24

Sep

2014

Tegan and Dean’s Beachside Rustic Wedding. By Free the Bird Photography

Today’s wedding comes all the way from Victoria in Australia, courtesy of Free the Bird Photography and it’s a real treat for you. When you think of Australian weddings I’m sure you think the same as me, sunshine and lots of it, however with Tegan and Dean’s wedding they had very little sunshine which was instead replaced by lots of wind and the odd bit of rain. However this gorgeous couple battled through the day and still managed to hold their ceremony outside, with some most amazing and art worthy portrait shots on a very thundery beach. This rustic themed wedding has been captured perfectly and is just beautiful.

‘Our wedding day captured our individual taste and symbolised all that we are- nature/outdoor loving easy going people. Plans changed and we just let our love guide us through to an amazing sun filled ceremony.’

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Tegan and Dean were married on the 15th of March at Morning Star Estate Gardens followed by a reception in the Estate Ballroom. ‘The views of the ocean framed by the green gardens of the Estate. As well as the natural vintage European feel of the entire venue. We had 90 guests and the wedding took 9 months to plan.’

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How they met
We met at Tafe in 2006 and after being friends for 6 months decided to get together in 2007. So we married on our 7 year anniversary in March 2014.

The proposal
We were holidaying over the Christmas period near our original home town, when Dean called me saying that he needed to be picked up from a park near our local town. I thought something was wrong because he was supposed to be driving himself home that night and said he wasn’t able to and needed me to get there ASAP. After pulling up and seeing tea light candles lining the path, I began to cry. Dean was waiting at the end of the rose pedals and candle lit path sitting on the stairs of a rotunda with champagne and a ring. He had previously planned to propose 2 weeks later when we continued on our holiday from Melbourne to USA but as I would be returning straight back to Port Hedland (where we were working and living at the time) he wanted me to share the experience with my family before flying to USA. We have since bought a house and moved in 500 meters up the road from the park where he proposed.

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How did you allocate your budget?
As we paid for the wedding mostly ourselves, the budget was tight. However we agreed that there were certain things that mattered more to us than specials cars, hiring decorators, planners etc. So our big ticket items were the venue, my dress (because I fell in love with it accidentally!), and a magnificent and unique solo artist to fly down from Byron Bay to sing me down the aisle and play at our cocktail hour. He was a recommendation through our amazing photographer and both him and our photographer were worth every dollar.

Why did you choose your photographer?
I saw some of Jai from Free The Bird Photography’s work on a blog. I stalked a number of his weddings and shoots, he was exactly what Dean and I had in mind. We wanted someone with a particular vintage style and passion for more than just the typical wedding day snaps that everyone has in their lounge room. We loved that he used realistic shots and was able to actually capture our love and our special connection rather than poses with fake smiles.

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The dress
My dress was by Mariana Hardwick. My accessories were from various vintage boutiques across Melbourne.

The suit and bridesmaids
We purchased Deans and the groomsmen’s suits from Peter Jackson for them to keep. Dean’s shoes were from Zu shoes, and the Bridesmaid’s dresses were bought from Duchess Boutique in Brunswick. We had them shortened by my bridesmaid’s mother.

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Theme or colour scheme
Vintage/Rustic DIY, the colours were peach and mint with wood and burlap as a base

The flowers
Peach and ivory roses with a variety of vintage accomplishments such as baby’s breath, silver fern and some I don’t know! Wrapped in Mint ribbon and twine

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The decoration
DIY Bride made Peach and Mint everything! With a touch of lace and burlap.
Ceremony- Hanging jars with flowers, DIY hand held fans with program, matching vintage bicycles with basket and bits inside, vintage drinks stand, old wooden barrels with tall vases and white flowers framing the bride and groom.
Reception- Various old bits and pieces from my father and step mothers house, DIY Burlap bridal table runner, candles, jars with mixed nuts, old vintage cameras, ladder, wooden handmade photoboard, old wooden barrels, fairy light lit ceiling
Centerpieces- Wooden burls cut from a tree in Tegan’s backyard. With old various glass vases wrapped in peach and mint ribbon as well as thick twine

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The food
Chicken breast and veggies, or steak with sautéed vegetables. Roaming dessert platters.

The wedding cake
Cupcakes made from a local lady at home (we like to keep things local)

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The entertainment?
Kyle Lionhart for the ceremony and canapes (cocktail hour prior to reception). Then DJ Masters Melbourne supplied a DJ for the reception
Buy or DIY your Stationery?
All DIY- Invites, placecards, program, menu, guestbook

Personal or handmade touches
We had a fingerprint tree which was a huge hit with the guests as our guestbook. Now we have a big picture of a tree in our loungeroom with all of our guests fingerprints as the leaves.
The bicycles were a personal touch with them being part of our home and wedding and resembling that we have travelled lots of places and lived in so many places across Australia. “We just get back on our bike and move to the next destination”

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Special moments or highlights
Special moments included friends flying from Port Hedland WA to witness our day. But I don’t think anything can really top Dean and I saying our personal vows to each other. We had both worked very hard writing them and they really brought a special moment to the ceremony.

Biggest surprise
Deans biggest surprise was when Tegan vowed to start following Carlton Blues instead of Collingwood for Dean. She was saying her romantic vows and then vowed to change teams for me, I am a die-hard supporter and this made me SO happy!

Advice for other couples
Don’t overdo the planning as nothing is worth that sort of stress. Just plan your day for how you want it and the day goes so quickly so you just need to embrace everything that happens and really stop to look at each other and say I love you. We had rain and horrible wind just before I walked down the aisle outside, however we didn’t stress, we knew we had a back-up plan for weather and in the end the sun came out for the ceremony and then a storm hit during our photos, they are the most beautiful photos. So no amount of planning can capture those moments on the day. JUST ENJOY THE DAY!

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Supplier Shout Outs:

 

For more information on Jai’s work go to:

www.freethebird.com.au
[email protected]
FACEBOOK

Destination wedding photographer based in Melbourne Australia. I have a very relaxed style of photography. I try to capture the mood of the day and all the little import things that most people miss. I love travel and I have been in the U.S. for the past 3 months shooting weddings. I will be in Europe next year from June to September. I am now taking booking for these dates anywhere in Europe. I will be doing a very special price for the first 2 couples to contact me.

 

 

 

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