Friday I'm in love : James + Melinda

We just adore James + Melinda's Sunshine Coast wedding, thank you for sharing! Fresh off the press! James + Melinda's gorgeous wedding is featured in the current Autumn 2011 issue of Queensland Brides! Grab your copy online here.

It was a wedding of stylish proportions when James Gardam, managing director of Queensland’s fine fabric retailer Garrdam’s Fabrics wed Melinda Corcoran, the designer behind luxe ladies’ footwear label Bitter Sweet. Both have years of experience in fashion and design so it was bound to be one beautiful event!

Melinda's Styling Notes:
Gown: I didn’t want the traditional white strapless dress which is why I chose silver/platinum silk satin and then to soften that colour I put an off-white silk chiffon overlay, so it looked silvery in some lights then white in others. With the one shoulder look, I love goddess style dresses and to glam it up we added art deco crystal trims. The chiffon and crystal plaiting down my back was Michael Klease’s idea, to the make the back “sparkle”.

The head piece was originally going to be crystals with veiling but at the last minute I took the it to my florist and she sewed on the fresh white peony, it looked amazing, no one would believe it was real. The shoes are from Bitter Sweet and they are a one-off design that our factory made specially for the day, they matched the platinum silk satin of my dress.

Reception: Carly (my wedding planner) and I just wanted a relaxed, party atmosphere but with a touch of glamour, hence the single white peony in the vases along the tables and white table cloths. We also didn’t want the traditional guest book so we had our guests hang notes on our willow wishing tree. As with the cake we followed the white with a touch of silver theme, but topped it again with fresh peonies. In all we just wanted a relaxed beach styled wedding but with a glamorous feel to it.

Special memory: Both of our parents’ speeches – don’t think there was a dry eye in the whole restaurant. Advice for other brides-to-be: The day goes so fast, so make sure you both have a moment together alone to savour all that is going on around you. Also, have a wedding folder – keeps everything together!

date: 26 November 2010
theme: Glamorous Beach Wedding
ceremony: ‘Maison La Plage Grove’ Noosa Heads
reception location: Ricky’s Restaurant & Bar, Noosa
gown: Designed by bride and made by Michael Klease using fabric from Gardam’s Fabrics 
wedding bands and engagment rings: Kimmison Jewellery / Brisbane Arcade
celebrant: Robert Campbell
coordinator: Carly Laczko/ CL weddings & events
hair: Evalyn Parsons
make-up: Pru Edwards
flowers: White Peonies, Flax Flowers
cake: Vanilla Lily Cake Design
photography: Karen Buckle Photography
honeymoon: New York City then a road trip down the Californian coast from San Francisco to Los Angeles

View all Queensland Brides Real Life Weddings here + submit your own Real Life Wedding here!


Happy Friday! QB x

QB Loves : Garden or Tea Party Theme!

Possibly THE wedding theme of the season, a Garden Party or High Tea party calls for a luscious lawn, a billowing marquee, cocktail-style dining and lots of pretty, bespoke details.

above clockwise: 

>Delicate dining! Tenille Beadman of Ezy Events picks “Alice in Wonderland” as one of the hottest themes and this new addition to Wedgwood’s Harlequin range was inspired by just that! The romantic and whimsical ‘Cuckoo’ pieces (right of image) also take design cues from 19th-century Chinese Flower and Bird motifs from Wedgwood’s archive. From selected department stores. P: 1300 852 022.

>A Shoe in! Gorgeous shoes are a garden party must. Try Belanci’s Point Toe Heels with Wave Edge in season-favourite ‘Nude’. For stockists in QLD P: 0416 646 766.  View the Queensland Brides shoe inspiration gallery!

>Scents-ability! Choose a fragrance inspired by the garden. Prada’s limited edition Infusion de Tubéreuse has “the imprint of tuberose full of green buds in bloom” says perfumer Danieta Andrier while for your groom, the Infusion de Vetiver evokes “crumpled leaves and tender Vetiver notes” From Myer. P: 02 9663 4277

above:

>Floral tribute! Adorn your reception site with freewheeling floral arrangements. Wooden boxes, glass jars and ceramic jugs sourced from antique shops or your grandmother’s cupboards can all be filled with seasonal blooms and don’t be too matchy matchy with your selections. Photo: ckmetro Photography.

