Disney wedding

Disney Wedding for Melanie and Kyle

A Disney Wedding for a Disney Girl!

Beautiful Mel has loved all things Disney since she was a little girl so it was natural that she would wish to include Disney readings  in her wedding to Kyle! And with all the amazing Disney romances to choose from there was plenty on offer. I aim to create a wedding that reflects you and your  dreams so of course I was on board straight away. More on that later…

The Rehearsal

At the rehearsal all the bridal party were present, along with Photography by Sarah J  and Tracey from the staff of the Grounds of Ravenswood Homestead. Having everyone together meant that we could have a really good discussion about the logistics of the day- where the ceremony would be, entrances and exits, timing, requirements etc. It was good to have a frank discussion and answer each other’s questions so everyone knew what was happening!

Then came our practice time! As I stood chatting to Kyle it came up in conversation that I had known Melanie’s family 30 years- before she was even born! How amazing that I was now able to be part of such a special day.

We practiced the entrance of the bride and bridesmaids, where to stand, the outline of the ceremony, etc. We can’t practice the legal vows but we did do a pretend exhange of rings and signing. Always good for the couple to know where to go and what to do! Saves a lot of stress!!!

The Big Day...

Mel’s and her girls began their  preparations  early in the day with hair and makeup by Jess from Be Beautiful  by Jess. 

The bride tribe wore blush  dresses  and the groomsmen wore tan chinos and white shirts. Melanie looked an absolute Disney Princess in her gown from Love Bridal. Proud Dad Tyrone escorted her down the aisle while her emotional mum Raewyn, watched from the front row. 

Melanie’s Prince, Kyle, waited under the arch for Melanie to join him. It was decorated with florals including roses and the trendy pampas grass with their feathery goodness. These were the work of the talented Ash from Style by Ashleigh K. Her team also decorated the reception area as well.

Personalised Readings

A highlight of the day was the previously mentioned Disney theme. Mel had chosen some unusual but very apt readings and excerpts from her favourite movies,

One example was the following quote from the story of Pocahontas:

Groom and Bride, Your two hopeful hearts, once worlds apart;
 Together there is no end to what your dreams can start.
 Like two eagles soar as one, upon the river of the wind
 With the promise of forever, you will take the past and learn to begin.

May your lives together be filled with love and laughter, and may you live happily ever after! ..(Pocahontas)

What a lovely way to personalise your ceremony by choosing the ideas that are close to your heart!

I hope you and your lovely man enjoyed your ceremony, my Disney Princess. xxx

Romantic wedding in the vines

Romantic Wedding in Harcourt Valley!

Gabrielle and Daniel's Romantic Wedding

Harcourt Valley Vineyards is a romantic wedding destination less than 30 minutes from Bendigo. It was the setting of the wedding and reception for Gabrielle and Daniel.

It was a  sunny day,  although a bit breezy, and the rustic setting for the ceremony was delightful. Harcourt Valley Vineyards staff had organised barrels for each side of the arbour and it looked gorgeous. One of the barrels held the bride’s bouquet and the signing documents during the ceremony.

The rest of the seating  and tables for guests were decorated with jars of colourful flowers and I can just imagine what a  beautiful sight it would have been in the evening with the twinkling fairy lights above!

Music by Luke Owens

Luke Owens played the music for the ceremony. For the brides arrival and   walk down the aisle he sang  a new song from the John Butler Trio. Luke sang and played acoustic guitar during the signing of the wedding certificate. He also provided music for the guests before and after the ceremony. 

Gabrielle and Daniel's Love story ...

Dan and Gabe met at school and have been together for over ten years now. It was a privilege to tell their love story during the ceremony as they pledged their love to each other. 

The Ceremony...

The groom and his attendants chatted to the guests until the prompt arrival of the bride and bridesmaids in classic Toranas. There was a slightly nervous moment for the groom when the best man revealed that no one remembered who had the rings. A quick check with the bride and the best man was back with rings in hand. Catastrophe averted…although one of the groomsmen and I had already offered to lend our rings if need be!

