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From the English-inspired gardens filled with colourful blooms to the arch bridge spanning the lake and highland cattle roaming the property, it’s easy to understand Gerrie and Michael’s attraction to the historic Mona Farm for their wedding venue. Located in Braidwood in rural NSW, the couple created a whimsical garden party, with romantic floral dreamscapes, jazz music, Negroni cocktails and dancing under the stars to round off the day.
With golden hair, blue eyes and red lips, Gerrie’s beauty was further elevated with her unique wedding-day styling. Her dress featured sheer, voluminous sleeves and delicate floral lace embellishments. Tania Maras worked with Gerrie to create a bespoke veil to complement her ethereal dress, along with a golden hair comb to adorn her low-set bun.
Gerrie and Michael decided to have a long weekend destination wedding, with plenty of time to enjoy the picturesque surroundings with their guests.
“We fell in love with the stunning grounds and English-inspired gardens, as well as the luxury accommodation, artwork and sculptures,” Gerrie enthuses. “Mona Farm does away with some of the hassles of a fully DIY wedding, but still allows a very bespoke experience, and the events management team there are first class.”
The ceremony was filled with memorable and personal elements, with one of Gerrie’s oldest friends, Nicci, as celebrant, a reading of a favourite poem by Gerrie’s brother and a rendition of The Lark Ascending by the Brioso String Quartet in memory of Michael’s Dad.
Instagram, The Lane and Wedshed were Gerrie’s go-to sources for wedding dress inspiration, before deciding on the Cecilia dress from Liz Martinez.
“I fell in love with the voluminous sleeve trend early on but wanted to find something that was still elegant and timeless,” she says. “The intricate and delicate floral lace appliqué on Liz Martinez designs is just breathtaking, and I chose a nude lining for the dress to accentuate the white lace detail.”
Gerrie chose the AUDREY veil, for its light and modern design, which wouldn’t distract from the intricacy and volume of her bridal gown.
“I wanted the back of the dress to be visible and the delicate nature of AUDREY means it streams out narrowly behind you and also catches the wind beautifully,” she says.
Instead of a metal comb, the Tania Maras team attached metal loops, to allow Gerrie’s veil to sit seamlessly under her low-set bun.
“I wanted to wear the veil attaching underneath my hair bun rather than over the top,” explains Gerrie. “Tania and the team came up with a different attachment to a comb so it was easier for my hair stylist to secure the veil. They were also incredibly helpful with explaining the difference between all the veil styles and helping me to achieve the look I was after.”
The abundance of shimmering crystals, pearls and floral elements in the MARION headpiece beautifully complemented the embellishments on Gerrie’s dress.
“Do away with any traditions that don’t resonate with you and your partner, and invest in those aspects of the day that are most important to you,” advises Gerrie. “Think about your guests’ comfort throughout the day when planning – is there enough seating, heating, food, bathrooms, etc. We would also really recommend investing in a photographer, videographer and photo-booth – it’s not something we initially planned, having all three, but we’ve really enjoyed seeing different aspects of the day captured for us to remember and revisit.”
When Angelica first watched the wedding scene from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, she immediately knew that she had found her wedding day inspiration. From the garden paths, to the hanging Wisteria and lush greenery, Angelica and Norman’s nuptials had all the romance and magic of the famous Twilight wedding, sans the vampires and werewolves!
Angelica was adorned in our CATALINA cathedral veil, featuring fabric flowers, intricate lace and beaded details, which was right on theme for her special garden wedding.
With careful planning, time and a big dose of creativity, Angelica and Norman achieved their wedding day vision. Nature was an important factor when it came to the décor and events during the day.
“I wanted the wedding to feel whimsical and like we’re immersed in nature but elegant at the same time,” says Angelica. “I loved the look of green moss on wooden tables and knew that had to be a key element in bringing that earthy feel. I wanted to see the space fill with greenery but pop with white flowers just like you see in the movie! Of course it’s quite expensive to do all that so I simplified it a bit and searched all over Central Florida for a venue where I could add these details, where it wouldn’t get too expensive, and it would all complement the space.”
During the ceremony they had a Tree Unity ceremony where Angelica and Norman’s mothers added the soil (representing their foundation) in the couple’s new pot (home) and then the couple planted their tree (their new family) and then they watered it, which represents new beginnings.
Other special elements were the wisteria decorations that were hung in the dining pavilion to add to the Twilight wedding vibe and the backdrop at the sweetheart table which Angelica’s Maid of Honour/sister DIY-ed.