View the Queensland Brides Flower inspiration gallery!

clockwise from top left:

>Croquet anyone? Invite your guests to help work the theme with a round of croquet. Visit www.croquetqld.org for a club near you. Our favourite is the Merthyr Croquet Club, adjacent to New Farm Park.

>Sweet as! Tiers of sweet, buttery icing, soft vintage inspired blooms and an antique crystal cake plate to make the presentation complete. Garden party perfection!

View the Queensland Brides Cake inspiration gallery!

>Real Life Garden Wedding! Laure and Sean chose a Marie Antoinette / High Tea theme for their wedding at Bundaleer Gardens.Image taken from a QB real lifew wedding. Photo: Helen McConnell Photography. More Real Life Weddings!

>Seat me! A white marquee and white wrought iron seating sets a fresh and relaxed tone and looks great against green. Scour antique shops and French furniture shops for similar.

Search our  QLD Decorating directory!

Friday I'm in love : Sunshine Coast Hinterland Wedding!

Modern Vintage! Brooke & Jamie's elegant celebration drew inspiration from vintage traditions and the lush hinterland locale. QB loves the fresh green highlights throughout the whole styling!  Queensland's Sunshine Coast hinterland is such a gorgeous, unique setting ... stunning photography! Congratulations to Brook and Jamie and thankyou for sharing your beautiful day with us ... isn't Brook just stunning?

Gown & hairpiece by Bertossi Brides at Paddington Weddings

Flowers: Mondo Floral Design

Stationery: Attaché Designs

transport: Kenz Classic Cars

Cake: House of Laurels

Candy buffet table: Attaché Designs

Honeymoon: Hawaii
Photography: Calli B Photography

View more QB Real Life Weddings here!

Submit your own wedding here!

View our Sunshine Coast vendor directory ... 

P.S. Happy Friday!

QB x

QB Loves : Glittering Diamonds, Classic Pearls & Unique Custom Pieces!

photography: John Downs | make-up: Amanda Reid using Latonas Makeup | hair: Penny Smith

production: Nicole Deuble and Melissa Reynolds | gowns: Wendy Makin Bridal Designs | models: Fleur/Dallys

Fleur’s right hand: Rings (model’s) right to left: Xennox Diamond World, Girl’s Love Pearls and Gilletts. Model’s left arm:

Bracelet from Gilletts (bottom), bracelets from Xennox Diamond World (above). Rings left to right: Peter Gordon Jeweller,

Gilletts, Xennox Diamond World. Earrings: Girl’s Love Pearls

Above: Classic pearls for the modern bride, from Girls Love Pearls of course! P: 07 3012 8361

Shop 17, Balcony Level, Brisbane Arcade, Queen Street Mall, Brisbane CBD

Above: Unique jewellery pieces, friendship necklace and mens ‘fingerprint’ rings from Peter Gordon. 

Earrings top left from Gilletts.

P: 07 3325 2715 Shop 10, Albany Place, 640 Albany Creek Road, Albany Creek

Above: Dazzling diamonds set in precious metals from Xennox. P: 07 3210 6288

Level 2, 130 Queen Street Mall, Cnr Albert Street Brisbane City

Diamond sparklers and eye-catching sapphire sets from Gilletts. P: 1300 665 352

Fashion Level One, Broadway on the Mall, Queen Street Brisbane CBD

Real Life Wedding : Coco Chanel-inspired!

Ellissa Swane and Mark Stevenson’s Coco Chanel-inspired event was chic and glamorous, topped off with plenty of laughs. 

