K A T I E A N D A N D R E W
Going from high school sweethearts to husband and wife, Katie and Andrew tied the knot with a romantic celebration by the sea. The Northern Beaches of Sydney offered a stunning backdrop for their day of love which had all the sunshine and fun of a weekend getaway!
Old School Love…
Katie and Andrew were first brought together after following their passion for music. “We met at a performing arts program in high school, as we’re both musicians,” recalls Katie. The budding musicians exchanged MSN details (throwback!) and thought they would probably never meet again…but fate had other plans. Katie and Andrew bumped into each other totally by chance three years after their first meeting and the pair quickly fell for each other. “We recognised that we both shared similar values, goals, could definitely picture forever together and, most importantly, we made each other very happy,” shares Katie.
Kisses In Canada…
The sweet couple got engaged during a Christmas holiday in Canada. Andrew enlisted the help of a local Canadian woman who let Andrew and Katie take her dog, Shadow, for a walk in Banff National Park as Katie is a huge dog lover! On the day of the proposal, it was snowing and minus 10 degrees so the National Park truly became a winter wonderland. “Katie and Shadow walked through the park in the snow towards a beautiful mountain backdrop and Lake Minnewanka, which was completely frozen over,” recalls Andrew. He then handed her an engraved Christmas snowflake ornament with the date 21.12.17, got down on one knee and asked Katie to marry him. That sounds like the perfect ending to a romantic Christmas movie to us!
Wedding Weekend Getaway…
After such a dreamy proposal, it was time for the couple to start planning an equally as romantic wedding celebration. “We knew from the beginning that we wanted our wedding to have a ‘weekend away’ feel.” shares Katie. Their vision to achieve this vibe involved a coastal location paired with lots of neutral colours and a clean, modern and contemporary romantic feel. Katie and Andrew asked Eddie Blake from Ripple Weddings to capture the big day. “We chose Eddie because we loved the look and feel of his photos,” shares the newlyweds, “His photography style is so real, clean and sleek and we love the way he edits them!”
Custom Groomsmen…
Andrew had three groomsmen standing next to him on the big day. He assembled his groom gang by surprising each of the boys with a nice bottle of Whiskey in a wooden holder along with a personalised note for each of them. On the big day, the groomsmen wore tailored suits with custom linings from Belance. Each groomsman chose which colour and pattern they wanted for their suit so that it could be a true expression of their personalities. Andrew’s look for the wedding was timeless and classy with a black tuxedo and a matching bow tie.
From Bellini’s To Bride Tribe…
Katie had three bridesmaids who she proposed to with a surprise group breakfast at The Botanica Vaucluse. “I surprised them with flower bouquets that said, ‘Will you be my Bridesmaid/Maid of Honour’ on the wrapping, Bellini’s, a beautiful necklace and a handwritten personalised note,” shares Katie. The bride chose gorgeous sand-colored Bec + Bridge dresses for her squad to wear on the big day. “I have since had so many private messages from upcoming brides about the girls’ look!” says Katie.
Butterfly Bride…
Katie looked absolutely dazzling on the big day in the Myra gown by Énzoani. The fitted gown featured lace and tulle detail with a flattering V neckline and delicate tulle straps. The dress had a sheer bodice with fine lacework, applique and beads that cascaded into the soft, dreamy tulle and lace skirt. Katie’s bridal look was made even more elegance with a soft French tulle layered overskirt that featured lace motifs to create an effortless flow. “I had Alyssa Kristin tulle wings/veil which attached to the tulle straps on my gown so that when I walked, the tulle wings pulled up off the dress and floated in the air behind me down the aisle,” says Katie. To complete the enchanting look, Katie had a bridal bouquet of fluffy white roses from Ellebore.
Time To Say ‘I Do’…
Katie and Andrew’s wedding ceremony took place at Maria Regina Catholic Church at Avalon Beach. “The church had a high ceiling above the altar and beautiful sandstone features throughout,” says Katie on their choice of venue. One of Katie’s favourite moments was being able to have both her dad and stepdad walk her down the aisle. “I had my Dad start my walk and we met my stepdad halfway where they shook hands and he then took over,” says the bride.
