Information :: Open Day at Sharla Park Country Weddings & Events

On the 18th of May, Sharla Park Country Weddings & Events held their first Open Day. We were delighted to showcase our business; even more delightful, however, was the opportunity to meet all the lovely couples that visited & other wedding vendors on the day. We will introduce the fellow vendors in the post below. A huge thank you to David & Kerri from Sharla Park Country Weddings & Events for hosting such a fabulous day! You will find Sharla Park Country Weddings & Events listed on our recommended vendors page. Here are some fast facts about this stunning venue:

  • It is located approximately 45 minutes from Brisbane CBD (A3->M1->you are there)

  • it is also located approximately 45 minutes from Caloundra (M1)

  • It features 31 acres (some of which is a blank canvas so that you can create your own dream event; other parts feature country-inspired structures)

  • It is family run (David & Kerri will take care of you)

It was a pleasure to be able to showcase our business alongside other wedding vendors at Sharla Park Country Weddings & Events’ Open Day on the 18th of May.

We asked Emunah Events to style our table - incorporating their stunning floristry, of course. This was their take on our ‘still life’ brief and we could not be more delighted with their expression.

This bouquet featured on Emunah Event’s table. We decided to include this image directly under the one above as it perfectly showcases the team’s talented spectrum of work. They created the still life for us - classic brief - and they created something on-trend (soft & romantic) - modern brief - for themselves. <3 All other work we have done with the Emunah Events team to date can be seen here. Otherwise, a brief visual recap can be found on our recommended vendors page.

We had never heard of/seen ‘cow’s udder’ before! Trusty Wikipedia informs readers that, “Solanum mammosum is commonly known as nipplefruit, fox head, cow's udder, or apple of Sodom” and “is an inedible Pan-American tropical fruit”.

These biscuits were made by Diana from The Sweet Society Co; more about Diana soon as she was the cake vendor present on the day.

Emunah Events with all the floristry & styling on the day.

Diana, from The Sweet Society Co, showcased cakes that demonstrate her keen eye for detail & beautifully unique artistic flair. We also sampled her cakes and they were perfect. Highly recommend friendly & personable Diana for your big day.

It was a pleasure to meet Yvonne, the owner of Exquisite Gowns by Yvonne. Yvonne has a lovely, diverse collection of gowns. Yvonne provides the following statement on her pricing structure: “For all those that have not yet been to visit: I am often asked how can I offer dresses at such low prices. Please be re-assured that all my dresses are as I describe, brand new, with labels and offered at a fraction of the RRP. I source my suppliers very well and only buy dresses that I feel are excellent quality. I also buy from actual wedding shops here in Australia and America and I pass on any savings I can to you, the customer. I believe that a wedding is about the love and commitment that 2 people share for each other and not about the costs. Nowadays, money is hard come by and more and more couples are having to budget. With this in mind, all my dresses are worthy of a high price tag yet nothing in store is over $900. So please be confident in knowing that I am genuine and passionate about my work and well worth a visit. Yvonne”

It is always a delight to see Moe & Samantha around. They are the memorable characters behind Roaring Twenties Vintage Wedding Car Hire. We did a shoot with Moe & Samantha recently and we can’t wait to share what magic we created together.

All lighting on the day was provided by Jesse from Brisbane Festoon Hire. More from Jesse’s website: “Brisbane Festoon Hire is a professional lighting hire provider for weddings and events requiring unique and specialty lighting hire and installations. Our massive range includes festoon, pendants, chandeliers, fairy lights, lanterns, light up letters, LED lighting, site lighting, power distribution, cabling and more! We can provide DIY equipment hire or a complete hire, delivery and installation service”.

Anna Staines (celebrant) is vivacious and full of personality. We often see threads in online wedding groups asking if the celebrant is really worth being pedantic about (in other words, “Should we just choose the least expensive option in front of us?” or “What value do they really offer to us?”). Our opinion from the sidelines is that a celebrant can make or break a ceremony. Yep, make or break. If they are dry and dull, the tone of the ceremony is dry and dull. You get the picture! As you chat with Anna, it soon becomes evident that she is passionate about her role. Also, there is always a laugh just around the corner - perfect match for any concerns about nerves or awkwardness. Or your priority is to have a fun & memorable wedding experience - Anna is your girl!

Chillingworth duo, Holly & William, are the sweetest. We had the pleasure of hearing them perform and, honestly, you can’t go wrong. Put them at the top of the list for music options. More about them here: “Chillingworth is an Australian based pop duo that formed in 2017. William and Holly Chillingworth started their music career playing acoustic covers at parties and weddings. William then made the duo official by ‘putting a ring on it’ in 2017, and the couple have since been working hard, writing and recording their own music in their home studio. William brings the sweet guitar tones while Holly graces the vocals”. A little more from their bio on Triple J Unearthed: “Their synth pop sound is complete only with William's glorious guitar tones and Holly’s sweet vocals, and the pair are already making a name for themselves with their debut single ‘Young Love’ released late 2018”.

