In The Stars - Russell and Suzzie

When Russell Harvey and Suzzie Johnstone met four years ago at a Brisbane Lions AFL match and after an instant connection but a "rough start" to their relationship the two have never looked back.

Suzzie's 23rd birthday was a special one, when Russell took her to the Barossa Valley in Adelaide for a week then onto Glenelg for a few days. When a proposal didn't happen in the Barossa Valley, Suzzie was resigned to it not happening at all. So when Russell took her out onto a freezing cold balcony in Glenelg, got down on one knee and nervously proposed, the surprise was understandable. Of course she said yes!

Originally, when planning their wedding, they thought they would have a bright coloured theme, full of purples, oranges and reds. But as planning evolved, their colour palette was toned down to two colours, purple and yellow. There was no particular reason for these choices other than they both thought they would be nice colours for their wedding, subtle and not too over the top.

Suzzie's flowers were a simple but elegant teardrop bouquet consisting of phalaenopsis orchids of white and purple with purple wiring and beading throughout the bouquet. Her bridesmaid had a posie of the same orchid except with yellow beading and wiring. Flowers were provided by international award winning German florist, Katja Bohme from Floral Initials.

Suzzie's dress was a couture gown with inbuilt corseting, extremely detailed hand beading and lacing and about 12 layers of silk and tulle in the skirt. After two hours of standing in the dress at the shop, she just knew she had to have it. The bridesmaids dress was done in a beautiful silver and was found in Garfunkle.

The choice of venue for the wedding and the reception was a personal one. Having practically grown up on North Stradbroke Island, and the fact that Suzzie's parents own a holiday house with a 270 degree view of Moreton Bay and Brisbane City, they decided it would be lovely to have a beach wedding ceremony with their reception at the holiday house.

Suzzie reflects on the location of the ceremony as being one of the most beautiful places on North Stradbroke Island. The ceremony was held at South Gorge Beach where they set up chairs for their immediate family and older guests as well as bali flags on either side of the bridal party.

Tables at the reception were simply decorated with purple runners hand made by Suzzie's mum, and alternate centrepieces, one made up of 3 different sized candle holders with sand in each and the other being purple hydrangeas immersed in water filled hurricane vases. The place cards were double sided, one side with the guests name and the other with a photo of the bride and groom.

The mood of the reception was set with an abundance of fairy lights and lanterns. A lot of family helped to set up the reception which led to extra loving touches that were not planned, but just happened as everyone added their own ideas in the process.

The cake was a split level affair, with the top layer, a fruit cake, made by Suzzie's mum and iced by her uncle. Underneath, vanilla Bailey's and chocolate Cointreau mud cupcakes were served as a delicious and meaningful desert for all the guests.

Photographs were superbly taken by Russell's brother Brett who owns his own photography business, Brett Parnell Photography. The stunning photos show the uniqueness of the setting and they explore the personal feeling of the day beautifully.

Suzzie believes that listening to the speeches, her wedding dance and the vow exchange were all very special parts of her wedding day. Ones that she will cherish forever.

One of the most unique and memorable things about this wedding was that as Russell does not wear any jewellery whatsoever, Suzzie surprised him by officially naming a star after them and dating it with the wedding date. This element was integrated into their vows and Russell received a crystal star on the day as a replacement to the wedding ring, to symbolise the star that holds their name in the sky. This delightful touch proves that this charmed couple is truly in the stars.

Until next time...

Lea
xxx

Location, Location, Location

Why do people choose the wedding locations they do? It used to be that we got married in our local church. But today, people seem to get married in a variety of settings.

Shorncliffe, Upper Moora Park

For instance, a good friend of mine held a beautiful ceremony just under the cliffs of Shorncliffe overlooking the whole of Bramble Bay and Moreton Island. She chose this setting because it meant something personal to her and she didn't believe in getting married in a church. The wedding was performed by a civil celebrant.

Another friend of mine had their wedding on the lawn outside the Officer's Mess, Bulimba Barracks, right on the river. Following this, they held their reception in the mess itself.

"From memory I think I was inclined initially to get married in a church because that's how I'd been brought up and thought it the 'right thing to do'. In the end we decided to get married by the Army Chaplain at the barracks BUT as it turned out, he was not allowed to marry us (an order from an Archbishop) because the ceremony wasn't taking place on consecrated ground. The Chaplain was a great fella and was pretty annoyed by all this so instead just did what he could, which was to offer a blessing after the ceremony."

There have also been some big church weddings amongst my friends and family;

All Saints Anglican Church

Abbey Museum Church, Ningi

These have all been popular for a variety of reasons including location, faith, beauty of the building and personal ties to the church.

More non traditional settings can include beaches, wineries, the zoo, museums, gardens, farms and even a hot air balloon!

Botanic Gardens, Toowong

I personally was married at the Botanic Gardens, Toowong. For me, the choice was a personal one as I simply believed that getting married in a church wasn't for either of us. That and it was a beautiful place to get married.

It can be a big decision deciding on a wedding ceremony venue, so here are my 5 top tips to help you find the perfect location:

1. Stick to your budget. It's really easy to get carried away and spend a small (or large) fortune on a venue, but don't forget that you will have other expenses that also need to be paid for. So set your wedding budget and stick to it!
2. Book well in advance. Some of the big places and even the smaller places can be booked up well in advance, so give yourself plenty of time (6-12 months) to book your venue and if you can, be flexible with your date.
3. Choose a place that is meaningful to you. This is a day that you will remember for the rest of your life, so don't be afraid to let your personality shine through!
4. Consider the weather. While you might enjoy being at the beach in winter with wild wind blowing, your guests might not. Also check for rain and storm patterns that happen at different times of the year, as this will affect what sort of shelter, if any you will want to put up.
5. Make sure the space is big enough to accommodate your guest list.

Wherever you choose make sure to enjoy and have fun!

Until next time...

Lea

xxx