West Aussie Wedding

comfort

Being comfortable is paramount. I'm the sort of person who comes home and get changed into comfortable clothes as soon as I can.. I wear tracksuit pants and ugg boots around the house. If I can feel my waistband digging in, or my bunions rubbing, or my hair pulling then I just get grumpy.

Which is why I like the following ideas for a wedding reception...

Parasols to keep you out of the sun!

 
image via istockphoto

Or if it's cool...  Pashmina's to keep yourself warm..

Photo by Fred Marcus

And cutting rug in your high heels is tiring...

so some thongs to rest your tired feet! 

image via Ferro's Flickr  

Not that we have organised any of these things for our guests (sorry Guests!)

I guess we are counting on nice weather.. But I do think thongs is something that our female guests would definitely use.. there were lots of girls dancing bare foot at the wedding I went to last week..

Havaianas only cost a few bucks in Brazil. I wonder if there is some place to buy cheap thongs in Perth..?

music

Music situation is stressing me out.

Originally wanted live music but the band we had in mind fell through.. now feeling torn between a DJ or doing our own i-pod playlist. But thats just the reception..

There is also the question of ceremony music..

image from menkieface, via Sebastians Tumblr 

We can't decide on what song I should walk down the aisle to.

Here is the maybe list

Songbird- Eva Cassidy The Mr thinks this too soppy. I know it's been done to death but its such a beautiful song. I do love Fleetwood Mac version but there is something about Evas' voice...

I will follow you Into the Dark- Death Cab for Cutie I love this one. Not sure how the heaven and hell references will go down with my Nan

Just Breathe- Pearl Jam The Misters favourite. I agree its a lovely song but I just never imagined myself walking down the aisle to Pearl Jam, it just seems a bit bogan.

They Way I Am- Ingrid Michealson a very sweet song with a lovely sentiment. I like the clapping. A good walking pace. The Mr thinks this one just 'ok'.

Forever- Ben Harper Another one the Mr likes, I think this one a bit too mellow and morose sounding, although the lyrics are fitting.

confetti alternative

We aren't allowed confetti at our venue. Because it's in the National Park.

And those harmless looking circles of paper are little pieces of litter.

Which are really hard to clean up.

I do love the tradition of guests throwing things into the air out over the Bride and Groom.

But I haven't seen it done at any of the weddings that I've ever been to.

I'm not sure why.. because it's such a fun and festive thing to do!

image via When Skies are Grey

Due to confetti being so out of fashion I think we might use flower petals.

I don't really want rose petals though.

Not that I have anything against roses.

Maybe some dainty little hyacinth petals. Like these ones:

image from Bride to Be Magazine

But I don't think I'd go with the paper cones.

They look like something you actually have to make

I'd probably get some of those 10c lolly bags instead

And I could put them in a snazzy tray to be passed around. Like this one:

 
photo by Jose Villa, via Style Me Pretty 

They could be handed out to the guests, sort of like those old fashioned cigarette and popcorn sellers. But with petals.

And I can actually think of a few of friends who would do a really awesome job of circulating during the pre-ceremony mingle and passing them out to those who wanted them.

naked chairs

It was my Cousins wedding on Saturday.

The ceremony was held in my Uncles front yard where we've been heaps of time.. but walking up the driveway and seeing the yard set up for the ceremony, it took on a very different feel.. it was breathtaking!

I find there is something quite moving about seeing rows of chairs of lined up for a wedding ceremony. You know something big is about to happen!

It's instantly recognizable and pwerful scene and even the plainest of chairs take on a their own kind of beauty!  

I think going overboard with organza, chair covers, pom poms, arches, flower petals can clutter a ceremony space and sometimes dimish the effect. (I think for this reason I'm often drawn to simple dresses, simple hair, simple food etc)

I love the following ceremony set ups for their raw simplicity

photograph by Ariel, via Offbeat Bride

 
photo by Brissie photographer Jonas Peterson, via once wed

 
 
image via NUUC

 

 
photo by 6:8 Photography via Budget Savvy Bride

Less really is more with a lot of these things

 

 

 

cityscapes

I always wanted to get married in an outdoorsy sort of setting.. but this doesn't mean I don't appreciate the glamour of a city wedding

photo by Radford Studios

  

image from Loop Flowers, via Snippet & Ink

 

photo via Style Me Pretty

I still love the idea of a rooftop wedding, and if we could have found a decent venue in the City of Perth we would have had a city wedding in a heartbeat. 

