‘Horses’ by Daryl Braithwaite was guaranteed to make the playlist at Emmalee and Claye’s wedding after they danced their socks off to it the night they met! This laid back couple planned a rustic cocktail party in dusty pink, green and white, with stacks of DIY to keep their budget in check. Their guests might have been unsure about their choice of wedding style at first, but it’s safe to say their vision totally paid off!
The Planning Experience
“Planning my dream wedding on a budget wasn’t easy! Trips most weekends to find a wedding venue was by far the best part of planning. After we chose the venue it was all go from there. The last weeks were stressful as you can imagine, but knowing I was getting closer to marrying my best friend made it all worth it!”
The Dress Search
“I tried on about 40 dresses! I found a dress online I rather liked and tried it on with my mum and sister. We all knew it was the one but I wasn’t too excited about the price. I then found a boutique that was selling their sample. I was stoked!”
Bridal Party Style
“I knew I wanted dusty pink dresses. With five bridesmaids that all had different tastes, I found a website that had 50 styles in the same colour, so they all got to pick their own dress. Our groomsmen were easy as my husband dressed them similar to himself.”
The Reception
“We did everything DIY! I’m lucky my husband is a great handyman. Our reception was chilled and sociable, with couches, bar tables, cocktail food and a kombi keg. Everyone keeps reminding us of how fun and relaxed it was!”
Best Advice
1. Don’t let other people’s opinions stress you out. Most people weren’t too sure how they felt about going to a cocktail wedding with no seating plan but they all absolutely loved it in the end! I was so stressed over pointless things, I wish I enjoyed the planning more.
2. If you don’t have a wedding planner, pick an organised friend that isn’t part of your bridal party. Your bridesmaids are going to be too busy with hair and makeup on the day to worry about your needs. My morning was stress-free knowing I had someone lean on if something were to go wrong. My amazing friend and brother helped with set up in the morning, checked everything was running on time and made sure my champagne glass was always full!
3. Write everything down and give it to your trustworthy friend, including speeches, photos you want and anything you might need to remember on the day. We had so many ideas but forgot them all!
The Team
Location: Western Australia | Photography: The Stache Photography | Ceremony: Caves House Yallingup | Reception: Yallingup Brook | Officiant: Anne Miller | Cake: Sweet Stylin | Bar: Kombi Keg WA | Transport: Margaret River Blue Bus & Dunsborough Taxis, Buses & Charters | Wedding Dress: Made With Love Bridal | Alterations: Amy Anderson | Bridesmaids: JJ’s House | Hair: Laura Della Valle, Chantelle Gravilon & Ezio Celenza | Makeup: Jessica Ann Makeup Artist | Suits: Connor