Bridal Shoot :: Boho Picnic Inspiration in Byron Bay, Australia

At one point during a recent shoot, we took Katerina, our wonderful model, aside and took a few bridal shots in her gorgeous Studio C Bridal dress. With the cloudy day and resulting soft, diffuse lighting, everything came together the way we wished.

Here is a tip: everyone has different priorities and expectations for their wedding day. Some want to capture the moments between friends. Or family. Or both. Or celebrate the couple as they start a fresh, new journey together. Sometimes it's the details that are the product of countless hours researching and preparing. It can be anything and we are here to capture what is important to you and your significant other. However, if portraits are high priority for both of you, it is sometimes a good idea to schedule a separate day to focus on portraits alone; the wedding day itself really does fly by.

We recommend a separate day for portraits particularly in the case that one of the two of you doesn't like having a camera pointed in their direction. Fine! No problem. Let your partner enjoy the spotlight for the day and be captured in that suit or gown that may or may not be worn again. Better yet, line it up as a sneaky surprise and treat your SO - we are always on board for those kinds of bookings!

Find an example bridal shoot below with a good dose of blooms from Bumble & Bloom. Thanks again for being so easy to work with, Katerina!

Tom // groom // @tommy_c_23
Katerina // bride // @siberian_princess_
Gemma // bridesmaid // @gemelise87
Keeley // bridesmaid // @keeley.iverson
Lilli // flower girl
@bumble_bloom // flowers // website
@cakemydaybyjo // cake // website
@clickpicnic // event hire // website
@cocoblushboutique // flower girl dress // website
@emilyjane_designs // earrings // website
@fallenbrokenstreet // hats // website
@gingerblondeco // bridesmaid dresses // website
@ivory.haus // bride and flower girl robes // website
@_makeupby_gigi // hair and makeup artist // website
@molossidesigns // custom-cut designs // website
@platter_to_plate // catering // website
@poppyandsagephotography // photography // website
@studiobcouture // stationery // website
@studiocbridal // dress // website
@thebridalboxco // gift boxes & swing // website
@thevaleaustralia // location // website

Enjoy!

Meet Wedding Celebrant, Fiona!

Happy Monday! Hope everyone has had a manageable weekend. Today you will meet Fiona, a wedding celebrant based in Brisbane. We recently did a shoot with Fiona, and we really enjoyed the experience. We found her approachable and professional. It was a tedious shoot (long list of shots we were aiming for), and Fiona came in at a time when everyone was hungry and a bit scrappy. She pulled the situation together effortlessly and with a good dose of humour. We have a feeling Fiona might have seen it all and can certainly handle any situation.

"Tell us about yourself"
My name is Fiona McIntyre and I’m a Brisbane wedding celebrant. I’ve been marrying people for 4 years now and love that I get to be part of people’s biggest life moment. When I’m not marrying, I work in my other business doing social media and website design, and try to juggle raising a 6-month-old and 4-year-old who both have red hair!

"Why did you choose to become a celebrant?"
It had been a dream of mine for 10 years before I finally did it. It was a thought that would constantly pop in and out of my head, so when my daughter was 5 months old, I decided in a split second it needed to be now! I enrolled in my course and performed my first ceremony 3 months later. Part of my reason was wanting to show her that you should always reach for your dreams, no matter how hard they may seem.

"Who in celebrancy inspires you?"
My fellow celebrants. We work together on the belief that we’re a community, not competition. We constantly learn from each other and that makes us better. This means I can offer my couples new ideas and approaches to ensure I deliver them the ceremony they’ve always dreamt of.

"Any misconceptions about your industry that you would like to dispel?"
People often question the price of a celebrant because they think we just turn up and deliver a 30-minute ceremony. They don’t realise the amount of work that’s gone on behind the scenes to deliver those 30 minutes. I do research, meetings, interviewing, writing, drafting, rehearsals, travel and, of course, the ceremony. On top of that, celebrants also have to attend annual professional development to ensure we stay on our game. No celebrant turns up and just wings it on the day – a lot of time and preparation has gone into making those 30 minutes spectacular.

"Do you have any tips for those of us who aren't experts?"
Your wedding ceremony should be all about you. People want to hear the story of how you met, fell in love and came to be standing there together. The past is so important to creating a future together. It can be fun, light-hearted and engaging. The wedding ceremony sets the tone for the whole day so have fun with it. No one wants to sit through a boring ceremony!

"Why should couples choose you for their big day?"
I’m passionate about working with couples to identify what makes them unique. That way, I can deliver their perfect ceremony. I take the time to get to know my couples, explain their options, and work with them to craft a personal ceremony. I also believe in making the process fun and stress-free, so guarantee lots of laughs along the way!

