A Bali wedding has become such a popular choice for Aussie couples, not only because of its welcoming and hospitable people, but because it is a slice of paradise that offers so much and it’s on our doorstep!
Shannon and James chose to celebrate with 120 of their friends and family at their engagement party before jetting off with their close families to enjoy an intimate, but luxurious Bali wedding, where quality was the main focus, rather than quantity.
Shannon tells us, “by keeping it small we made it a luxurious wedding with seven courses and cocktails included… We were able to freely socialise with everyone on the night and we don’t think we would have done that with a large wedding.”
The day was relaxed, as a Bali wedding should be. Shannon and James glided through the day as smoothly as they did the preparations for it. Shannon says, “I love that we woke up together (not very traditional) and had a casual breakfast and swim together, just thinking, Wow this is actually the day after all the months of counting down. I think it helped keep us stress free for the day.”
Shannon recalls a previous holiday to Bali she had with James, where they had been to the Rock Bar at Ayana Resort, she says “I was blown away by the beauty of the place and adored the Tresna Chapel, so the choice of where to have our wedding was easy.”
“We had organised a horse and carriage for after we had wed. We were having a great time when I felt a massive pull on my head and my veil disappeared. I assumed it had got caught in the bush as it was medium length. But instead it had got caught in the carriage wheel. The staff frantically pulled it out promising to fix it. This made us laugh as it was in about a million pieces, well beyond repair.”
The couple organised Balinese dancers for entertainment for the night, which was a great surprise for the guests. They saved on a DJ, Shannon compiled a playlist for the night and took several months perfecting it. “For our thank yous after the wedding, we made copies of the disk to send to the guests.”
Shannon and James felt that the planning of their Bali wedding was a lot less complicated than planning a bigger wedding in Australia. Shannon explains, “the Balinese don’t need many months of notice to organise everything that is required to have a memorable day. Ayana provides a wedding planner and pointed us in the right direction of reputable companies for anything they didn’t provide.”
Some advice from the bride, “Stick to your guns. Some family members weren’t keen on going to Bali, but we persisted with our decision without regret. We accepted some people would not make the journey, but the people that really wanted to be there would.”
Thank you to Shannon and James for sharing their wonderful Bali wedding with us, it looks like you and your guests had an absolute ball. Congratulations on your marriage!
Suppliers:
Photographer – MJY photography
Wedding planner – Ayana resort
Bride’s Dress – Sarrishas house of fashions
Bride’s shoes – Caro by Clarice
Groom’s attire – Parker & Co
Flower girl’s dress – found on ebay.
Hair stylist & Makeup Artist – Stacey at Bali edge
Flowers – Ayana resort
Stationery & paper goods- made by a friend
Ceremony Venue- Tresna chapel – Ayana resort Jimbaran Bay
Reception Venue- Asmara Gardens – Ayana resort Jimbaran Bay
Caterers- Ayana resort Jimbaran Bay
Cake – Ayana resort Jimbaran Bay
Wedding rings – Custom made by Paz Jewlers and Hope diamonds
Transport-Ayana resort Jimbaran Bay
If you want some info on planning a Bali Wedding or another type of wedding away make sure you read our tips!
Kate x
Is your wedding going to be held in Bali? Leave comments in section below or on Facebook or Twitter.