We've seen a lot of awe-inspiring weddings in our time. Emma and Matt's being one of them. Here Emma fills us in on how such stunning imagery was achieved from her largely DIY wedding.
Emma says she relied on simplicity and a DIY approach when planning her wedding.
“I describe myself as a minimalist and am quite easy going,” the bride said.
Her flowers were ordered from a roadside market and put together the night before as a fun activity for her and her bridesmaids.
The dress, Emma says, embodied her "simple is best" approach.
It also helped that she married on her familie’s Crystal Creek farm where, at every turn, the scenery is breathtaking, in a, leave-the-world-behind, kind of way.
Then there were things the couple didn't economise on, like an amazing photographer. Here Tom Judson captures Emma and Matt's wedding in all its glorious simplicity.
Following is a little more detail of Emma's DIY wedding journey:
Every bride has a lace that suits their personality – what was your lace and can you describe why it was right for you?
I enjoy the simple things in life and that was reflected in my dress wish list - no sparkles, sequins or heavy/thick lace.
I enjoy the simple things in life and that was reflected in my dress wish list - no sparkles, sequins or heavy/thick lace.
Instead I was seeking a soft, delicate and feminine lace that would shine on its own…and I found that in Jaeger.
You looked so comfortable on your big day – was that a priority for you when dress shopping?
Absolutely! Right from the start, I had two very basic requests when it came to my dress – to be comfortable and to still feel like myself while wearing it.
Absolutely! Right from the start, I had two very basic requests when it came to my dress – to be comfortable and to still feel like myself while wearing it.
Being able to walk, sit and dance in my gown was so important and the stretch underlay and soft boning made that possible.
I loved everything about my dress, particularly the low back with the lace detailing and the extra-long train with scalloped edging.
It was the perfect blend of a little bit sexy and figure hugging yet still elegant and romantic.
What are your top tips for bride’s dress shopping to help them with the decision-making process?
My advice would be to take your time and enjoy the process. I found so many dresses that I liked,
but only one that I loved and didn’t want to change – you’ll know when you find it!
My advice would be to take your time and enjoy the process. I found so many dresses that I liked,
but only one that I loved and didn’t want to change – you’ll know when you find it!
Also, don’t be afraid to try things on – dresses look so different on a coat hanger! I also really liked just having my Mum there as she knows me and my style and I could trust she would be honest.
What did you do yourself for your wedding preps? Any DIY tips?
Anything that could be done with our hands, we pretty much did, from invitations to styling, signage
to candy bar, entrée platters and flowers. My main tips would be to not leave things to the last
minute or have too many things to do on the day. Anything that couldn’t be done the day before, I
wanted to avoid! It’s important you have the actual day to soak it all up, relax and enjoy every
moment – it goes so quick!
Anything that could be done with our hands, we pretty much did, from invitations to styling, signage
to candy bar, entrée platters and flowers. My main tips would be to not leave things to the last
minute or have too many things to do on the day. Anything that couldn’t be done the day before, I
wanted to avoid! It’s important you have the actual day to soak it all up, relax and enjoy every
moment – it goes so quick!
What was involved with DIYing your flowers?
I knew right from the start that I wanted a native bouquet, however I didn’t really like the price tag
attached to them! I ordered a few statement flowers like king and pin cushion proteas from a local
roadside store and collected greenery clippings from ours, family and friends’ gardens. The night
before, my maids and I each put together our own bouquets and decorated the reception tables. It
was so easy, fun and saved us thousands of dollars.
What shouldn’t a bride DIY and what is necessary do you think to splash out a bit more cash on?
We had some offers from family to make food but we decided to leave this to the professionals. We
had the team from Fire N Dough Woodfire Pizza cater for us and it wasn’t only delicious but good to
know our guests could relax and enjoy themselves too. It was also important to me that we had
great photography and videography to capture our day and that myself and my girls felt beautiful
with professional hair and makeup.
I knew right from the start that I wanted a native bouquet, however I didn’t really like the price tag
attached to them! I ordered a few statement flowers like king and pin cushion proteas from a local
roadside store and collected greenery clippings from ours, family and friends’ gardens. The night
before, my maids and I each put together our own bouquets and decorated the reception tables. It
was so easy, fun and saved us thousands of dollars.
What shouldn’t a bride DIY and what is necessary do you think to splash out a bit more cash on?
We had some offers from family to make food but we decided to leave this to the professionals. We
had the team from Fire N Dough Woodfire Pizza cater for us and it wasn’t only delicious but good to
know our guests could relax and enjoy themselves too. It was also important to me that we had
great photography and videography to capture our day and that myself and my girls felt beautiful
with professional hair and makeup.
How did you find your venue? It was magical!
We were actually married on my family farm. It hasn’t only been in our family for generations, but I
was lucky enough to grow up there. Our ceremony was held alongside the creek, followed by our
reception in the barn. It was a perfect fit for us, as Matt and I just wanted our wedding to be a big
party that reflected us as a couple. It made it extra special to be married somewhere that meant so
much to us.
What was your secret to looking so relaxed and happy on your wedding day?
Letting go of things I couldn’t control. I knew that we had prepared as much as we could and you
know what?... It still rained and then hailed after our ceremony, but our guests were dry, the sun
came back out shortly after with some truly magical lighting and it makes for a great story.
Letting go of things I couldn’t control. I knew that we had prepared as much as we could and you
know what?... It still rained and then hailed after our ceremony, but our guests were dry, the sun
came back out shortly after with some truly magical lighting and it makes for a great story.
At the end of the day, I was there to marry the love of my life and best friend, so nothing else really
mattered.
mattered.
How would you describe your wedding styling?
We went with a country rustic/vintage vibe and my mantra throughout the whole process was ‘less
is more!’ We achieved this at the ceremony by just using what nature provided us.
We went with a country rustic/vintage vibe and my mantra throughout the whole process was ‘less
is more!’ We achieved this at the ceremony by just using what nature provided us.
We were married between two trees, which formed a natural arbour and our guests were seated on hay bales.
In the barn for our reception, we decorated our tables with white linen and lace runners, native
greenery and white candles.
greenery and white candles.
The walls were already home to some very old farm equipment, which was a nice, authentic touch for the vintage vibe. Because of the space, we really didn’t need to try too hard at all- just added some fairy lights for soft lighting!
Again, for our personal styling, I just wanted our bridal party to be comfortable. It was all about
natural makeup, loose updos for my maids and waterfall braid/waves for me.
Again, for our personal styling, I just wanted our bridal party to be comfortable. It was all about
natural makeup, loose updos for my maids and waterfall braid/waves for me.
The bright bouquets and flowing dresses in ice grey for my bridesmaids and two-tone navy and grey with brown leather accessories for the groomsmen also complimented our vintage styling.
Vendors
Dress: The GC Bridal Lounge
Photographer: Tom Judson Photography
Videography: Forever Features
Hair: Beechtree Bride
Makeup: Goddess Makeup Design
Venue: Crystal Creek, NSW
Wedding date: 29/09/2018
Wedding time: 2:30pm
Reception time: 3:30pm
Photographer: Tom Judson Photography
Videography: Forever Features
Hair: Beechtree Bride
Makeup: Goddess Makeup Design
Venue: Crystal Creek, NSW
Wedding date: 29/09/2018
Wedding time: 2:30pm
Reception time: 3:30pm
