e Real Thing - Your Hunter Valley Wedding Planner

e Real Thing
Looking for even more inspiration, or perhaps
some useful tips for your special day? We have
10 couples sharing their wedding stories! Enjoy.
THE REAL THING
PHOTOGRAPHY: Michelle-Leigh Photography (pg 128)
178 179

Wedding
Budget
$18,000
You Tube Your Love
Clair Wotton & Levi Dallen
All Saints Woodville - November 26th 2011
THE REAL THING
Waking up the morning
of her wedding Clair had
no idea about the beautiful
surprise her husband-to-be
had left her.
Levi had left a package for me and
inside was a beautiful engraved Oroton
hand mirror and a DVD. Levi had made
me a video, with no words, just pages of
messages he was holding up to the music
for our bridal waltz. I bawled my eyes out,
it was the most beautiful thing. People I
don’t even know have seen it on YouTube
and still comment on how lovely it was!
We decided to keep our wedding quaint
and simple. All Saints Woodville (pg 75),
has a wonderful little chapel with a lovely
rustic feel, it looks out onto beautiful
green pastures and farm land.
We wanted our reception to be a fun
celebration. We had a photo booth
stocked with funny accessories, which
was a huge hit! Our song list was a mix
of classics and modern music to cater for
all our guests and the Grease dance circle
at the end of the night was definitely one
of the highlights!
Check out the YouTube clip:
www.youtu.be/ieCeMkL1eMw
Suppliers
CEREMONY & RECEPTION
All Saints Woodville (pg 75)
PHOTOGRAPHY Michelle-Leigh
Photography (pg 128)
FLOWERS Beautiful Blooms
of Kurri (pg 152)
CATERING Caterforce (pg 67)
BRIDAL JEWELS Thomas Sabo (pg 111)
CAKE Margaret Lawrence
GOWN Nicole Corrine
MUSIC Majestic Mobile Music
CANDY BUFFET La Tea Da
180 181

Wedding
Budget
$40,000
Gingerbread Kisses
Andrea Garry & David Allan
Peppers Creek, Pokolbin - January 14th 2012
THE REAL THING
Dave arranged for the
most spectacular display
of fireworks to go off on the
night of his proposal...well
so it worked out!
Dave proposed at a restaurant in Darling
Harbour under a dazzling array of
fireworks... okay, so they weren’t arranged
especially for me, but his timing was very
well placed! It was a total surprise, which
made the night most memorable.
Our Songs Walking down the aisle,
'Canon in D' Pachabel. Our first dance, 'Can’t
Help Falling in Love' Ingrid Michaelson.
The Ceremony was simple, with
our vows chosen from our celebrant's vast
array of options. We had three of our closest
friends read out poems which was lovely.
Memorable Moment Dave’s
favourite moment was seeing me emerge
from the car and walk down the aisle.
For me, it's so hard to say, as I loved
the whole day, but I think my favourite
was the one-on-one time before all the
craziness started, when we had photos
prior to the ceremony.
We Recommend MMG were fantastic
every step of the way. We have already
recommended them to family and friends.
Suppliers
PHOTOGRAPHY
MMG Photo + Cinema (pg 2 & 114)
CEREMONY & RECEPTION Peppers Creek
CEREMONY ENTERTAINMENT
Two Play Strings
TRANSPORT
Princess Classic Cars (pg 226)
HAIR & MAKEUP Envy Makeup Artistry
FLOWERS Peonies Floral Design
GOWN Maggie Sottero
SUITS Myer
182 183