Reception By The Sea…
The location of the wedding reception definitely captured the ‘weekend away’ vibe that Katie and Andrew wanted to achieve with their wedding. Moby Dicks overlooks Whale Beach and is filled with modern coastal interiors while boasting a panoramic view of the ocean. The guests entered the venue through a tropical garden, then were greeted by a floral oasis of beautiful blooms in pots and vases. Greenery was also set to hang above the bridal table, and delicate candles were placed throughout the room to illuminate the space in soft, romantic light.
Making An Entrance…
Katie and Andrew certainly made a grand entrance to their wedding reception! “We entered to Beyonce’s ‘End Of Time’…accompanied by an 8-piece brass roving band!” laughs Katie, “All that our guests could hear at first were drums and trumpets which lined the stairs into Moby Dicks and as we entered the room, the roving band surrounded us for the ultimate surprise!”. Now, that’s one way to get the party started!
Royal Cake…
It’s no secret that at Modern Wedding, we love cake! So, it’s only natural that we were totally envious when we found out that Katie and Andrew had not one, not two, but THREE wedding cakes! “We took our inspiration for our wedding cakes from the royal wedding as they had three similar cakes of different heights and sizes,” explains Katie. The remarkable sweet delights from By Gigi each featured four different flavours with one of the layers being inspired by the couple’s Canadian proposal…Maple Syrup!
Newlyweds Take The Stage…
Another really special moment on the night was when Katie and Andrew took to the stage to perform together. “We have our own acoustic duo business, K&A Acoustic,” explains Andrew, “We were going to take the night off but it just didn’t feel right.” The couple’s performance was such a sentimental moment as music is the force that led to their first meeting and has since been a big part of their relationship. The couple was joined by their wedding band for the performance of ‘Never Seen Anything Quite Like You’ by The Script.
Forever Music…
Katie and Andrew celebrated their first week of husband and wife in a gorgeous overwater suite in the Maldives. Since settling into married life, the newlyweds had time to reflect on their wedding and have some advice for other couples planning their big day. “Figure out a rough budget after you have gotten ideas from different suppliers on costs because then you will know what to expect,” shares the pair. “Figure out as a couple what areas you are willing to splurge a little and areas that you are willing to cut back on. For us, music was the main splurge, as it is so important to us and we wanted everything to run smoothly in that department.” The couple hopes to grow their music business and keep music forever in their hearts and home. They also hope to have their very own dog one day and to be taken all over the world by their love for adventure and travel!
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Ceremony: Maria Regina Catholic Church, Avalon Beach / Reception & Styling: Moby Dicks, Whale Beach / Photographer/Videographer: Ripple Weddings / Proposal Photographer: ENV Photography / Florist & Styling: Ellebore / Supplier (Tables): Heart & Timber / Cakes: By Gigi / Makeup Artist (Bride): Nicole Hill Makeup / Makeup Artist (Bridesmaids/MOB): Makeup by Jaimee May / Hair: Kayla Goss Bridal / Bride’s Wedding Dress: Enzoani from Eternal Bridal / Angel Wing Veil: Love Marie Bridal Boutique / Alterations: Bespoke Bridal Tailors / Heels: Verali Bridal and Kate Spade / ‘Mrs’ Denim Jacket: Sodapop / Bridesmaid Dresses: Bec + Bridge / Weddings Rings: Affinity Diamonds / Bride’s Jewellery: The White Collection / Groom/Groomsmen Suits: Belance / Invitations: Ivory & Stone / Accommodation: Contemporary Hotels / Wedding Cars: Bride and Vroom / Roving Band: Hot Potato Band / Band: Veneno / DJ: DJ Trey / Sound: RUN Sound & Studio / Acoustic Duo: K&A Acoustic / MC: Adam Scicluna