I never thought I’d say this… but I’m his Tinderella haha. We had our first conversation on Tinder but then it moved to Instagram… and from there, the rest is history.

The ‘one’.

I knew after our first date! The conversation flowed all night and we had so much in common. Before we were even official, I told my sister I’d marry him one day – and I did!

The proposal.

It was a normal day, I had just finished work and Matty had surprised me with a booking at my favourite restaurant. Before we walked out the door, he said I had forgotten to put something on… I turned around and he was on one knee. It was perfect! I’m quite perceptive so I definitely thought I’d know if he was planning to propose but I was completely surprised so he did very well! I had zero clue.

The process.

We’re both busy running our own businesses so decided to hire a wedding planner. We had an initial phone call with Megan to discuss what we were after and then we used Pinterest to create a mood board. Hiring a wedding planner was the best decision we made – there was absolutely no stress leading up to the big day.

Style inspiration.

We both love Bali so drew inspiration from there – think lots of greenery with whimsical lighting to create a romantic atmosphere.

The dress.

I found Karen Willis Holmes online and loved every piece in her collection. I knew from looking at photos that the ‘Anya’ dress with the ‘Circle Train’ would be a perfect shape for my body. I booked a fitting in at the Brisbane boutique and tried on a handful of dresses… but the ‘Anya’ was perfect!

Favourite moments.

It’s hard to choose one but I’d have to say walking down the aisle with my Dad. As we made our way down from the villa, I saw Matty standing in front of a breathtaking view with our closest family and friends. It felt like a fairytale!

Meaning of marriage.

It’s having a best friend to experience every part of life together – the good and the bad.

Wedding soundtrack.

Aisle: Higher by Asgeir

First dance: Love by Kendrick Lamar’s (Cover by CHRVHE)

Funny stories (or near disasters).

Towards the end of the night, one of our friend lathered his stomach in detergent and slid across the dance floor on his stomach. The DJ timed the music perfectly to the moment. It ended up being more of a belly flop!

Planning surprises.

The cost of flowers!

Words of wisdom.

For bridal parties, make sure you wear something breathable and comfortable while getting ready. I’ve been a wedding makeup artist for 14 years and have seen so many brides sweating in polyester fabrics. I wore my own label ‘The Bridal Thread’ – they’re button-up breathable linen sets. They look timeless in photos and kept us cool and comfortable.