Pretty Rustic Waterside Wedding

Beth & Brad

As you read about the details of Beth and Brad’s pretty, rustic, waterside wedding, you will probably notice how the couple seem to make decisions about their day quite easily and organically – from the bride’s dress, to choosing a reception venue. Often, the easy choice is, in fact, the very best one; it helps create a day that truly reflects the two of you, and your personalities. The couple wanted their day to be elegant yet understated, and chose Rose Photos to capture it!

Of how they came to be, and of their proposal, Beth remembers, “We sat next to each other at work, and were working in the same team. One night after a work cruise, we got chatting over a Grandfather Port… or several, and we took a walk afterwards. I was concerned about dating a colleague, but Brad is quite the salesman. He convinced me to go out with him, and the rest is history. Five years later on our anniversary, we went back to the same spot in Hyde Park where he had convinced me to go out with him, and it was there he popped the question!”

The groom and his groomsmen wore suits from Joe Black, and Beth explains, “Brad is not exactly interested in fashion, so I put one of our mates in charge of making sure he looked good on the day. Four of the boys went off to Westfield Bondi Junction and as I understand it, the process went something like beer, shop, beer, shop, beer, shop, beer, beer, beer. It took several visits over the next two months to complete the outfit. Brad opted for a three-piece, charcoal suit… and it was 30 degrees the day we got married!”

Beth worse a stunning lace gown by Maggie Sottero, and completed her look with a soft, taupe velvet ribbon with intricate embellishment. “It was the second wedding dress that I tried on. I had no idea what I wanted, but when I tried it on I just loved the neck line, the shape and the amazing train. I was skeptical about buying the first one I liked, so tried on a few more while we were in the store. They were also lovely, but I really loved that second dress! I was still a bit nervous about buying from the first store we went to, so we went to another store but found nothing I liked. I was back within the hour, I tried the dress on again and bought it!”

Beth’s bridesmaids wore gowns in shades of cherry and coral red from Review and Seduce. Maeve from Mary Contrary created their gorgeous bouquets of roses, hypericum berries and greenery. “Maeve was amazing to work with! I didn’t really know what I wanted, so she gave me plenty of advice about what would work, and how we could use flowers to tie together the elements of the day.”

Beth and Brad were married under the shade of a beautiful big tree at Little Manly Point. Beth tells, “Once I saw Little Manly Point, I knew that was the place! We really wanted the ceremony to be lighthearted and fun. We’re not a very gushy couple, so we worked with our celebrant, Monty Badami, who got to know us and filled the ceremony with loads of personal touches and “in jokes”. We were laughing the entire time! He cares so much about the people he marries. He took time to get to know us over several months in the lead up to the wedding. He made sure the ceremony he wrote really reflected our personalities and our relationship. And he’s so funny!” The bride walked down the aisle to “That’s What’s Up” by sweet sister duo Lennon & Maisy.

Of their photographer, James from Rose Photos, Beth gushes, “He was great! Brad and I both hate having our photo taken so he had his work cut out for him! He talked us through all of the details and met with us several times before the wedding, and suggested different areas around Manly where we could get some good location shots. He kept us calm as we were getting ready, and kept us entertained throughout the afternoon. I lost count of how many times he was about to take a photo, stopped and said, “Brad, put your hand in your pocket.”

The couple held their reception at Beachside Dojo. “I’d done lots of research, but it was the first and only venue I visited,” says Beth. “I loved the location, the views and the space. There was so little that needed to be done. The staff were so friendly and laid back and open to everything we wanted, so it was an easy choice!”

“We ate our way through 20 jars of pesto for the jars to hold the flowers, and my mum added the hessian and lace to them. I couldn’t find any cake stands that I really liked, so I made them out of candle trays and stands from Ikea.” Their luscious looking cakes were created by Flour and Stone.

A little tip from the bride on appropriate footwear for your day! “I didn’t want to spend the whole wedding day hobbling around in heels. I wore them for the ceremony and photos, but as soon as I got to the reception, I switched to Converse! I don’t think I could have made it through the father-daughter dance, and all the spinning and twirling without them.” Of their first dance, Beth explains affectionately, “It was Brad’s choice, and he chose “Wonderwall” by Oasis. Neither of us can really dance, and we hadn’t practiced at all. We did remarkably well under the circumstances, though Brad did step on my dress quite a few times!”