Sunshine Coast Hinterland- April 2019
Emily and Adrian married on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland in April this year. Emily managed to plan majority of her wedding all the way from Darwin where they were living at the time. With family and friends on the Sunshine Coast it was the perfect place to be married and eventually become their new home!
Emily and Adrian opted for a Tipi style wedding overlooking the beautiful Glass House Mountains on the Sunshine Coast from Maleny Retreat Weddings in Maleny.
I leant very quickly Em and Adrian were NOT traditionalists at all. Following the ceremony, guests headed up to the reception site for a grazing table which was the perfect start for their small intimate wedding of 50. Once the couple arrived back from photos they offered ‘cocktail hour’. Let’s say in that hour Ashlea from The Vintage Bondwood Bar based here on the Sunshine Coast was busy shaking and making espresso martinis!! With everyone feeling relaxed and comfortable after some cocktails everyone headed in under the Tipi’s were all styling and set up was done by US of course, Maple Weddings and Events also based here on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
To set the tone of the styling and to tie in with the Boho Tipi look was Nat’s exceptional earthy florals from Heavenly Blooms also based here on the Sunshine Coast. Everyone on the Sunshine Coast knows that Heavenly Blooms and the Tipi’s from Tipi Luxe just go like 2 peas in a pod.
Guests were treated to a feast of shared plates by VGC Catering where they could sit back and relax and enjoy their fine cuisines with No rush as NO formalities at all!! No cake cutting, no speeches, no first dance and ME as the MC for a whopping 2 minutes to run through some housekeeping and make a toast to the lovely couple. NO wedding traditions in the slightest!! They made it their own special wedding which was every bit them.
Once everyone’s bellies were full they surprised guests with a 20 min performance from Utopian Fire Dancers whom performed an epic show, then everyone danced the night away under the Maleny skies.
Emily and Adrian knew living interstate and organising the wedding on the day would be chaotic and decided to book Maple Weddings and Events to be their on the day coordinator and set up all the styling. They knew they could breathe easy and enjoy their moment without any troubles with us on site to coordinate and liaise with all their wonderful wedding suppliers.
Each wedding we do whether it is here on the Sunshine Coast or elsewhere is unique and memorable. Every wedding is so different and that is what we love most about our job. Nothing is ever the same and couples like Emily and Adrian put their own personal touches on everything.
Even though Emily and Adrian married almost 6 months ago they left an impact on us all as wedding suppliers who helped them, mostly as they were so down to earth and truly genuine people who were just so thankful.
Their beautiful Sunshine Coast Hinterland DIY wedding was so much fun even for the suppliers. You know how awesome the couple is when the wedding planner and photographer take to the dance floor with guests and get their groove on!! Everyone was clapping and cheering and was a real celebration of much fun and laughter.
Not only is Bec from Ash and Stone Photography a cracker on the dance floor she is bloody amazing at what she does. We asked Emily why they chose Bec and her comments are below so be sure to read on. You will see why they chose her in the following images to come!
As wedding planners, wedding stylists and wedding on the day coordination we loved every part of this wedding. Emily and Adrian got to share their day with Adrian’s beautiful daughter Kayleigh, their family and family and friends from far and wide and of course the wedding suppliers who all brought their A game and made it every bit fabulous.
We love reminiscing about our weddings especially when they are the DIY weddings and on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland- our home- so for us we love to go back and chat to the couple afterwards. They have time to reflect on their day, look through their photos and videos again and brings all those amazingly happy memories back to life again. So, we asked Em a few questions to see what her overall experience was like and hope it helps those couples planning a DIY wedding.
How did you manage organising and planning the bulk of your wedding interstate?
I started with an excel spreadsheet and ticked things off as we booked vendors and added things we forgot along the way. I loved planning the wedding, it was a great experience. I spent a lot of time searching online and placed my trust in the vendors we chose and it paid off. Everyone was excellent, I could not fault a thing.
How did you find majority of your wedding suppliers?
The Brides Tree, Instagram and Facebook. Most suppliers have great social media accounts and lots of photos from events they have been a part of. The members of The Brides Tree gave me a lot of great recommendations and from there I looked for vendors that suited our style and the vibe we wanted to create.
We always suggest to couples to really research their celebrant and photographers as they are so personal. What made you decide to choose Annie your celebrant and Bec your photographer?
A celebrant was the hardest vendor to choose, until I found Annie. We really wanted someone who was just like us and our friends. We wanted our ceremony to be fun and Annie really had a style we loved.
Bec is amazing! Her photography captures the moment, not just a pose. Although we did pose – a little. Once I found Bec’s website I knew she was the right person for us. And once I met her, WOW! She really was a big part of making our wedding day amazing.
Did you find planning a DIY wedding stressful?
No, I loved the creative freedom. However, on the day I felt quite stressed until you and Naomi arrived. If there was one thing I would recommend to any Bride and Groom – Maple Weddings and Events. A wedding planner or coordinator is the difference between having a stressful wedding day and having the wedding day you wanted.
What was the most memorable part of your day?
Once I put my dress on and it was just my Dad and I nervously drinking the last of the sparkling pinot noir waiting to walk down the aisle. It was such a great feeling knowing it was just about to happen. There is a lot that goes into getting you to that moment, not just in planning a wedding but in your life. It felt really nice.
Would you advise other couples to book an on the day coordinator?
Absolutely! Who knew you needed to consider things like extension cords, running out of firewood and beer! You had all these things under control without me even knowing or it being a problem.
What advice would you offer to those couples planning a wedding?
Do it your way. We didn’t follow any wedding traditions, no speeches, no cake cutting, no first dance – though there was a lot of dancing, no throwing the bridal bouquet, we didn’t do anything that we didn’t want to. We really wanted our wedding to be about great food, great music, lots of drinks and a great time. It had all those things and more.
Would you change anything about your day now we 6 months on?
Not a thing!
Do you have any lasting advice for other couples getting ready to get married?
Get a planner or coordinator and enjoy your day! It only happens once.
Don’t spend too much time or energy worrying about anything. If the flowers aren’t quite right it won’t ruin your day. If the cake is the wrong color you still get to marry your soul mate with all your closest friends and family. I gave creative freedom to my vendors, because this is what they do, they are professionals. I didn’t know what flowers Nat was going to bring on the day but WOW, she brought the best! It was actually exciting not knowing exactly what to expect, it added to the fun!
The amazing team of suppliers who brought Emily and Adrian’s Tipi wedding to life here on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
- Venue – Maleny Retreat Weddings
- Tipi/dance floor/Lighting- Tipi Luxe
- On the Day Coordination & Styling- Maple Weddings and Events
- Furniture Hire and Linen- Hampton Event Hire
- Florals- Heavenly Blooms
- Celebrant- Celebrant Lady Love- Annie
- Photography- Ash and Stone Photography
- Bar Service- The Vintage Bondwood Bar
- Catering- VGC Catering
- Wedding Cake- Sweet P Cakes and Cookies
- Hair- Evalyn Parsons Hair
- Make Up- Dolly May Make Up Artist
- Emily’s Bridal Dress – Sphere Collective
- Adrian’s Suit- Peter Jackson
- Entertainment- Utopian Fire
- Musician- Ryan Giles
- Bathroom Hire- Portable Powder Rooms
- Cold room Hire- Fairy-tale Events and Equip4Hire
