Going all out for your big day doesn’t have to mean 10 bridesmaids, 400 guests and a dress to rival the Royal Wedding…. There is an alternative, says Camilla Airs – founder of Findmyperfectvenue.com.au.

Wedfest

The Coachella of weddings is absolutely achievable, and there’s no better place to make it happen than the stunning Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges in Victoria. In fact, the right location is what it’s all about.

With so many incredible venues to choose from, the first step is to work out just what you want to achieve – be it the ethereal vibe of Woodstock or country to the core CMC Rocks.

Like any wedding vision (not to mention marriage!), commitment is key. Before you engage in a bonfire tribal dance with your jingle sticks, nail down exactly what it is that you’re aiming for. Get your mood board going and work out the elements of a festival that you want to emulate and make sure the ‘feel’ is coherent. It doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive, but you do need to have a clear picture of what you’re looking for.

As much as it’s your day, done your way, you will need to consider a number of things including logistics and suitability of venue. Is it a weekend wedding wonderland of whimsy and delight – are you talking glamping or pitching a tent? Or one night of food trucks, festoon lights and prosecco popsicles?

There may be nothing romantic about talking toilets, but it’s infinitely preferable to guests queuing for one dodgy porta-potty. Think about numbers and accessibility of toilets, not to mention options to work around everything the climate throws at you.

Consider flexible indoor and outdoor space, to give the feel of different ‘stages’ and chill out areas. Spectacular lighting, bunting, rustic seating – hay bales and swings – and home made signage, are all part of creating the right ambience. Re-purposed furniture is all the go, and with gumtree at the touch of a button it needn’t cost a fortune.

Glowsticks, festoon lighting and festival props are inexpensive ways to keep the party going after dark. Of course you’ll need activities to ensure that your guests stay caught up in the ‘wedfest’ bubble, so DIY or look into suppliers of outdoor games, set up a photobooth or caricaturist. But, importantly, get your music right. After all, what’s a festival without someone really special taking to the stage?

So there it is, nail down your vision, find your perfect venue and just enjoy making it happen.

And one word of warning – if your dream wedding includes a dress with a cathedral-length train, you might need to think again. Wedfest calls for flower crowns, boho bridesmaids and gumboots!

Images by Emma Wise Photography.

These images are provided by Find My Perfect Venue from Greg + Emily’s Wedding at The Log Cabin Ranch back in March 2017. Greg and Emily had two beautiful teepee’s set-up on The Log Cabin Ranch lawn, with different lawn games, picnic blankets and pallets for guests to sit on.

Ms Zigzag says: At Polka Dot Bride, we love to share examples of all kinds of real weddings, from elopements, to destination weddings, to intimate winter weddings and traditional white weddings… I love that we can now also inspire our engaged couples with festival-style weddings too! 

About Find My Perfect Venue: My husband and I moved to the Yarra Valley five years ago and fell in love with its tight-knit community and stunning scenery. If only loved-up couples could easily find the places that had captured our hearts. That’s why I wanted to start Find My Perfect Venue – to connect couples with the all of the secret treasures scattered throughout this picturesque backdrop.