LOVE: KATE + RYAN | ECLECTIC GARDEN WEDDING TOWNSVILLE QLD

TELLA PHOTOGRAPHY TOWNSVILLE BACKYARD WEDDING ECLECTIC DECOR

Kate and Ryan knew of each other at high school but it wasn't until about 5 years after school that they officially met and started talking. Together for 7 years when Ryan proposed to Kate in the middle of Central Park, NYC, these two gorgeous people married this year in June on their 8 year anniversary and chose a private residence to hold their ceremony and reception at to make these amazing memories together even more special.

Tell us about the proposal: Ryan proposed in the middle of Central Park in New York City with a ring from Tiffany and Co. He knew I loved everything about New York and went out of his way to create a dream proposal. During this trip to New York, we had been taking daily morning walks in the park, exploring different areas and on one of those days Ryan proposed.

What led you to decide on your Wedding venue? People thought we were crazy having the Wedding (ceremony and reception) in a residential backyard but we had a vision and it turned out perfectly. We wanted to have it somewhere meaningful and personal, intimate where we would create memories to last a lifetime.

Ryan’s family home was that place for us, he grew up there, its familiar and welcoming, many of our guests already knew it well. It was a venue that was unique to us. Ryan’s mum’s garden is also quite famous (in the family) as you will often find quirky creations there, like the built in chess board and framed succulents hanging from the back fence.

What was the inspiration behind your Wedding theme? Being a professional Wedding photographer myself, I have been to a lot of Weddings! Our theme was ‘things I haven’t photographed before’ just to shake things up a little.

Your most favourite moment/s of the day: At our reception we played the ‘shoe game’. (Place two chairs back to back in the middle of the dance floor. Sit in one chair and have your partner sits in the other. Then take off your shoes and switch one shoe with your partner. You should each have two different shoes in your hands. Your MC asks a series of questions and after each question, you hold up the shoe of the person you think is the best answer to the question.)

It was all in good fun with questions like ‘Who is the better driver’, ‘Who is more likely to burn the house down when they’re cooking’ etc. Then we used the last question to announce to our guests that we were expecting baby Hadley. ‘Whose due date is in January 2019?’

What was your favourite detail/s about the day? Our arbour – This was a pinterest find, I was looking for an arbour for the ceremony that was different to anything I had seen before. My dad made it from scratch. Given all the angles, I think it became quite complicated in the end but he pulled it off and once it was set up with all the flowers on it, it was one of my favourite details of the day.

Reserved signs/seats for grandparents - We reserved three seats at the ceremony in the second row with corsage/ boutonniere’s for my grandparents who had passed away.

Cake – I’ve always thought the cake cutting part of Weddings was weird, so we didn’t do a ‘cake cutting’. But we couldn’t go without cake so we chose to have a very non traditional cake (vanilla with caramel cream, dripping with chocolate and popcorn). It was a hit.

How long did it take for you to find your dress? I knew the dress was THE dress before I even knew where to get it from. It was perfect because it was so unlike anything I had ever seen before. I had originally spotted it on Pinterest and followed the links and credits until I found the designer, who happened to have a stockist in Australia. (This stockist has since closed)

I took my mother and mother in-law on a weekend trip to the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria to try it on and place the order! I tried on two other dresses in the same store just for the hell of it, but the Chantel Lauren Mae hand-painted gown was always going to be the one.

What does marriage mean to you? We asked Ryan’s grandparents to be our witnesses, they have been married 56 years and their strong and lasting partnership is an example of patience and love. It is a testament to the way in which they have spent a lifetime growing and changing together, making their family’s love and happiness a priority. It is something we aspire to in our marriage and life together.

Any classic stories you want to share from the day? We had a fair space of time between the ceremony and the reception. Mainly because we wanted plenty of time for photos, but also because the yard had to be re-set from ceremony to reception. In order to get all our guests out of the yard, Ryan’s parents hired an ice cream truck that showed up just after the ceremony. It certainly did the trick.

What advice would you offer to other couples planning a Wedding? Don’t do things just because ‘that’s what you do at Weddings’. Chop and change, cut and paste and create a day that’s perfect for the two of you. Hire someone to run things for you on the day – that way friends and family (and you) don’t have to worry about a thing. Also, hit up your photographers for ideas and suggestions - they are an untapped source of information, they’ve seen it all!

TO THE AISLE AUSTRALIA | KATE AND RYAN WEDDING TOWNSVILLE

Any stand out vendors for the day? Someone that went above and beyond? Bec – Maid of Honour Weddings. We hired Bec for the day to ensure everything ran smoothly and that no family or friends had to be running around worrying or doing odd jobs etc. Not only did Bec oversee the day (which went perfectly), she called, confirmed, coordinated all our vendors two weeks out and really is just amazing at what she does.