There is nothing like some sweet romance to cure those moody Monday blues real fast! We are bringing it by the bucket full this fine morning with a New Zealand stunner by Lavara Wedding Photography. With a mix of feminine antique pieces and fun DIY projects by the lovely bride and her family you know you are in for a real treat. See it all in the full gallery!
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From the Bride…Florence has been called the Athens of the middle ages, and the beautiful home of the Renaissance looked stunning when we arrived there in the European summer of 2010. It hadn’t yet been a year since we first laid eyes on each other, but we were in the middle of our overseas adventure through Europe, and somehow Max had chosen the perfect place to propose. There were roses, fine Italian food and wine, and a street musician – all which fell into place seamlessly and without plan, as if fate was lending a hand. We walked the cobbled streets home that evening and when we got to the famous Piazza Michelangelo, overlooking the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo and the luminescent Tuscan city itself, Max finally got down on one knee. Being eager to begin our new lives together the planning for our wedding began the moment we had our feet back on home soil.
After the trip of a lifetime, and with both of us embarking on new university studies, there wasn’t too much money to go around. With a little innovation – and a lot of generosity, creativity and inspiration from friends, family, and our florist (Petal Passion) – we pulled things together for less. The theme was romantic antique. My mum utilised her scrapbooking skills to make gorgeous invitations (pearls, ribbons, embossing), and her best friend was enlisted to make the cake, provide the canapés, and do our make-up. To save on the table decorations, arrangements of old books, doily’s, strings of pearls, china, silver, pewter, glass and crystal were thrown together. Most of these coming from my Grandma’s estate and my Mum’s antique collections. These charming centre-pieces tied in well with both the old elegance of Sarnia Park and the lace and pearl detailing of my dress.
We had both the ceremony and the reception at Sarnia Park. The guests were able to enjoy the beautiful grounds awash with autumn colour for the afternoon while the bridal party were whisked around the nooks and crannies of the venue for photos. The reception was an incredible time for us, celebrating with all our loved ones – the perfect start to the rest of our lives together.
Venue: Sarnia Park / Floral Design: Petal Passion / Invitations: Mother of the Bride / Wedding Photography: Lavara Wedding Photography