Altar Options

I'm not sure if it's still called an altar if you arent getting married in a church, but whatever its called I think we need one.

Because there is nothing really special behind us where we say our vows..

For a while there I was thinking we needed a full blown backdrop.

But now I've changed my mind, there isn't a need to block anything out, maybe just close the expansive space in a little, bring the focus to where we will be standing

Something like these:

 

photo by Lisa Lefkowitz via Style Me Pretty

Or  here is another option along the same lines.. 

Its sort of simple and rustic, not too obstructive and would be fairly easy to put together...

outdoor ceremony

tall trees and a clearing make for a majestic natural ceremony location..

 

Photo by Studi Mathewes via Charm City Bride

image from Weathersfield Inn

photo by Sandra & Greg Scott, via The Ginger Parasol 

I'm trying to think of some WA equivalents.

My first thought is maybe the Perth Hills, but the best bet would have to be a South West wedding..

Maybe Denmark, Pemberton or Margaret River..Somewhere with some old Jarrah or Marri or Karri forest.. Perhaps something a bit like this lovely laid back Yallingup wedding..

on the rocks

Here are some cool stone ceremony locations..  

 

photo by Paul Johnson, via Black*Eiffel  

 

image by Colin Cowie via Modern Romance

  

image from 100 Layer Cake

And for the West Aussie Brides... you too can have a piece of the Cave Wedding action!

The Caberet Cave in Yanchep Natinal Park is a purpose-modified natural cave.. It's about 45 minutes drive from the city, it can seat 110 people or fit 150 for cocktail style reception, and is catered for by the Yanchep Inn

 

 

images via bokeholic's flickr and alluneed2know

Good for something a little different, I think it would be a wonderful venue for a cosy winter wedding.. or would probably be nice and cool in summer too

ceremony picnic

This is my kind of ceremony. A beautiful view, guests lounging around on picnic blankets, few chairs for those who can't bend their knees. Awesome.

 

photo by Jessica Claire, via Budgetsavvy Bride

outdoor wedding pews

Just because you are not getting married in a church doesnt mean you have to forgo wedding pews.

photograph by Jose Villa, via Modern Romance  

Check out some more beautiful ceremony set-ups involving pews right here

Wedding Months

January-           Marry when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true.

February-         When February birds do mate, you wed nor dread your fate.

March-              If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.

April-                Marry in April if you can, joy for maiden and for man.

May-                 Marry in the month of May, you will surely rue the day.

June-               Marry when June roses grow and over land and sea you'll go.

July-                Those who in July do wed must labor for their daily bread.

August-            Whoever wed inAugust be, many a change is sure to see.

September-     Marry in Septembers shine so that your life is rich and fine.

October-          If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.

November-      If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember!

December-     When December's snows fall fast, marry, and your love will last.

Yeah I know it's a load of superstition.. but I momentarily found myself wishing I was getting married in November instead of March... hehe..

I sort of like reading old wedding wives tales...they remind me of the history behind the whole wedding thing.. the above is from Victorian times, and many of the predictions are probably the result of pagan beliefs..? and is obviously geared towards brides in the Northern Hemisphere..

Celebrant Shopping

We have chosen our celebrant! It was a case of third time lucky because the first one we met was a bit wishy washy and the second one was a total dork so I was beginning to lose hope..

But he was a really lovely man and we both agreed on the spot that he was the one for us. He was professional but not stuffy and relaxed but dignified. YeeHaar.

I am feeling so happy with this decision and he has given us heaps of material to go away and read which I'm loving and I am now feeling much more excited at the idea of our ceremony than I am about the decor, which is the way it should be! Also feeling more amped about the whole wedding in general and truly can't wait to say those vows

The meeting was not totally uneventful as he had a slideshow going of wedding ceremonies he has conducted in the past, and who should flash up there in widescreen but my ex-boyfriend at his wedding.. umm awkward.. but nevermind, not as awkward as running into an ex while venue hunting. God Perth just feels so annoyingly small sometimes..