Real Wedding – Bianca & James, Glenaroua VIC
Bianca and James were not afraid of a little DIY for their stunning celebration and the results speak for themselves.
Keeping things rustic and earthy they kept true to themselves with every aspect of their day. After a short and sweet ceremony they strolled through the incredible property, taking a moment for themselves and soaking up newly married life.
Immerse yourself in the charm of this day captured beautifully by Ali Bailey.
In Bianca’s words…
The meeting.
We met through mutual friends
The proposal.
We were on a six month back-packing trip and were travelling cheaply most places but before we left had booked a luxury hotel suite in Santorini for five nights. On the third night we went out for dinner, when we got back to the hotel James had organised the hotel staff to fill the hotel room with rose petals and candles. I was laughing because I thought the hotel staff did it generically for all couples staying at the hotel but once James was on his knee and I realised he had planned this, I was honestly shocked! We sat on the balcony after and had a beer overlooking the ocean. It was perfect!
Style inspiration.
I wanted to keep the style of wedding simple as the venue and grounds were just stunning and natural , I kept colours and decoration neutral and minimal. Whites, wood and greenery. The woolshed our reception was held in was exactly that – a working woolshed! It was rustic and earthy. There was a lot of DIY with James making our arbour, we printed all the signs and purchased the flowers from market and styled the venue the day before.
The dress.
I had worked in a bridal store in the past so had a fair idea of what I wanted. I tried a few dresses but it only confirmed that I really wanted to design my own and be involved in the whole process, something unique to me. I am lucky enough to have an incredibly talented friend make the dress for me – also with the help of a pattern maker we designed the dress, purchased the fabric, and put together my dress. It is so special to me and I’ll cherish it forever.
Favourite moments.
I absolutely loved the morning getting ready with my girls – it was just so relaxing and exciting. Having our photos taken as a newlywed couple was such a nice moment after the nerves and excitement of the ceremony. It was beautiful just walking through the property having a moment to ourselves and soaking it all in
Traditions.
Our wedding was very un-traditional! We had a short, quick ceremony, and we didn’t have a cake – I think its best for a couple to stay true to what matters to them rather than follow tradition
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: The Wedding Song – Angus and Julia Stone
Signing: Follow the Sun – Xavier Rudd
First dance: 500 miles by Sleeping at Last and then by The Proclaimers
Funny stories (or near disasters).
Three weeks before the wedding I suffered a serious neck injury that had me bed ridden in a neck brace. It was terrible timing and we almost post-poned the wedding. Lucky, we have incredible family and friends that stepped into to help so that I could rest and recover to enjoy the day. Although it was tough it put into perspective what was important about the day – that all our loved ones were there and that we were healthy and happy.
Planning surprises.
Not particularly, having worked in the industry and seen a few friends previously married I had a far idea of what was involved.
Words of wisdom.
Stress less! It is just ONE day, yes, it’s one day you will remember forever but you won’t remember (nor will anyone else) if the curtains matched the tablecloths or what font you used on the invitations. You will remember peoples smiles and the warm hugs, the dance moves people pull out after a few wines! Stay true to what you want as a couple not what anyone else thinks you should do.
Fancy a venue on the stunning Surf Coast, here’s a round up of our favourite spots.
BIANCA AND JAMES’ TRIBE.
Ceremony and reception location: Keeyunga Woolshed, Glenaroua – Sadly they will no longer be doing weddings, we were one of the last !!
Photography: Ali Bailey – I stumbled across Ali on Instagram and she was incredible, I can’t recommend her enough. She is so warm and friendly and instantly makes you feel comfortable in front of the camera. She just felt like one of our friends at the wedding taking photos! A lot of the time I hardly noticed her there but she got some incredible shots.
Styling: Heartwood Hire – chairs, tables and ceremony seats.
Florist: Flowers purchased from Preston Market and styled by the bride.
Make-up: Jaime Adelle Makeup – I am very lucky that Jaime is engaged to one of our groomsmen but she is an established and very talented wedding makeup artist that services most of Victoria!
The Dress: Fabric from Tylers Fabrics
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Portmans, Zimmerman and Shona Joy
Menswear: Calvin Klein
Catering: Blake’s Feast were recommended to us by the venue and their professionalism and service at the wedding was exceptional. The food is incredible and we know our guests will be talking about it for years!
Band: The White Tree. We selected a four-piece band from The White Tree. They were so easy to work with booking them online and selecting all our song preferences. They were brilliant at reading the crowd and really created the atmosphere for the whole night.
Honeymoon: Lorne