Sam & Jacqueline, from Something for Catering, created some magic for the vendors and attendees at the Open Day. The food was delicious and the service was second-to-none. In their own words, “We are South-East Queensland’s leading food, beverage catering and planning service.

If you are planning any outdoor or indoor event (wedding, corporate function or festival), we know it can be so much fun but also equally stressful for you. We are the experts in events and when you work with us we happily guarantee that you will enjoy the highest quality, food, beverages, planning and professional services so that you can sit back, relax and enjoy your event stress-free.

We provide high-end, restaurant quality food from our purpose-built, unique mobile catering van. We can travel far and wide no matter the location. Accompanied by a team of professional caterers, you couldn’t be in better hands”.

You can find out all about White Wings Dove Service here.

Finally, we had some fun with the reception lighting on the day and took the following images to showcase some non-traditional reception photography. It was all made easier working with Jesse’s lighting installations (see feature above).

All in all, it was a fabulous day. Thank you to the couples who visited on the day. To the fellow vendors, we really enjoyed meeting you, too!

Lavender & Berries Wedding Inspiration at Country Weddings Queensland, Australia

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend! We are thrilled to share one of our most recent shoots. The shoot took place at an exciting new wedding venue: Country Weddings Queensland. This stunning property is located on Maitland Road, Burpengary 4505. David & Kerri, the personalities behind it, are a delight to work with; their warmth and hospitality is memorable. Any couple that chooses to celebrate their big day at Country Weddings Queensland is in for a treat.

The entire team behind this shoot made the process seamless. Special mention, though, of the talented duo behind Emunah Events. Carissa & Serena are responsible for the 1) planning, 2) styling and 3) floristry! Thank you, once again, for all the hard work (mostly behind the scenes) that goes into a project of this size. It all came together perfectly - thanks to your determination and efforts - and matched our initial vision to a T! Emma Blakey & Dorrion Kroon made shooting a breeze; such a delightful couple. Finally, a big thank you to each of the businesses; we enjoyed working with all of you and your individual outstanding products/services! Looking forward to seeing each of you around in the near future.

Meet Bridal Designer, Vanessa!

Happy New Year! We are going to welcome the new year in by introducing outstanding local vendors. We can't wait to share their stories with you. Today you will meet Vanessa, a Brisbane bridal designer. Vanessa has provided dresses for our couples previously and we have found her to be a dream to work with (just like her luxurious, stylish and bespoke gowns!). She is surprisingly down-to-earth and very relatable despite an impressive resume that includes New York Fashion Week and Australian Bridal Fashion Week. We have a little toddler and Vanessa wasted no time sharing funny stories from her parenting journey... ask her about caffeinated babyccinos. Here is Vanessa's story.

Image supplied by Vanessa Hoe

Tell us about yourself: My name is Vanessa Hoe and I am the designer of When Freddie met Lilly. I love travelling, music, crafts and family - which are just some of the things that inspire me.

Why did you choose Bridal?: I started my career in suiting and eventually started adding the women's wear to my store range. Much more fun and creative!

Who in Bridal inspires you?: Definitely Vera Wang. She's the best of the best.

Any misconceptions about your industry that you would like to dispel?: Well, especially in the bespoke side of things - it's a very special process which not many people understand as they have usually only shopped off the rack before. My bespoke designing allows the bride so much more individuality and her gown is made only for her. All in her measurements, her favourite lace, whatever shape and style she chooses. Hence the price tag can usually be a little more than the $1.5K most girls can justify spending. Nothing is mass made or produced so it is very time consuming and creative. Well worth putting a little extra aside in the budget for something so perfect for your vision and personality!

Do you have any tips for those of us who aren't experts?: It's best to have some sort of idea of what you would like in your Bridal gown before coming along to a bespoke appointment. This way we can focus down on the detail without becoming too overwhelmed! It is meant to be a fun and unforgettable experience after all.

Why should couples choose you for their big day?: When Freddie met Lilly can look after the whole Bridal party with our personalised service and private studio. You won't have to go anywhere else! We also run a promotion - buy your Bridal Gown with us and receive 20% off your Bridesmaid gowns.

You will find Vanessa's instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/whenfreddiemetlilly/. You can call 0408 079 707 or book via email (whenfreddiemetlilly@gmail.com) or online at https://www.whenfreddiemetlilly.com.au/.