The bridesmaids and tiny flower girl entered then. The bridesmaids were wearing blush pink dresses with splits… which turned out to be quite handy as they made their way up the last few steps. The little flower girl did her best to throw petals on to the aisle.

Gorgeous Gabrielle arrived on her father’s arm. The breeze caused a few dramatic moments with her veil but her dad was able to reattach it and they laughingly continued to meet her handsome groom in front of the arbour. Gabrielle’s two sisters presented readings during the ceremony and Dan and Gabe  read personal vows and made promises to each other. Before long they were united in marriage and heading back down the to be greeted by their guests.

It was a romantic  wedding but full of fun and laughter…particularly the heckling from the bridesmaids as I battled the wind to try and get the Marriage Certificate into the envelope! Cries of “Hold onto it, Vicki” and “Don’t let it go! It’s irreplaceable!” proved they had read their Rehearsal Tips! Well done, ladies!

Celebrant: Vicki Coghill

Venue: Harcourt Valley Vineyards

Music: Luke Owens

Photographer: Shaun Guest

Stacey and Nick’s Stylish Wedding Ceremony at Cammeray Waters

Stacey and Nick had a very stylish Wedding Ceremony at Cammeray Waters. Just exquisite!

Cammeray Waters Wedding and Conference Venue was a new venue for me! Just minutes from Woodend it is a stunning, yet very private, complex with ceremony locations, permanent marquee for the reception, accommodation, lakes and a nine hole golf course! A Wedding at Cammeray Waters is absolutely beautiful!

On Saturday February 22nd Nick and Stacey stood on the steps of the rotunda, overlooking the lake. The weather was cool but sunny…perfect wedding weather! 

Guests chatted and enjoyed some beverages amid the picturesque grounds prior to the very stylish wedding  ceremony. The bride and her attendants arrived in three classic cars ( I think a Rolls Royce and 2 Jaguars but not totally sure) which were elegant and stylish!

The bridesmaids were pretty in pink and the groomsmen in blue suits. Stacey, arrived on her father’s arm, resplendent in a slim fitting dress which suited her perfectly. Their two small sons also arrived at this moment.

Nick was suitably impressed with his beautiful bride as he met her and assisted her up the steps to his side. 

During the ceremony their smallest son spent much of the time sitting on his mum’s feet! He was very quiet and it added to, rather than detracted from, the ceremony.

 

Ritual: Love Lock Ceremony

A highlight of this stylish wedding ceremony was the Love Lock Ceremony. Nick had made his own large metal wall hanging of the Tree of Life. In turn the family members locked engraved padlocks – signifying their love and commitment to the whole family. It was a perfect moment  for Stacey and Nick to include their children.

Stacey and Nick chose to stay for the weekend with their friends and family after their wedding. I imagine a great time was had by all!

Celebrant: Vicki Coghill

Review:

Nick J: ” Such a lovely lady to deal with, got everything done without any stress, everyone was very impressed.” listed on Easy Weddings.

Rachel and Corey’s Country Wedding

Plan A or Plan B at our Country Wedding?

 

Rachel and Corey planned their Country Wedding for February 1st 2020 thinking that it might be 44 degrees but they could cope with that! Little did they expect that instead they would be hit with thunderstorms, torrential rain and even hail!

However, our gorgeous, but equally practical, couple had a plan for every eventuality! They also had a stand by team of family and friends ready to step in and save their country wedding!

The afternoon before their Country Wedding was hot and dusty and, when the forecast looked threatening Rachel and Corey discussed their Plan A and Plan B. I was overjoyed to find an outdoor area set up with archway etc but also an inside area with a plain white wall. Wine barrels, hay bales and florals were able to be moved between locations as the weather dictated. AND WERE WE GLAD!!!