This wedding is featured in the Autumn 2011 issue of Queensland Brides ... we just adore Ellissa and Mark's wedding and have featured them on our blog to showcase all the lovely images we couldn't fit in the magazine! Thank you to Ellissa and Mark for submitting their real life wedding and also their fab photographer Stewart Ross for the photos!

date: 2 July 2010

ceremony: Quay West Suites

gown: MXM Couture

decorator: Styled Events

flowers: Flora Bella

stationery: Invitation Station

cake: Cream Coorparoo

photography: Stewart Ross Photography

honeymoon: Singaporeand United Arab Emirites

Ellissa and Mark's Special Memory: 

Some would say we are very lucky to be reminded of our ceremony and vows on such a regular basis as every other weekend! To quote a section out of our vows:

Celebrant: 'Ladies and Gentlemen, we will be interrupting the ceremony for a moment as Mark and Liss have one or two last minute questions that they need to clarify with one another... Liss, Mark has asked me to ask some very important questions... Will you Liss, stop moving Mark's mess which he strategically leaves laying on the floor next to his bed for a reason? Also, he's asked if you could ask him all your questions before the footy or the cricket starts and... drive him to the golf course on request?'

Liss: 'I will Mark. Do you promise to update Liss's Louis Vuitton handbags and Chanel products on a regular basis and Sleep on the couch after you've had beers?'

Mark: 'I will. I guess we both are blessed with a special memory. One - Mark has a cracking good wife to get up at an unreasonable hour on a Sunday morning and drive him to Golf, and for me it is like every day is our wedding day. :) '

Read Mark and Ellissa's FULL story.

View our entire Real Life Wedding Gallery.

Bridal Buzz - what's happening in bridal land! Autumn 2011

We recently joined Brisbane couples at a very elegant evening hosted by Wedding List Co. to

celebrate the gift of giving. Held at the gorgeous Coco Republic showroom we sipped Champagne while putting together a wish list of items such as KitchenAid Stand Mixers, Missoni Bathroom Essentials, Coco Republic furniture and other lovelies from leading luxury brands. Loved the tips and advice from Wedding List Co. Gift Expert Karaline Loiterton, and their super stylish and easy online service is a must-look for brides, grooms and guests. www.weddinglistco.com.au

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Did you know?
Even if they can’t quite see their way down the aisle, newlyweds-to-be are leaving their glasses at home. According to a recent Galaxy Research study, 78% of women admitted they would prefer not to wear glasses to their wedding and 68% said they would definitely not wear them. Grooms aren’t immune to a moment of vanity either with 65% saying they’d prefer to show off their baby blues than their specs on the big day.
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When Lauren Whiting got married her wedding shoes didn’t make her feel like a princess because her toes hung well over the edge – and her size 13 feet hurt a lot! So necessity became the mother of invention for the Adelaide mum who now runs a burgeoning online business stocking everything from killer heels to classic ballet fl ats in a range of Australian-designed shoes in larger sizes. Check out www.atlastshoes.com.au

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BRAND NEW GARDEN VENUE!

Set amongst 50 hectares of natural parklands and fauna and overlooking the magnifi cent Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, the stylish new Botanical is a wedding must see. With an expansive, fully enclosed deck offering views of the lake and garden, chic contemporary fi t-out and choice of four elegant function areas, the Botanical also has plenty of parking. And ceremonies are a cinch with three dedicated wedding lawns nearby. Visit online www.botanical.co

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Left Image: Is your family at a loss for what to give you both as a wedding gift? Here’s a clever online solution, Enchanted Empire have created a new range of Planning and Design Gift Certifi cates to help ease the fi nancial and emotional stress of planning, decorating and styling your big event. Check them out at www.enchantedempire.com.au

Right Image: Sign your wedding certificate and draft your thank you notes in style with Parker's Urban Premium Metal Chiselled Ball Point pens in Ebony and Pearl. RRP$69.95- $89.95 P: 1800 727 537

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Hinterland, vineyard and country weddings are big news for 2011 so don't miss the newly renovated Clear Mountain Lodge, Spa & Vineyard. After a stylish $6.5 million transformation, Clear Mountain has really raised the bar for a full wedding experience, offering panoramic views, manicured ceremonial gardens, an elegant reception venue, a dedicated team of wedding specialists, and comfortable four-star accommodation – all just 35 minutes from Brisbane's CBD. They'll even take care of your prewedding pampering with a prestigious Stephanie's Day Spa opening early in the year. P: 07 3298 5100, www.clearmountainlodge.com.au