"How do you set yourself apart from competitors?"
I invest a lot of time with my couples depending on their individual needs. I provide a ceremony planning guide to really help couples understand their options and think about what they want to include. I don’t limit numbers of meetings or phone calls because I think the ceremony is so important, couples should feel supported through the whole process. I also bring nearly 20 years’ experience as a professional writer, event manager and presenter so my couples are guaranteed a professional ceremony.

"What is the best advice you ever received?"
Give a man a chance to say no – if you never ask the question, you’ll never know the answer.

"What surprising lessons have you learned along the way?"
Each couple is so different. There are common themes among ceremonies but being able to create a new ceremony every time is something I truly love!

"How do you balance work and family demands?"
I thrive on being busy. Running two businesses and working part-time means my life is crazy! I’m lucky to have a really supportive husband and the ability to live on very little sleep!

Instagram // https://www.instagram.com/fiona_mcintyre_celebrant/

Meet Homewares, Stationery & Giftware Designer, Sophie!

You will meet the lovely Sophie from Sophia Mulheran Designs today! We recently undertook a project with Sophie that we can't wait to share in the coming months. It was a delight to work with her and we can vouch for the wow factor her products bring. We have enjoyed getting to know the Sophia Mulheran Design brand for a couple of reasons in particular. At a business level, we enjoy supporting local businesses and you will find the Sophia Mulheran Designs brand based here in Brisbane, Australia. On a personal level, Pete has a science degree with an environmental major & Em has honours in environmental microbiology; the Sophia Mulheran Designs brand is passionate about sustainable and ethical business practices, so this (environmentally conscious) aspect resonates with us. We recently noticed on Sophie's Instagram that the team have picked up 10,479 pieces of rubbish so far this year! What an amazing effort! I am sure you would be keen to hear more of the stories behind Sophie's business so I will now hand it over to Sophia to speak for herself:

"Tell us about yourself” 

I’m a creative and passionate Brisbanite who is working towards the most sustainable and ethical lifestyle and business. I love drawing so to essentially be able to do it as a job (as well as creating other awesome things) is an absolute dream come true!

"Why did you choose to design homewares, stationery and giftware?” 

I’ve always wanted to make a positive difference to our environment and community so when I formulated the idea to turn my passions into a career, I stopped at nothing to get the business up and running. The Sophia. Brand launched in August 2017 and since then, it’s been nothing but a success. I have learnt so much and met so many beautiful and inspiring people.

"How did your interest in design and creativity start?”

I grew up on an acreage property, so I was constantly building, exploring, creating and running free. This has shaped me into the person I am today and has armed me with an intense passion for the environment and everything creative.

"Who in business inspires you?”

There’s too many to count!! I’m inspired by anyone and everyone who has the courage to take the leap of faith and follow their dreams. It’s inspiring to see so many people who have made the decision to quit their day jobs and set out to do exactly what they were born to do.

"Any misconceptions about your industry that you would like to dispel?” 

Most people think that I sit down and carefully plan out every tiny detail of my designs, but the truth is that I create all my designs on the spot, and I never know how they are going to turn out.

"Do you have any tips for those of us who aren't experts?” 

I know there’s people out there who think they don’t have a creative bone in their body but the truth is that my drawings used to be messy and nothing of great quality. It was only the other day that I found a few drawings that I created not long before I launched my business. If I was still creating those dodgy designs, my business would be an absolute flop! Keep exploring different aspects and don’t forget that nearly anything can be considered art!

"Why should couples choose you for their big day?” 

When it comes to weddings, I have a few unique things to offer. The first being custom-designed wedding invitations and menus to suit your flowers, style and wedding layout. I’ve also introduced wedding hire items. These include my hand-crafted copper bowls and plates, which bring a striking colour and texture to the wedding dining

"How do you set yourself apart from competitors?”

I pride myself on being unique and creating things that people have never seen before. What's the point of following the trend when you can create your own?

"What is the best advice you ever received?”

I’ve received lots of awesome advice over the years but one thing I always tell myself is that if you keep going and never give up, you will succeed. Work hard, keep your head down and you’ll get there in the end!

"What surprising lessons have you learned along the way?” 

Who knew there was so much to learn about running a business? I thought I’d done the majority of the work when I launched the business, but the truth is that there are always improvements to make. Business is a journey too!

"How do you balance work and family demands?” 

I’m definitely guilty of working for 5am until 10pm without so much as a break. I have way too many ideas that I want to follow through on so at this point in time, work never really stops for me. I might find a balance one day!

"Anything else you would like to add?” 

If you’d like to follow my sustainable and ethical business journey, feel free to check out my website and social media pages: 

Website: http://www.sophiamulheran.com 

Meet Custom-Cut Designers, Josh & Suzanne!

We are thrilled to introduce you to a lovely husband-wife team of custom-cut designers - Josh & Suzanne from Molossi Designs! We have worked with them on a couple of projects to date. They are always so pleasant to email back and forth with and they consistently bring quality, stunning pieces to the table. This is their story as told by Josh & Suzanne:

"Tell us about yourself"
We are a husband-and-wife team with 6 children that keep us on our toes! We recently made a ‘tree’ change from the city, which has given us more freedom and time in life! Best decision we ever made… This decision has also given us more direction with the business to see it grow.