COVER COUPLE!
Wedding
Budget
$14,000
When Benn Met Sall
Sally Welstead & Ben Burgmann
Woodville School of Arts - May 4th 2012
THE REAL THING
“It was perfect, everything
we had ever dreamt about!”
Rose petals lined the aisle and glass jars
and bottles collected over many months
filled with lisianthus, freesias and lavender
hung from the tree under which we
were married.
The reception was held at a cute,
quaint little hall in Woodville. It had
loads of character and charm. We lined
it with fairy lights, candles and all our
special little touches. We couldn’t have
done it without our wedding planner,
Emma Rudkin, she played a huge role
in organising, booking and pulling
everything together on the day.
Our Menu was afternoon Tapas of
mushrooms stuffed with goats cheese,
cheese fritters, chicken quesadilla,
chorizo and olive tapenade toasts. With
a main dish of paella made and served
by a family friend onsite. Dessert was an
assortment of salted caramel macaroons
from Espresso Newcastle, along with
lemon curd tarts and chocolate brownies
made by a local CWA lady... and of
course our amazing Croquembouche!
Our Music the aisle 'Somewhere Over
the Rainbow' Israel Kamakawiwo'ole,
leaving ceremony 'For Once in my Life'
Stevie Wonder, first dance 'The Wedding
Song' Angus & Julia Stone.
Suppliers
PHOTOGRAPHY Thierry Boudan
Photography (pg 120)
EVENT HIRE Beavis
'Your Event Team' (pg 145)
FLOWERS Jade McIntosh
Flowers (pg 150)
ENTERTAINMENT Saxanova
HAIR AND MAKE UP Chic Artistry
GOWN Lisa Ho
BRIDESMAIDS Light in the Box
184 185

Wedding
Budget
$37,000
Race Day Romance
Ashley Wilson & Mehdi Barzegari
Wandin Hunter Valley, Lovedale - March 10th 2012
THE REAL THING
Ashley and Mehdi met
after the races... she knew
right away she had backed a
winner! Nearly 8 years later
he popped the question.
Our garden ceremony was held at Wandin
Hunter Valley (pg 24) set on a hill covered
by trees backing onto the country cricket
oval. We incorporated a hand-fasting
Celtic tradition for our vows and a Persian
custom included in our ceremony.
The Persian tradition was having a
beautiful silk cloth held above our
heads while a happily married woman
dusted two sugar cones over our heads,
effectively showering us with sweetness
for our new lives together. We really
loved being able to incorporate two
traditions from both our backgrounds
within the ceremony.
We had a very fun, relaxed and intimate
evening with 90 guests, yummy food and
a night of dancing and happy snaps at
our handmade photo booth
Memorable Moment: I loved
walking out onto the cricket pitch at the
end of the night and looking back at the
pavilion filled with all our friends and
family, it was a moment we had together
to take it all in and be really thankful for
what we have and everyone in our lives.
Suppliers
CEREMONY & RECEPTION
Wandin Hunter Valley (pg 24)
CELEBRANT Circle of Life
Celebrant Services (pg 74)
FLOWERS Jade McIntosh Flowers (pg 150)
CAKE & CUPCAKES Hello Naomi creative
cakes cupcakes cookies (pg 159)
TRANSPORT Absolute Vintage
Elegance Limousines (pg 231)
PHOTOGRAPHY Craven Images
186 187

Wedding
Budget
$12,000
Like Hone to a Bee
Hannah-Rose Myerson & Damien Alley
Adamstown Community Church - November 11th 2011
THE REAL THING
Our ceremony was very special,
we had 130 family and friends gather
from NZ, WA, Sydney and the North
Coast. It was the first time all of our
extended family had been together.
It was very special and memorable.
All the music used in our ceremony was
taken from 'mixed CDs' we made for each
other during our 'crush phase' before we
officially started dating.
Our reception was a giant
Devonshire tea / afternoon tea in the rear
hall of the church. It was so lively, informal
and fun. We were able to mix and mingle
all afternoon and got around to everyone.
We would not have done it any differently.
Our wedding was almost 100% DIY
by family and friends, so it holds a
very sentimental place in our hearts.
Our Most Memorable Moment
was the moment after we were
announced as Husband and Wife when
all the confetti started to fly! We had
spent hours hole punching tissue paper,
thinking we had gone crazy, but at that
moment it was all so worthwhile, we
literally saw our hard work come to life.
Our Tips Think about what makes
you unique as a couple, break the mould
and do things a little differently. The more
personalised your day is, the more you’ll
enjoy it.
Suppliers
PHOTOGRAPHY Photography
on Hermitage (pg 124)
FLOWERS Peter Herd Florist (pg 153)
RINGS Williams the Jewellers (pg 110)
HAIR Om Shalom Hair &
Makeup (pg 204)
CAKE Hannah-Rose's Mum
BONBONNIERE Honey Pots from
Damien's Dad's Beehives
GIFT REGISTRY Myer (pg 235)
188 189