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Left image:  A Message from Ella - "Dear bride-to-be, you are one of a kind, and so are we. We understand your individuality – with open ears, a keen sense of style, and a vision of perfection. We will guide you to your perfect gown … limited only by your imagination. We look forward to sharing with you the experience and assisting you in making your wedding gown vision come to live. Sincerely, Ella Stephenson, Ella Moda " www.ellamoda.com.au

Right image: Looking for a breezy riverside location where you and your friends and family can relax, celebrate, and enjoy superb dining? Then add Watt Restaurant + Bar to your shortlist. They have recently appointed a new Head Chef, Craig Bettjeman, who has designed an amazing seasonal menu. So whether you’re thinking luscious cocktails on the riverfront, or a wonderful sit-down three-course meal, you can choose from their menu, or work with the Watt team and tailor your own scrumptious selection. P: 07 3358 5464, E: watt@watt.net.au

Online Must See!

If you like to source your bridal style online then the fabulous new Wedding Bling 

boutique is a must see. Check out their well-edited selection of elegant and glamorous 

decorations, gifts and accessories, aka 'bling', as well as theming concepts and tips from 

founder (and a very stylish newlywed herself) Jade Callianiotis. And the best part? It 

won't break your budget bring a little bling to your big day. www.weddingbling.com.au

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Did you know? 

Modern brides aren’t so keen about taking on the traditional ‘Mrs’ role according to new research. Only 60% of Australian women surveyed by OnePath in late 2010 believe they should take their husband’s name with 20% considering that a husband should take their wife’s name. The survey also found that 68% of Australians have a pet name for their partner or spouse, ranging from the usual suspects like Honey, Babe and Petal to Chunks, Hot Rod, Turtle and Moose Face.

Friday I'm in love : Groom Styling!

Let's hear it for the boys! It's Friday and we have dedicated our Friday Im In Love post to the men of Queensland.  Look and Love some of our favourite Gooms images that have arrived on the desks of the QB team! 

 Give your man a helping hand ... view the Queensland Brides Groom Fashion Directory here! 

Get more inspiration, view the Queensland Brides Fashion Inspiration Gallery here!

Top group> Foster Photography

Second row> Left: Ian Wilkinson Photography. Right: TWK Studio

Third row> Left Ruth Ryan Photography Right: Studio 60 

Fourth row> Left:Sterling Studios Right: Stewart Ross Photography Below group of three: TWK Studio

Fifth row > Left: todd hunter mcgaw Right: Sterling Studios

Sixth row> single group: Whitsunday Photographer

Seventh row > left: Porfyri Photography Right: Studio 60

Eighth Row left > Left: Karen Buckle Photography Right with guitar: TWK Studio

Bottom row>  TWK Studio

Monday Inspiration : Toowomba Garden Party!

QB loves the decadent dessert table, vintage labels and ribbons + garden lanterns!

This inspirational Toowoomba celebration is a fabulous example of how to really pull off a theme. Full of gorgeous ideas, we just love the beautiful styling and attention to detail of Tina and Timothy’s French Provincial Garden Party wedding. The couple were married in St Patrick’s Catholic Church, a sentimental choice as Tina’s parents were married there too, and a collective creative effort took care of all the gorgeous details. Tina says that she and her mum made “lots of the bits and pieces” including drinks’ stirrers, bunting and name tags. They also sourced a collection of jam jars and bottles which were used as vases with vintage labels and ribbon, and even painted a vintage bicycle!

Tina’s grandmother also assisted with preparations, making the French maid aprons worn by the waitresses as well as taking care of the bride’s ‘something borrowed’ with the loan of her white gloves, circa 1950. Creative online destination etsy.com was a brilliant source for many other unique accessories.

The reception was held at Tina’s family home and kicked off with Pimms and canapés in the garden followed by dinner and dancing in a marquee on the tennis court. The decadent dessert table was a party favourite, featuring a lolly tree, handmade pom-poms, cupcakes, macaroons and chocolates. Tina says one of her special memories was Timothy and his groomsmen donning boater hats and playing croquet for the camera.

Huge thank you to Tina and Timothy for sharing your wedding with our magazine!

Read more Inspirational Real Life Weddings here!

View our Inspiration gallery online here!