Taryn & Joel were married at Gracelands in Forresters Beach.
This is what they had to say about their big day.
How did you meet? Tinder!!! Haha
What was the first thing you decided on as a couple when arranging your big day? We both agreed that we wanted something on the smaller side - no interest in having a big "circus" wedding!
What wedding vibe were you after? Intimate, chill, fun!
How did you choose your outfits? That was easy - I had been fantasizing about my dream retro dress for years! I hunted high and low for months when I luckily stumbled across a second-hand dress on StillWhite. It was a dress made by the same place that made mine - Dig For Victory based in Brighton, UK. Thankfully, my sister was able to take my measurements and I ordered my dream dress online. It was made and delivered in about 3 months. I absolutely loved everything about my outfit! Sometimes, when I'm home alone, I parade around the house in my dress haha.
Joel's was a little trickier, I couldn't decide on a colour or style. After he tried a few things on, we decided on a simple, classic black suit with an ivory shirt and ivory silk bow tie to match my dress. Joel picked the shoes himself (I was really happy with his choice!) His best man, Cooper, had an identical suit with a forest green bow tie to match my maid of honour's dress. I absolutely loved how everyone looked!
How did you decide on your venue? We had looked at one or two other venues before we found Gracelands. One of them was absolutely stunning, but very expensive and more suitable for a large wedding. The other was less than impressive. I loved Gracelands instantly, it was perfect for what we wanted. Joel was skeptical at first, he thought it was strange that a wedding venue was tucked away in between a bunch of shops. He came around though, and we both loved everything about it. The food was amazing, the decor was simple and gorgeous and the staff were extremely helpful!
What was the most stressful part of the planning process? Saving up enough money to pay for everything was stressful! We also had the risk of Covid restrictions hanging around too, I was really worried that we would have to postpone but thankfully, the Covid threat stayed away long enough for us to have a perfect wedding. We went into a 4 month lockdown almost exactly one month after our big weekend so we got very lucky!
Lots of people get nervous before their wedding, did you? I was extremely nervous, I even called Joel before I left the house in the limo! He assured me that everything was perfect and that I had nothing to worry about. I had also planned on walking down the aisle on my own (strong, independent etc) but I crumbled at the last minute and asked my brother to walk with me, which he happily obliged.
Who was your stand out vendor? SARITA!!!!! I was really dreading meeting a celebrant at first, I was worried that we wouldn't find someone that "gets" us as a couple, we're not the most romantic or sentimental people. I didn't want our ceremony to be "cheesy" and awkward! Sarita, you are a breath of fresh air and instantly made us feel comfortable and confident. She helped us every step of the way and helped us to have a wedding ceremony that felt like "us". Every one of our guests raved about how wonderful you were.
I also absolutely LOVED the flowers, they were exactly what I wanted. Jess from Mimosa Floral Designs did an amazing job!
Is there anything that you would change about your day? If we could replay the day, maybe I'd drink less....maybe.
Did anything go wrong on your day? It rained for about 10 minutes prior to my arrival at the venue and I was panicking....then the sun came out and we had a perfectly clear, cool, Autumn afternoon!
What was the funniest part of your day? A good friend of mine, Kayla, was at another wedding on the same day and was scheduled to arrive at ours around 8.30pm. She's too good a friend that she can't let anyone down and so went to two weddings in one day! When she arrived, I was a little bit drunk and I absolutely lost it and burst into tears of happiness that my friend had finally arrived. It was a very funny/special moment for us haha
Have you got any advice for a couple planning their wedding? Make it yours!! You only get one special day, plan a wedding that you yourself would want to attend and be a part of.
How has life changed since you got married? It hasn't really, we were already living together and already have a beautiful little boy. We now have joint bank accounts and share a surname haha.
Who were your vendors-
Mimosa Floral Designs
Sophisticated Styles Hair
Sophie Bradshaw MUA
MobyDisc Jukebox
Strip of a Lifetime Vintage Photobooth
Gracelands Forresters Beach
Sraita the Celebrant
K3 Photography