Wedding
Budget
$45,000
Kombi to the Rescue
Kerbie Jones & Andrew Fletcher
St John’s Anglican Church, Cooks Hill & Merewether Surf House
March 31st 2012
THE REAL THING
I walked down the
aisle feeling such love and
happiness as I looked at all
of our friends and family.
Walking towards Andy.
I couldn't stop myself - I
grabbed his hands, and
kissed him straight away!
Andy's hands were a little sweaty, and I
recall not letting go until we had to sign
on the dotted line. Family members read
poems, gave us an Irish blessing and 'I
carry your heart’ by E.E Cummings played
us out of the church. It was a beautiful
ceremony and we both feel that while
the reception was such a great party, the
ceremony was by far the most important
part of the day as we were declared
husband and wife.
We recommend our photographer,
Thierry Boudan. He was so professional
and made us all feel really comfortable.
He took us to some great locations
where we had such a fun time getting
our photos taken!
A funny story involves Thierry losing his
car key, whilst scaling a wall for a great
photo opportunity. We searched for it,
however it was nowhere to be found. This
didn't bother Thierry at all – he jumped in
the Kombi and travelled around with us!
Suppliers
CEREMONY St John's
Anglican Church (pg 75)
RECEPTION Merwether Surf House (pg 61)
PHOTOGRAPHY Thierry
Boudan Photography (pg 120)
FLOWERS Jade McIntosh Flowers (pg 150)
ENTERTAINMENT Gener8 (pg 212)
GOWN Melanie Ford Designs
SUITS Rundle Tailoring (pg 101)
JEWELLERY Crystal Confetti (pg 19)
190 191

Wedding
Budget
$28,000
Going the Distance
Crystal Norman & Lincoln Vero
Hunter Valley Gardens - April 14th 2012
THE REAL THING
Rekindling a school
friendship on facebook, led
to a long distance romance.
Crystal moved from Brisbane
to be with Lincoln... the rest
speaks for itself!
We wanted a short and sweet ceremony
and Kez was fantastic, putting together
a ceremony exactly how we imagined.
When it came time for our vows, we
really enjoyed writing them together.
We chose the ‘Formal Garden’ at Hunter
Valley Gardens to hold the reception
and were the first to use the brand new
marquee, it was amazing! We kept the
themeing classic and chic. There were
two incredibly gorgeous chandeliers
hanging from the fully draped ceiling
of the marquee with fairy lights crossing
from corner to corner. Candles were
scattered around the gardens and
along the path, lighting the way to the
marquee. The huge balloon lights made
a great display. Our guests described it
as a 'fairy wonderland' and it truly was!
We Recommend: Emma from
Any Occasions Events (pg 162) created
our gorgeous and delicious candy buffet
and was great to work with.
Our Advice: There will, no doubt,
be a few things that don't go to plan,
but don't focus on them, just move
on and enjoy every moment!
Suppliers
CEREMONY Hunter
Valley Gardens Chapel (pg 76)
RECEPTION Hunter Valley Gardens (pg 35)
PHOTOGRAPHY
Popcorn Photography (pg 131)
FLOWERS Jade McIntosh Flowers (pg 150)
CAKE Inspired Cakes
CANDY BUFFET
Any Occasions Events (pg 162)
CELEBRANT Wed by Kez
HAIR & MAKEUP Zen Hair Skin Body
192 193

