“Marriage to me is a continuation of how I already feel for Alex. The beginning of an exciting chapter of standing beside my best friend no matter what life throws at us. It is also a chance for both of us to stand up in front of our most important people and promise to always love each other.”
Alex and Grace met four years ago through Tinder. They had their first date at Mary Cairncross Park in Maleny where they enjoyed a walk through the rainforest and a beautiful picnic. Their first date inspired Alex’s proposal to Grace. Alex called Grace on her way home from work, informing her that he had organised a picnic for them. They went to their favourite lookout where Alex had hidden a picnic basket. He set up a camera on the basket to take photos and then got down on one knee. Well planned… and perfectly executed!
Finding the dream gown for your special day is a unique and exciting experience. Grace wasn’t looking for anything specific when shopping for her wedding dress but enjoyed the adventure. “I had the most magical time finding my dream gown, I went to so many shops as there were so many different people that wanted to go shopping with me! I enjoyed trying on all the different styles so that I was able to choose a dress that was most flattering for my body and personality.” Deciding on a dress can be difficult but luckily, Grace had friends and family to provide their opinions on each dress, showing her their favourites, but ultimately supported Grace’s final decision and made her feel beautiful in the dress she chose.
“When I picked my favourite dress, the consultant had myself and guests close
Grace had the pleasure of joining Alex when he went for his suit consultation at When Freddie Met Lilly, which she found an incredibly fun experience. She helped guide him towards colours that would work within their colour scheme but ultimately let him decide what he liked best. The three-piece-suit he chose was perfect, and he looked incredibly handsome for his big day.
“Alex had the best time at his suit fitting and loved how tailored the experience was to him. As someone so tall he rarely finds anything that fits him properly so the prospect of having a fully customised suit was so exciting. He loved how many selections there were to choose from and especially being able to choose a fun lining!” When Freddie Met Lilly provides a full experience when choosing and creating a suit.
The couple tied the knot at Gabbinbar, a heritage listed villa in Toowomba. Grace knew about Gabbinbar and followed them on Instagram for many years, so when it came to choosing a venue Grace took the chance to have a tour and instantly fell in love. Nothing else compared to the perfection of Gabbinbar and their team. Everything was falling into place.
Thankfully all of Grace and Alex’s family was able to attend, minus Grace’s grandparents who were not able to travel the distance. They didn’t miss out though, watching the wedding via a livestream.
The most important thing to Grace on their big day was ensuring that her and Alex could relax and enjoy the day as much as possible and not be stressed about any last-minute decisions. A little special moment Grace and Alex shared was a first look on the day which they felt was so beautiful and private. They also had a sweetheart table which meant they could really sit back and connect with each other during the reception.
Some helpful advice Grace received whilst planning her wedding was to figure out what the most important aspect to you is (food, dress, flowers, entertainment) and put a little bit extra for that in your budget, if you are able. For Grace, she knew florals were so important to creating the space and ambience she wanted, so she spent more on this aspect and had absolutely no regrets. The florals were one of her favourite parts of the day.
Graces advice for future brides, “all the little details you’re stressing about right now, you probably won’t even notice on the big day! It will be beautiful no matter what happens.”
Vendor Tags:
Gabbinbar Homestead @gabbinbarhomestead
Willow Bud Flowers @willowbudflowers
Sommer Saunder Celebrant @sommersaunder_celebrancy
Tay + Francis @tayandfrancis
Blue Vale Films @bluevalefilms
Sunshine Weddings @sunshineweddingsau
Sunshine Brides @sunshinebrides
White Lily Couture @whitelilycouture
Cakehouse by Katrina @cakehouse.by.katrinaallen
The Guestbook @the_guestbook_
Skilled Stitches @skilledstitches
Danny Dyson @dannydyson
Xennox Diamonds @xennoxdiamonds
Bluebird Invitations @bluebirdinvitations
