A C A C I A + L U K E
It may have been the middle of winter, but Acacia and Luke’s wedding by the beach in tropical North Queensland will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
F R O M T H E B R I D E
We first met…
My best friend (and Maid of Honour) and Luke’s good friend (and Groomsman) are brother and sister. We met at their parent’s house on a long weekend 5 years ago. We spent the night talking into the early hours of the morning and I found him on Facebook the next day. He asked me out on a date and the rest is history!
We knew it was love…
A few months into the relationship. I was trying to pluck up the courage to say it out loud but before I could, Luke wrote me a letter saying it first. We’ve said it every day since.
The proposal…
The engagement was phenomenal! It was just a normal Tuesday. I came home from work and I opened the door into the house. Our favourite song was playing throughout the entire house and there was a trail of red rose petals from the front door all the way to our bedroom door. I opened the bedroom door and the room was filled with candles, champagne, bunches of roses and on the bed in rose petals said “Marry Me?” Luke walked into the room from our en-suite in a suit and got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I cannot remember the exact words though as I was a shaking crying mess. We celebrated with champagne and phone calls to all of our closest family who were thrilled with our news.
T H E W E D D I N G
Our Photographer…
Hannes Theron from Hanixpix Photography did our wedding photos. He was recommended to us by our wedding coordinator as she thought our relaxed and fun personalities would be well suited. Our photos capture the real moments from the day and we are so grateful that we have them to look back on.
Our dream wedding…
Right from the beginning I envisaged an elegant winter wedding with white and green florals. I wanted it to be classic and romantic.
Ceremony location…
Our ceremony was held in the gardens at the Thala Beach Eco Lodge between Cairns and Port Douglas.
Reception venue…
Our guests celebrated with champagne and a selection of fruits, fresh breads and cheeses at the Beach Shak (located on the beach at Thala) while we had our photos taken on the Thala grounds. We then celebrated with everyone at our reception at the Thala restaurant which overlooked the ocean and mountains.
Pre-wedding celebrations…
Luke hired a beautiful beach house and spent a few nights with his closest friends there a week before the wedding. My mother and step mother threw me an Alice in Wonderland themed high tea and then I had a Great Gatsby themed night out with my closest friends. We had friends and family stay at Thala with us on the night before the wedding so that we could all have dinner together before the wedding which was amazing.
The bridal party…
Luke and I had four bridesmaids/groomsmen each. All of our bridal party were our oldest friends.
The bridesmaids wore…
I found my bridesmaid dresses on Paper Scissors Frock. They were on sale for $45! They were a floor length blush gown with a stunning low back. The girls looked absolutely amazing.
The groomsmen wore…
The handsome groomsmen wore navy blue suits with white bow ties. The suits were tailored to each individual groomsmen and looked so amazing on the day. (Suits made by Victor Mellick in Cairns).
The groom wore…
Luke matched his groomsmen in a navy blue 3-piece suit with a white patterned bow tie.
The dress…
I found my gown the second day I had gone wedding dress shopping. I didn’t have any images in mind, but I knew I wanted long sleeves and nothing “puffy” (instructions from the groom). The gown I choose was made by Cizzy. It caught my eye in the beginning because of the beautiful train and the layers upon layers of lace. I had it altered to add the long sleeves, low back and buttons down the back.
Wedding flowers…
I wanted a big bouquet with pinks and greens. I showed my florist heaps of photos and they talked me through what was in season and what would work best. To be honest I left the flower decisions in their hands as they were so professional and caring, I knew they would make amazing choices. When I walked into the florist a few days before the wedding to check on how everything was going my jaw hit the floor at all of the gorgeous flowers they had put together for the day. They were brilliant.
Reception décor…
The bridal table was covered in a white and green flower arrangement from start to finish. The guest tables had antique silver table numbers on them and candle holders and the venue was lit up in fairy lights. We had a Polaroid camera and guest book for everyone to take photos and write notes to us. That was really great to look through and read when the day was over.
On the menu…
We had a 3 course sit down meal.
Entrée: Scallops or Pork Belly Salad
Main: Beef Sirloin or Local Reef Fish
Dessert: Trio of Chocolates or Vanilla/Passionfruit Parfait
Bombonniere…
Our bombonnieres were mini champagne bottles for each guest. I covered the bottles in black glitter and tied a black satin ribbon around the top.
Memorable moments…
Although there were so many amazing moments throughout the day, the groom’s speech is at the top of my list. He did such a great job and I was so proud of him.
Wedding soundtrack…
Walking down the aisle – Love You Till The End by Par Manon (Cover)
Signing song – I Just Can’t Stop Loving You by Michael Jackson
Processional song – You’ve Got The Love by Florence and the Machine
First Dance – Latch by Jason Heerah
Cake Cutting – Grow Old With You by Adam Sandler
M A R R I E D L I F E
The honeymoon…
We honeymooned on the beautiful Hamilton Island. We had a stunning room overlooking the water and we spent the entire time relaxing and exploring. We can’t wait to go back.
Future plans…
We hope to start our own family and see more of the world together.
In 40 years you hope to…
Be happy, healthy and growing old with the man I married on 25.06.16
W E D D I N G W I S D O M
The engagement…
Just let it all soak in and don’t start getting too crazy with wedding plans too soon. Enjoy this milestone with your fiancé.
Planning…
Don’t rush and don’t let other people influence your decisions. Get lots of quotes from suppliers, shop around, read reviews and do your research. Don’t make decisions too quickly into the planning as you may change your mind when it’s too late.
On the day…
Relax! All of the planning and preparation has come together and what will be will be. Enjoy that time with your closest friends and family on one of the most amazing days of your life.
Wedding Photographer: Hanixpix Photography / Ceremony and Reception Venue: Thala Beach Eco Lodge / Wedding Dress: Cizzy / Bridesmaids Dresses: Paper Scissors Frock / Suits: Victor Mellick / Wedding Cake: Passion For Cakes / Flowers: Rainflowers / Lighting, Ceremony Furniture, Table Arrangements + Arbour: Eventcore