Ten minutes before the ceremony the sky darkened and the rain fell in sheets in the distance. The quick thinking groom and guests ran out and hauled the decorations and seats inside and the guests gathered out of the weather! Corey was soaked but a quick change of his shirt saved the day!

The weather cleared long enough for the beautiful bride and their equally beautiful daughter Indie, to make their way down the aisle accompanied by Rachel’s proud dad.

The ceremony  venue was humid (my hair suffered badly) but nothing could detract from the love, emotion and pure beauty of this beautiful country wedding!

Congratulations Mr and Mrs Sharp!

Celebrant: Vicki Coghill

Photo courtesy of Bec Gray Photography 

A Family Wedding at Home

A Family Wedding at Home for Kasie and Dean

A Family Wedding at Home

A family wedding at home (Kasie’s parent’s home where she grew up) seemed the perfect option for Kasie and Dean. Since I had known Kasie and her family since Primary School it came as no surprise when our first meeting included her partner, Dean, two of their children and Kasie’s mum and dad. Not only would the venue be the family home but  It wasn’t hard to see that this ceremony needed  ideas to include as many family members as possible.

Including the family

To start with Kasie and Dean included many family members in their wedding party. Kasie had her two sisters, Dean’s sister and their four daughters as bridesmaids, junior maids and flower girls. The groomsmen included Dean’s brother, Kasie’s brother , friends and young son and nephew as pageboys.  Kasie’s mum and Dad both walked her down the aisle to meet Dean. Both sets of parents were then called upon to welcome their children’s marriage partner to the family.

During the ceremony Kasie and Dean made a beautiful pledge to their children which promised to nurture them and care for them as long as they need them. The family was visually represented by creating a beautiful sand bottle  into which each family member poured a layer of  coloured sand. In doing so, they made something  new and beautiful but like any sand, difficult to separate…just like their family!

The ceremony concluded with a short reading by Kasie’s sister in law.

What a memorable day for all at  this special  family wedding at home! 

Celebrant: Vicki Coghill

Rainy Day Wedding

A Rainy Day Wedding for Elley and Aaron

A rainy day wedding is the last thing on your mind when planning your special day!

A Very Special Wedding...

All my weddings are special but when you have known the bride since she was a chirpy two year old coming into your classroom it becomes even that little bit more exciting!

I was overjoyed when Elley first contacted me…wondering if I still remembered her! We caught up and got the ball rolling to plan their dream wedding. They wanted to create a simple, romantic but personal ceremony so that is exactly what we did!

The Rehearsal...

At the rehearsal we were worried because heavy rain was forecast! The set up was so gorgeous with a large marquee with  dance floor, gorgeous gardens with fairy lights in the trees and the ceremony area with an arch, hay bales and decorations to go in. The rehearsal went seamlessly!

That night the rain set in and it did not let up.

Rain, rain, go away!

Upon arrival the hay bales were covered with tarps, there were three more marquees set up and everyone was trying to be optimistic. 

We set up the signing table  and PA system under the marquee and waited. Messages were being relayed via phone. Guests arrived and took shelter under the marquees and started enjoying the refreshments. I caught up with some people I knew (including the amazing Matt Giri who was handling the music) and the rain came down.

After a while the message came to take the tarps off in 10 minutes! The family were obviously watching the weather radar and our moment had come. The tarps came off, the shepherds hooks and decorations went in and we were underway!

Our handsome groom Aaron and his trusty groomsmen entered, guests assembled. The bridesmaids made their way down the slope and then our beautiful bride, Elley arrived on the arm of her proud dad, Garry. Mum, Annemarie cried happy tears and the ceremony was completed just as a shower came over!

It was such a romantic and emotional wedding and it showed that even a rainy day wedding  cannot dampen true love!

Celebrant: Vicki Coghill

Music: Matt Giri

Makeup:Gemma Simmons

Catering: Soul M8’s Food Truck