Angelica had a specific off-the-shoulder, A-line lace dress in mind, however it was in a travelling trunk show and she was unable to try it on. So she began trying on similar styles in bridal shops.
“I had tried about 20 dresses already and I remember not thinking much about my dress when I first picked it up to try on. But once I had it on and saw myself in the mirror, my first thought was ‘wow, I feel like a bride’. I walked out to show my mum and sister. They thought I wasn’t going to like it but once I told them I felt like a bride they started crying, and so did I! It was off-the-shoulder like I wanted, it wasn’t A-line, which I actually loved, and the lace cut-outs were the perfect touch of unique and sexy that I was hoping for! It was a simpler dress so I knew my veil had to stand out somehow.”
With beaded lace and handcrafted flowers, the CATALINA veil caught Angelica’s attention and admiration.
“I loved the CATALINA veil because it has these beautiful fabric flowers that pop out and cascade down the top portion of the veil,” says Angelica. “It was the perfect amount of detail for my dress and my hair since I wanted to style it up. In every picture with the veil you can see the flowers stand out perfectly.”
“Talk specifics about the visions you have for your special day and give yourself enough time to make it happen,” suggests Angelica. “Don’t rush your timeline for anyone else and keep what you two want at the forefront. It’s good to keep others in mind but this is your day so do what feels right to you. A wedding is no small task and sometimes it’s nice when people want to help but it gets overwhelming real fast so try to keep things between the two of you and your vendors, that way you prevent unwanted input and headaches. Don’t lose focus on the fact that this is about you and your significant other. And remember to enjoy the process. It can be hard sometimes but take a step back, breathe and enjoy the fact that you are planning your wedding!
With regal gardens, lush woodlands and blue skies, Aimee and Greg Keane’s wedding day was storybook perfect. Set in the idyllic Irish countryside, the day had all the charm and romance of a fairy tale wedding.
The setting was absolutely picturesque, but Aimee’s bridal look outshone it all. Aimee loved the simple style of her dress, with its boat neckline, long sleeves and sparkly belt. Along with her bright blue eyes and auburn hair, her look was fresh and elegant. When it came to accessorising, she needed a suitably regal headpiece. The HENRI crown was the perfect piece to adorn her look.
Location and ambience played a big part in Aimee and Greg’s wedding, as it set the theme for the whole day. After a ceremony at the local church, the reception took place at the Castle Oaks House in County Limerick (Ireland), which boasted vibrant foliage, manicured gardens and lots of country charm.
“One of the key elements was our venue, Castle Oaks House, as it is a stunning old Georgian manor house and is surrounded by beautiful gardens on the banks of the River Shannon. As it was such a classic looming house, I wanted our day to match that,” says Aimee.
The goal was to create a timeless wedding theme, and they achieved this with classic and simple styling. They also added a few personal and fun elements to make the day extra special.
“We had light-up love letters, a photobooth and what I really loved was the custom drawing of our venue with us in it. All the guests could sign it on the day. It’s now hanging in our sitting room and it’s a lovely reminder of the day. We also hired a keg of beer so that everyone had free pints when they arrived to the reception. That went down a treat.”
Aimee spent six months researching wedding dresses, before she found her perfect dress, which had everything she was looking for. It was simple with minimal embellishment, but the style and cut of the dress were classic and flattering.
“When I was looking online I kept being drawn to the more simplistic dresses so that’s why I loved my dress when I saw it as it had all the aspects I wanted… sleeves, simple with a little bit of bling in the belt, a stunning back and a long train. I just knew it was the dress for me when I saw it online and luckily it was even more beautiful on.”
She wanted her accessories to have a point of difference and make a statement. The HENRI crown fitted this brief.
“It was simple yet dramatic and so unusual… I had never seen a piece like it”.
She styled the crown in a loose, romantic up do, with soft tendrils framing her face.
“When I found my wedding dress, I knew I wanted to find really unusual accessories. As my dress was quite plain, I knew it could take a few statement accessories. I came across Tania Maras on Facebook one day and when I went into her website, I knew I wanted one of her pieces… I wanted them all actually!”
“My best advice is; it’s your special day so do it your way. You will never please everyone so don’t worry yourself trying to. We had the most amazing day with our loved ones and it was so special, so you can’t afford regrets. It always works out in the end. Also, the day goes way too fast so try to take it all in and enjoy it as much as you can.”
Bespoke and ready-to-wear bridal accessories and veils. Designed and handcrafted in Canberra, Australia. Our online store is open 24/7 with worldwide delivery available including express options. The Fyshwick showroom is by appointment only. Virtual appointments are available for interstate and international brides.
