Bride’s DIY skills leave personal touch on every detail at classic wedding

Shane had always told Courtney he would never propose on a birthday, Christmas or a holiday. It was too obvious, he said.

So when they Croydon couple, both aged 30, took off for a family trip to the Gold Coast, Courtney was unsuspecting. “We had spent an amazing day whale watching and enjoying a fancy lunch, and the family decided to stay in our apartment for the evening and enjoy a big platter of cold meats and cheeses for dinner,” explains Courtney. But she noticed Shane wasn’t eating and he soon retired to his bedroom saying he wasn’t feeling well. “When he returned, he still looked unwell but suggested we all take our drinks out onto the balcony to enjoy the view of the city lights. While out there, he got down on one knee and popped the question!”

They married at their classic wedding on March 17, 2018, with 99 guests at Chirnside Park in Victoria. “Our ceremony was in the beautiful chapel at Vue on Halcyon, with plenty of seating,” says the bride. “Vue on Halcyon also has an amazing reception space, with a high rounded ceiling, windows along the length of the room looking out onto the vines, and a polished concrete floor.”

The bride DIY’d many of the day’s items including place cards, table chart, and bonbonniere labels. “Arranging everything myself also meant I could incorporate my personal style into each element.”

Photos courtesy of Fifteen Photography.

“My wedding dress was strapless, with a lace bodice, sweetheart neckline, and ball gown skirt, with many different length layers of tulle,” smiles the bride.

“It was decorated with flowers in tall cigar vases and little posies tied to the seats down the aisle,” the bride says of the ceremony space.

“Our bouquets gum leaves with a mix of white flowers,” explains Courtney.

“My hair was swept into a slightly messy side bun, with a beaded hairpiece arranged over the top,” says Courtney.