"Why did you choose custom-cut designs as your chosen field?"
The creative desire and a WOW product!

"How did your interest in custom-cut designs start?"
Originally in the papercraft industry, we purchased our first laser to allow us to create our ‘own’ product – our own chipboard line. When we tapped into the MDF and acrylic designs, the papercraft side closed down as the demand for our products in the event industry grew. Three years later, we purchased our second machine. Two years after that, our third machine. We have grown with the industry.

"Who in custom-cut designs inspires you?"
Everyone from the bride that contacts us the week before her wedding (lol it does happen – and that’s cool with us as we manage it!) to the event planner, the venues, the GROOMS (yup - grooms, too!) to the photographers that capture it all. There is not one person that doesn’t inspire us.

"Do you have any tips for those of us who aren't experts?"
The key is to capture the spirit of the client and the essence in life. And outsource what you can!

"Why should couples choose you for their big day?"
We are asked this weekly – and our answer: at Molossi it is quality over quantity here!

"How do you set yourself apart from competitors?"
We will work with you to create what your heart desires. We are a big believer in “you are your only limit”.

"What is the best advice you ever received?"
The Five Ups:
‘Get up, dress up, show up, keep your head up, and never give up’.

"What surprising lessons have you learned along the way?"
Never be afraid to ask!

"What does a day in the life of Molossi look like?"
Our days consist of designing orders to cutting, perfecting and packing. We deal with some amazing vendors, but my favourite part is opening messages filled with love and images of our products in use!

"Anything else you would like to add?"
The Molossi team are your go-to manufacturer, retailer and wholesaler of custom-made and personalised MDF, wooden and acrylic designs. Whilst personalised MDF wooden signs and acrylic cake toppers are just the beginning of Molossi’s product range, we are always ready to assist when a client brings a design to us; Molossi will help recreate the desired product in mind to the best of our ability, whether it be for that unique wedding/event piece, business logo or home decor, we will work with you to create what your heart desires.

Molossi is situated in New South Wales, with our warehouse located at Mandagery. Even though we are Australian based, we do ship internationally. Please contact us at info@molossi.com.au for a freight quote.

Shop with confidence at Molossi and rest assured that we will strive to do what is best by our clients. This is not a job for us - it is our passion!!

You will find Molossi's details here:

Crisp, Curated Instagrams & Muddy, Unfiltered Diaries

We recently read a very endearing article (here) by Danny Wallace from Conde Nast Traveller regarding the evolution of holiday memory collection. In the good old days, handwritten diaries were standard. In today's culture, carefully curated images and stories are the norm. In the good old days, diaries were written for the person writing it (if intensely personal). Or perhaps for friends and family, as well, but still a controlled audience. One major purpose of Instagram is to share. Widely. In so doing, the world becomes a smaller place - in theory, at least. A side-effect is relinquishment of audience control unless the account is private. Memories are recorded with different target audiences in mind. Funnily enough, the content usually reflects this.

In our day-to-day life, we are not big diary people personally. Our calendar serves the only day to day purpose we need: keeping track of bills, appointments, sessions, etc. However, when we travel, we make keeping a diary a priority to the point that we actually plan part of our day around our diary. Every night, we try to find a quiet spot where we can have dinner (?glass of red) and record the details of our day. Every single day. We have found that if even 3 or more days pass, your memory of what happened when can start to fade and drift into differing recollections of what took place between observers and subjects. We record the good and the bad. We record the anticipated and the unexpected. We record the happy times and the sad. It's therapeutic in a way and clears your mind so you're fresh to welcome a new day of exploration and adventure. It also means we won't ever forget e.x.a.c.t.l.y what our holiday was like. This is why Danny's article resonated with us, we assume. We found this paragraph particularly pertinent:

"I think we’re in danger of only documenting the things we think we’d like to remember. The things that paint our trip the way we think the trip should have gone. The things you’d Instagram. But it means we risk turning those memories into a stylised highlights package or a magazine spread, when what makes it real and important are the small and everyday memories that slip between the cracks. Often, the things that make your trip memorable are those very things we forget, maybe because we mistakenly choose to. Those seemingly pointless, perhaps even, on paper, dull details that – when taken and put together – make up a wonderful whole."

We vote for both: enjoy and share with the world your highlight reel on Instagram (after all, holidays are usually a huge investment so enjoy reliving those memories over and over!) but also treasure those raw and gritty handwritten travel diaries over a glass or two of red (after all, those genuine and authentic moments are priceless)! Who knows... we might even share a story or two or three from our travel diaries this year. <3

Our own travel diaries to date; 302 pages worth.

Our own travel diaries to date; 302 pages worth.