Altered plans and golden opportunities

Two weeks before Gwen and Sean’s wedding date their careful planning was given a shakeup. As restrictions came into place, they had to quickly rethink and adapt. Although different to the wedding they originally envisioned, their day turned out even more perfect than they could have imagined. As a last-minute venue swap, the ceremony took place at Gwen’s childhood backyard and was followed by a family-style dinner on farm tables. At Gwen’s childhood home with a handful of their closest friends and family, the wedding was intimate and sentimental.

To complement the magical woodland setting, Gwen searched for a suitably whimsical dress and accessories. A floaty gown with ruffled sleeves and a cluster of delicate WHISPER hair pins scattered to the side of a bun, beautifully captured the garden wedding vibe.

Woodland Bliss

Gwen envisioned her wedding surrounded by greenery or trees with neutral coloured flowers and simplistic décor. Sean described the look they were going for as “modern, chic, woodsy wonder”.

“We ended up getting married in my parent’s backyard next to a creek, with trees everywhere. It was even more perfect that I envisioned, and would have had at our original venue. It was the perfect romantic mood that I was hoping for,” says Gwen. “Our vendors went above and beyond to make sure the backyard transformed into a woodsy wonderland. One of my favourite aspects of the wedding was the little round glass terrariums with LED tea lights hanging from the trees above us, and a chandelier over our dinner table. It was so incredible.”

A magical bridal look

Although originally picturing herself in simple, romantic wedding dress, Gwen ultimately decided on a design that was a little outside her comfort zone – Alexandra Grecco’s Elodie gown featuring a ruffled bodice and embroidered details.

“When I saw myself in the mirror, I knew this was the one. It had the perfect balance of elegance and romance, but a touch of flirty. The ruffle sleeves are what sealed the deal for me. I love to be different in a subtle way, and this dress did that exactly for me, and I felt so sexy, and comfortable.”

Gwen fell in love with the delicate beauty of the WHISPER hair pins and their styling versatility. They can be scattered across an updo, clustered at the side of a bun or arranged in a row along a half up hairstyle.

“I loved being able to place the WHISPER hair pins in a small bunch in my hair, then a few farther away. It felt so natural, and romantic.”

Go with your heart

When it comes to planning your dream wedding and bridal look, Gwen’s advice is to go with your heart.

“It is always so wonderful to have your loved ones opinions, but it is your day. Wear the dress that you felt amazing in, the one you loved. Have the same approach with your accessories. Take your loved ones opinions with a grain of salt, and choose what makes you happy, and makes you feel beautiful.”