Real Wedding – Melanie & Tyson, Bells Beach VIC
Melanie and Tyson’s wedding was all that they had imagined it would be – sweet, sentimental, lots of fun and above all – a true showcase of their love.
With their ceremony among their favourite moments of the day, the pair tied the knot in the capable hands of Tribe celebrant Jo Betz and embraced the natural, rustic beauty of their venue to create a fun and carefree celebration for all involved.
Jess of Brown Paper Parcel was on hand to document every moment.
In Melanie’s words…
The meeting.
We met in 2013 at a seedy Kuta Nightclub. I was on a girl’s trip from Perth when we met Tys and his mates who had just flown in from Melbourne. We got talking and one thing led to another… we were inseparable for the rest of the trip!
The ‘one’.
Probably after we had both visited each-other in our home towns and had to say goodbye again!
The proposal.
We were back in Perth visiting my family. Tys had said he wanted to plan a date night, because I always plan everything when we go to Perth. He took me down to the beach where he had a beautiful tipi and picnic set-up. He then got down on one knee and popped the question! Tys sourced a beautiful West Australian South Sea Pearl for my engagement ring, from my favorite jeweller, Kailis.
Style inspiration.
We wanted to enhance the natural, rustic beauty of our venue. Therefore, we went for a simple, rustic style with pops of vintage. We also wanted to create a bit of a ‘wedstival’ vibe, and make it just like a night that we would go out and enjoy together.
The outfits.
I had SO much fun designing my dress with Karen of Pearls and Roses, and watching it come to life. I had tried a range of dresses, and whilst I loved some of them, there were always changes I wanted to make. This is when I decided to go down the custom path which ended up being the best decision in the wedding planning process.
Tys knew he wanted a fairly casual look with a bit of fun with a tie or bow tie. Eddy Elias were so great to deal with and we sourced the ties and accessories ourselves.
Favourite moments.
The ceremony, for sure. Our celebrant Jo made it so fun, sweet and personal. We also took some advice from numerous people, and took 10 minutes to ourselves. We sat up on the balcony and ate some pizza, watching our guest enjoy the setting below.
Meaning of marriage.
For us, it was really an extension of what we already have, and a commitment that we will live by our vows.
Wedding soundtrack .
Aisle: Angels by The XX (Acoustic)
Signing of the register: Chateau by Angus & Julia Stone (acoustic)
First dance: Hypnotised by Rufus.
Funny stories (or near disasters).
In the weeks leading up, we had a burnt bridesmaid dress and a burnt down food truck. On the day we had power cuts, a broken DJ mixer (due to someone spilling an entire espresso martini) and an ambulance departure. However, even looking back on all of that it was still perfect!
Planning surprises.
We definitely underestimated the amount of work, and the cost of holding a wedding at a private property. I also certainly underestimated how hard it would be to pull off the ‘four bridemaids, pick your own dress, make them work together’ scenario. After about eight attempts, we settled for the multi-tie bridesmaid dresses.
Words of wisdom.
Don’t plan an outdoor wedding if you are the slightest bit nervous about the weather! We had back-up plans, but knew we wouldn’t be happy if we had rain and had to move everything inside of the marquee. Therefore, we were pretty stressed out in the weeks leading up. We ended up have 40 degrees, definitely didn’t plan for that, but it worked out well!
Also, if you do a DIY wedding, we highly recommend you hire someone to assist on the day. So many bits and pieces pop up, and it is so much better to have a professional take care of them, rather than your guests. Lou from One Day PA was seriously the BEST.
Last words…
We had been tossing up the idea of a first look, and to have our photos taken prior to the ceremony. Whilst this would have provided us more time, the thrill and excitement of seeing each other at the ceremony was truly worth it.
For a sweet and memorable ceremony just like Melanie and Tysons, a superstar celebrant is a must-have! Check out our Tribe talent when it comes to helping you make it official.
MELANIE & TYSON’S TRIBE
Location: Private Property (Nan’s house) in Bells Beach. It was so special having our wedding at this property which holds so many special memories.
Celebrant/Officiant: Jo Betz – seriously, best in the biz! Jo was absolutely incredible throughout the entire process. She made us feel so comfortable and relaxed and was the absolute perfect fit for our day.
Onsite Co-ordinator: Lou Hamer of One Day PA – Best decision hiring Lou! This enabled us to spend more time with each other and our loved ones on our day, and took away so much stress.
Photography: Jessica Tremp – Brown Paper Parcel – We could not be happier with the images Jess captured for us, they truly blew us away. Jess has such a kind and warm nature, and was so easy to be around for the day.
Videography: Ben Jones from Wildbird Films – We cannot recommend Ben enough, we could watch the video 1000 times and still notice the attention to detail that he captured.
Styling: We styled everything ourselves, with help from a range of hire companies.
Florist: As Daisy Does
Hair and make-up: Hilary Holmes
The Dress(es): The one and only Karen, from Pearls & Roses Bridal. I can see why she gets called the ‘Fairy Godmother’, she truly made me feel so special and beautiful. We had so much fun during the process.
Brides Shoes: Nina Armarndo
Rings: Engagement Ring – Kailis. Wedding bands – Keshett Jewellery
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Goddess by Nature
Menswear: Eddy Elias Menswear
Catering:
Grazing Board – Simple Catering Solutions
Food Trucks – Gypsy’s Lunchbox
Berry Bro (Amazing real fruit ice-ceam)
Bar: Boutique Event Co – these guys are absolute LEGENDS. I have never experienced such amazing service in the hospitality industry. (The caravan is also adorable)
Cake / Cake topper: Two Birds Cakes with florals by As Daisy Does
Stationery / Signage: Danger and Moon x Confetti Edition – Annette was amazing, we were so happy with everything she created for us.
Entertainment: Acoustic – Abe Anderson. Booking Abe for our ceremony music was such a good decision. He learnt the songs we requested, and absolutely killed it. DJ – Geelong Entertainment.
Transport: Coastal Kombi Weddings – We absolutely cannot recommend these guys enough. Matt is an absolute legend. He went SO far above and beyond to make everything perfect (including giving the boys a lesson in how to tie their ties!)
Hire: Surf Coast Party Hire, Boutique Event Co, Peppa & Peach, One Big Day Event Hire and Paddock Dreams
Photobooth: Zuster Photobooths
Toilets: Paddock Dreams (Beautiful outhouse-style toilets!)
Arbour: Melissa Christie Creations
Honeymoon: Europe!
