A wedding made by hand, with so much heart
Laid-back with a touch of country, colour and plenty of mismatched charm, Liv and Joel’s day was filled with the most darling DIY details – many of them made with the help of family and friends. From flower columns made from leftover sofa cardboard and vintage glassware thrifted especially for the day, to a $35 Costco cake topped with raspberries, every little detail felt personal, thoughtful and completely them.
Liv looked incredible in her gown, finished with sweet organza bows and a romantic cape for the evening and, of course, cowboy boots, while Joel gave his much-loved suit a fresh spin with a new bow tie.
With just 45 of their favourite people there, the ceremony was intimate, joyful and full of laughter, with Precious Celebrations bringing the perfect light-hearted energy to a moment they’d both been nervous about.
And then came the photos. Kyra Boyer somehow turned what they expected to be a nerve-wracking part of the day into one of their favourite memories – relaxed, hilarious and creative, with the golden hour images to prove it.
It was a day that didn’t try to be anything other than Liv and Joel – and honestly, that’s what made it so damn good.
Style inspiration.
Laid back with a touch of country, colour and mismatch!
Planning process.
We got engaged and married within six months. We actually booked our venue and then got engaged, because when we visited Blame Mabel for a Winter Weekend Getaway, we knew it was where we wanted to get married (and I’d been looking for a venue for around two years). So, we booked that first, and then it was time to get engaged!
I’m a Pinterest girly, so that’s where I went for creative inspo. In terms of booking things, I’d just find vendors on Instagram and then click through to other vendors over and over until I found something I really like, plus reading Google reviews.
The ceremony.
Our celebrant, Precious, made it funny and light-hearted, and that really changed the vibe because both of us were quite nervous about the ceremony and standing in front of everyone! Also only having 45 people, all of whom we knew deeply and adored, made it incredibly special and unintimidating.
The outfits.
Joel wore a suit he already owned and loved – why buy something new when you already have something great! We did get a new bow tie though, to jazz it up.
I wore a dress from a brand called Truvelle, that’s stocked by Moonstruck Bride in Fitzroy. I honestly wasn’t super keen on any wedding dresses I was coming across – they looked beautiful but didn’t feel right for me. Truvelle are Canadian and I found them on Pinterest and immediately knew their dresses were what I was looking for. Moonstruck are the only boutique that stocks Truvelle in Melbourne I believe. The Assel was the third dress I tried on, and I knew immediately she was the one! I could not recommend Truvelle or Moonstruck Bride anymore. I also knew I wanted a cape, and I got mine from Etsy, bySewnique.
Styling details.
We DIY’d almost everything. I made the flower columns from cardboard left over from a sofa delivery! Spray painted them and, with the help of my family, draped some fabric over them and filled the centre with silk flowers from Studio Alyssum. I am blessed with a creative friend who painted our ‘Sip and Solve’ and fabric sign, as well as a creative florist mother-in-law who created wonderful table displays and my bouquet for me.
There is nothing more special than having the bits and bobs that make up your wedding day being made by the wonderful people you’ve been blessed to have in your life! Our family came together the day before and helped us set up and style everything — it was so special and a highlight of our wedding.
A very special touch from the venue owner, Mel from Blame Mabel; she had seen in my inspo pics that I’d loved an eclectic mix of vintage glassware, so, to my surprise, went out and thrifted a bunch of beautiful glassware for the day – such a special touch. Mel and Garath went above and beyond to make the details of the day perfect.
Favourite moment.
The day is a wonderful blue but my dad’s speech stands out as a true highlight. To my absolute shock, because we were both so nervous about it, a highlight was actually having our photos done! We had so much fun with Kyra – she somehow made it hilarious, relaxed, creative and just a joy to do!
Song of the day.
Sweet Child of Mine, Guns and Roses. Our band was InBeat, and they did epic mixes of the best songs – could not recommend them more!
Funny stories (or near disasters).
It blows my mind to say, but the day honestly just went perfectly. Something that was adorable, was once the sun went in, it was freezing! Luckily, we had blankets ready, and everyone was just wrapped in blankets, dancing the night away – fabulous!
Regrets.
Absolutely none. We totally nailed it because it was completely, authentically us and the vendors we worked with completely aligned with that, so it was just perfection.
Words of wisdom.
Do whatever feels like you, not what you think you ‘should have’ – from the decor and food to the running of the day, it’s your wedding. Consider maybe two – four little ‘extras’ that make it special and true to you, and leave it at that – the day flies by, and all those bits and bobs you were worried about having become insignificant. Those few little details you did do, however, feel extra special.
$35 Costco cake with some raspberries on top.
Liv and Joel’s Vendors
Ceremony and reception venue: Blame Mabel Winery
Celebrant/Officiant: Precious Celebrations (also MC’d for us)
Photography: Kyra Boyer
Florist: We didn’t have one, although I bought some silk flower bouquets for our ceremony flower stands from Studio Allysum
Hair and makeup: Dreamcatcher Bridal
The dress: Truvelle, Moonstruck Bride
Cape: bySewnique on Etsy
Shoes: Cowboy boots from Therapy Shoes
Rings: Engagement from SGS Jewellery. We made our own bands at a workshop by Blonde.
Catering: Happy Camper Pizza
Cake: Costco
Entertainment: In Beat through Hey Jack