Wedding
Budget
$28,000
Two Feet Forward
Linda Benton & David Rule
Tocal Homestead - October 23rd 2010
THE REAL THING
When the financial crisis
hit in 2008 David and Linda
lost their jobs... they decided
to seize the moment and
travel the world together!
Rather than finding new jobs in a
somewhat depressing economy, David
and I decided to throw caution to the
wind and travel the world together – a
dream we both shared. Within 3 months
of getting to know one another, we were
on a plane to Buenos Aires, not knowing
what the future held, but confident,
knowing that we were following our
heart’s desires.
A few weeks into our adventure while
tackling the gruelling trek along the Inca
Trail to Macchu Picchu, David popped the
question, simply down on one knee with
a tear in his eye, he said "Linda, will you
marry me?"
Once home we planned a quaint country
wedding at Tocal Homestead. Dimmed
lights and candles cast a warm glow over
the reception room which is a converted
shearing shed, beautifully restored using
Australian timbers. David and I had the
time of our lives.
Discover the complete journey in our
recently published book "Two Feet
Forward" at www.twofeetforward.com.au.
Suppliers
CEREMONY & RECEPTION
Tocal Homestead (pg 47)
PHOTOGRAPHY Firebug Photography
CATERING Mansfield Catering (pg 68)
EVENT HIRE Beavis
'Your Event Team' (pg 145)
GOWN Peter Trends Bridal Originals
GIFT REGISTRY Myer (pg 235)
194 195

Wedding
Budget
$20,500
Tuscan Dream
Anne Bailey & James Spallino
St John’s Anglican Church, Cooks Hill & Longworth House
September 30th 2011
THE REAL THING
James and Anne spent last
summer exploring Europe...
little did she know he had
been planning all along to
pop the question among the
divine vineyards of Tuscany.
On a day trip to Florence, James
suggested that even though he wasn't
quite ready to propose, I should choose a
ring I really loved while we were in such a
perfect place. A few days later, enjoying a
picnic, overlooking the gorgeous Tuscan
vineyards, I really didn't expect him to
pull out the ring and propose! Turns out
he'd been planning the whole thing eight
months prior, when we booked the trip!
Your wedding day is one of the most
amazing days you'll share with each other
and your family and friends. We had so
many special people to invite we decided
on an open invitation to our ceremony,
followed by a more intimate reception.
We wanted our wedding to be personal
and romantic, so we did all the decor
ourselves. It saved a little money and I
ended up with exactly what I wanted.
What I loved most about planning my
wedding were all the wedding magazines!
They were always so inspiring and the
great thing about 'Your Hunter Valley
Wedding Planner' is that everything is
local and accessible.
Suppliers
CEREMONY St John's
Anglican Church (pg 75)
PHOTOGRAPHY Living Light
Photography (pg 116)
FLOWERS Flower Palace
TRANSPORT Absolute Vintage
Elegance Limousines (pg 231)
CANDY BUFFET La Tea Da
PRE-HONEYMOON Crowne Plaza
Hunter Valley (pg 32)
196 197

Wedding
Budget
$20,000
Get to ‘The Point’
Melanie George & Nick McCosker
The Monastery Chapel & The Point Restaurant
January 11th 2011
THE REAL THING
After meeting in high school
these sweethearts decided
on The Point Restaurant for
their celebrations.
The Ceremony was held at a
beautiful chapel in Mayfield, this place
is a hidden gem! We had no idea there
were such beautiful chapels in Newcastle
until we found this one. We had 200
guests at the ceremony, and because we
couldn’t invite everyone to the reception
we had a lovely afternoon high tea on
the church grounds. This was a great
opportunity to mingle with all our guests
and make everyone feel as though they
were truly part of our big day.
The Reception was so much fun,
we had a reggae band, which was
something different. The band had
everyone up, dancing the night away
and gave the night a fun and lively
atmosphere. The Point Restaurant
overlooks Soldiers Point Marina so the
view was stunning. The restaurant gave
our reception a nice, laid back feel.
Most memorable moment was
walking into the reception. Our guests
were cheering us on, the reggae band
playing... the atmosphere was awesome.
Mel's Advice Enjoy every moment
of your engagement period because it is
such a special and unique time in your life.
Suppliers
RECEPTION
The Point Restaurant (pg 53)
PHOTOGRAPHY Jake
Thomas Photography (pg 127, 133)
FLOWERS The Floral & Wedding Specialist
CAKE Imagine Cakes
SUITS Rundle Tailoring (pg 101)
WEDDING NIGHT ACCOMMODATION
Peppers Anchorage (pg 51)
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