Sam and I met while both on holiday in beautiful Byron Bay. I was on a weekend away with my best friend Bee, and Sam was on a boys trip. We had a sliding doors moment where we sat next to Sam and his friends in a bar. Luckily for both Sam and I we had amazing friends who entertained themselves while we had a cheeky smooch! Fast forward six months, after numerous trips between Adelaide and Melbourne, I spontaneously moved to Melbourne.
Sam proposed on a Friday evening at our local beach. We cuddled up on a bench seat overlooking the sea, eating fish & chips. We got engaged right at the start of covid, and knew we wanted to get married in the Byron area. Once we had made the decision on venue, the rest fell into place.




Sam and I also had some quiet days in Byron just the two of us in the days beforehand, which allowed space for reflection and to do things that made us feel relaxed and present - beach time, ocean swims, reading in our sunroom, writing letters to our family and bridal party.






THE MORNING OF
We had booked the beautiful ‘The Joints’ (Airbnb) in Byron as our pre-wedding accommodation and couldn’t have been a more perfect location to spend time with our bridal party in the days leading up to the wedding. The Joints has been thoughtfully styled with gorgeous interior design and lots of natural light. It created the perfect atmosphere to get ready in and cultivated a very slow and relaxing morning.
We pre-ordered acai bowls, breakfast mini sandwiches and coffee from our favourite brekkie spot in Byron, Top Shop for ourselves and the boys.
Sam and his boys stayed at a beachfront property on Belongil, close to our wedding ceremony location. They went for a quick dip, got dressed and had a beer while enjoying the beach front view and whales breeching.





THE CEREMONY
A Seaside soirée - relaxed, romantic, effortless with a laidback yet elegant feel. Adding elements of elegance and refinement through texture, colour and florals that complimented the coastal aesthetic. The boys were also in classic black suits and the girls in white silk dresses which felt timeless to us.
We were incredibly lucky to find a privately owned beachfront property on Belongil beach, which we kept secret to our guests until the day
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Taking a few deep breathes before starting the walk up the aisle to see Sam, standing there in the sunshine, waiting for me. When we stood hand in hand and exchanged our vows was so, so special. As was the the realisation that all our loved ones had travelled near and far just for us. We felt so much love in this moment. It was also the feeling of absolute relief and gratitude for the change in weather – the sea of parasols, blue skies, soft sea breeze and the sun shining.
To have Maddy May play during our ceremony. It was so special to have her play her song ‘Butterflies’, as I walked down the aisle.Which has now become our special song,
I was also speechless when I saw the floral structure the incredible Sheridan @fiflar_ had created for our ceremony backdrop. We had no words in how breathtakingly beautiful this was, it completely complimented the location.




















THE RECEPTION
We loved the idea of being near the ocean, which narrowed down the Surf Club. We were drawn to the nostalgic feel with its sundrenched deck and ocean views. Being a blank canvas venue it meant we could execute our creative ideas. It allowed us to make decisions on every small or big detail, from cutlery to structures and everything else in between.
Walking into our reception space for the first time, was a magical moment for us. We were both overwhelmed with how beautiful the space looked, and to see all the planning come together – we were so appreciative to Emma and everything she poured into it. We still love hearing about the fun and joy our guests shared with us.






THE DETAILS
We had the most fun with the small details of our wedding day. Every tiny, imagined detail was put into reality. I still remember when I had mentioned to Em that we wanted the butter to be served in scallop shells, she ventured to every homeware store on the coast, looking to source the perfect seashells for this purpose! Each decision and detail was consciously and thoughtfully considered.
Our most favourite, the personalised gin bottles on each of the tables for our guests to pour themselves. Our dear friend and talented designer Emily from @esthetic.bride designed the most beautiful on the day signage and stationary for us, and created personalised labels for the glass bottles we had sourced. These were accompanied with Coastal Tonic waters from local Strange Love, citrus dried by my mum, and local edible flowers.



FOOD & BEVERAGE
We worked with Brendon from Anise Events, who brought to life our menu. Showcasing local produce and seafood. Most of the dishes were created on an outdoor barbeque set up, and we loved the Australian feel this brought to the food.
We opted to emit the traditional wedding cake, and instead decided to have small bite size sweet treats – mango curd, macadamia shortbread and coconut meringue tarts & brazillian chocolate alfajores.
His staff also created the most incredible cocktails which was another ‘non-negotiable’ for us! We went with jalapeno chilli margaritas, pisco lime sours & espresso martinis, wine list selected from South Australian wineries and local beers as a nod to my home state.


ADVICE
Take the time to reflect on you as individuals and as a couple. Lean into what feels like a true reflection of you both, and don’t worry about the things that don’t. Stay true to these things as you move through the planning process and allow enough time to reflect.
Invest in elements that are important to you and don’t feel pressured by trends.






Emma (& her team) // @forloveandliving
Em was our angel on earth! Our wedding day was our most special and happiest day of our lives, and we owe it all to her. Our vision was brought to life and we will forever be thankful for all her warmth, energy and love she poured into creating our perfect day.
Photography & Videography @joeywillisphotography
Bridal gown @lola.varma
Food & Beverage @aniseevents
HMUA @thefuture_mrs
Phoebe Fever, Clare Moriarty & Shannon Jennings.
Stationery & Signage @esthetic.bride
Celebrant @susie_figgis_celebrant
Ceremony & Reception DJ @scradleybeats
Acoustic ceremony music Maddy May
Spray tans Sunkissed Forever Byron Bay
Floral Stylist @fiflar_
Furniture Hire & Tableware @social.eventhire @frankandjoy
Decor @forloveandliving
Reception Venue @byronbayslsc