D A V I D & T A H N E E
F R O M T H E B R I D E …
The Meeting…
David and I met in high school when we were 16. We were at a mutual friend’s party and I was the only one who had not met any of the boys. Being awkward teenagers, of course all of the boys ignored me. David was the only person to come up and introduce himself.
Love…
Because we got together so young, we basically grew up together, learning as much about each other as we did about ourselves. Young love inevitably grew into real love!
The Proposal…
We got engaged over Easter in 2013. David planned a day full of my favourite things, finishing with a drive to the Blue Mountains. David had organised for us to have an apple orchard to ourselves and while I was taking photos and picking apples, he proposed!
The Dress…
Going into dress shopping, I thought that I did not want a big dress. I envisioned something modern and on trend. However, when I started trying gowns on, I realised that the sleek styles did not flatter my petite frame. So I ended up with something classic. I bought my dress from Angela Wilson in Paddington. The design was by Amsale. What drew me to it was its unique colour. A dark ivory- nearly latte. And it had pockets!
Bridesmaids…
My bridesmaids wore Zimmermann dresses in different styles. The colour was ‘Magnolia’
Groom & Groomsmen…
Blue Brent Wilson suits, with the groom in a three piece.
The Flowers…
I wanted the bouquets to be classic but totally memorable. For the bride – peony roses in white, David Austin roses in soft peach and white, small amounts of white hydrangea and a couple of heads of lemon phalenopsis orchids, bound half way with strands of ribbons in ivory and champagne. For the bridesmaids – smaller posies with similar blooms in neutral tones, soft pinks and some peach, strands of ribbons on handle in beige and pink tones. My flower girl held a small posy of 3 peony heads and wore a floral crown.
Wedding Style…
We wanted the whole day to be relaxed, elegant and a little bit different from your usual wedding. We love the idea of a long lunch which is why we decided to have a day wedding. We chose to use a soft palate of pinks and nudes with pops of colour. We wanted the feel to be sophisticated but also young and fun.
Ceremony Venue…
Parish of our Lady Star of the Sea, Watsons Bay.
Reception Venue…
Catalina, Rose Bay. When we first sat down to talk about what was most important to us on the day, we immediately agreed that amazing food was our number one priority. As real foodies, Catalina was the perfect choice. We also had a large group of people travelling from overseas and wanted somewhere that showed off the best of Sydney. The view at Catalina is stunning, particularly during the day. The planning phase was pain free, almost enjoyable, as everyone there is just so good to deal with. The food and wine choices available were also great, with most dishes not what you would normally expect at a wedding. The staff at Catalina are utmost professionals. The day ran smoothly, the food was on time and we received endless comments on how impressive the food, wine and service was.
Decorations…
Our second priority was flowers. I wanted the flowers to make an impact and to be the main decoration. I wanted the arrangements to be less structured and I didn’t want each table to be identical. Our florist Myra, from My Violet was a godsend. She understood my vision and made it come to life. The entrance stairs had an ombre trail of rose petals. We also had 3 giant white balloons. On the entrance table we had a big colourful arrangement of flowers including peonies, dahlias, roses and hydrangeas. Each table had bright, mixed arrangements in 3 vases, and floral leis were hanging outside. Using Etsy we also had a bunting made and strung across the sails on the balcony.
On the Menu…
We had an hour of canapés followed by a three course meal and cake, coffee and petit fours.
ENTREE: CHOICE OF-
CRISP CONFIT PORK BELLY WITH APPLE PUREE, ASPARAGUS & WITLOF SALAD
VITELLO TONNATO: POACHED VEAL FILLET ON POTATO GRATIN WITH TUNA MAYONNIASE
& ROCKET
MAINS: CHOICE OF-
CRISPY SKIN SALMON WITH A SALAD OF BLOOD ORANGE, SHAVED FENNEL, TOASTED WALNUTS; ORANGE REDUCTION
ROASTED LAMB RACK WITH MINTED PEA PUREE, BABY BEETROOTS & TOMATO JUS (SERVED PINK)
DESSERT DEGUSTATION PLATTERS FEATURING:
PASSIONFRUIT CRÈME BRULEE W/ COCONUT DACQUOISE
WHITE CHOCOLATE PARFAIT WITH PASHMAK
BANANA & SALTED PEANUT BUTTER PARFAIT WITH CARAMEL SAUCE
CARAMELISED FIG W/ BITTER CARAMEL MOUSSE, BRIK PASTRY
Wedding Favours…
We had personalised fortune cookies in glass jars. Tahnee is half Chinese so we thought it would be a fun way to acknowledge her heritage.
Memories…
We had a traditional Chinese tea ceremony during the reception. Many of Tahnee’s mum’s family came from Hong Kong just for the wedding and we wanted to pay our respect to them. All of David’s Italian relatives joined in too!
Honeymoon…
We went on a ‘minimoon’ for a week in Malaysia and will be going to Paris and Italy for our real honeymoon next July.
Photographer Photography by Nadean Ceremony Venue Our Lady Star of the Sea Reception Venue Catalina Rose Bay Bride’s Dress Amsale from Angela Wilson Bridesmaid Dresses Zimmermann Groom & Groomsmen Suits Brent Wilson Wedding Flowers My Violet Wedding Cake Planet Cake Decor Love to Celebrate Stationery Etsy Wedding Favours Fortune Cookies Australia