Real Life Wedding
| Couple | Ryan and Belle Sanderson |  |
|---|---|---|
| Date of Wedding | 18th April, 2009 | |
| Number of guests | 92 | |
| Approximate Cost | $15,000 (not incl honeymoon) | |
| Ceremony Venue | Austral Asian Church, Isaacs | |
| Reception Venue | Hellenic Club of Canberra | |
| Photo Locations | Lakeside and around Questacon | |
How we met We are high school sweethearts and have been together since year 9 which is just over last 7 years.
The proposal Ryan took me to dinner on Sydney Harbour and popped the question on front of 100 guests on the dancefloor... I cried for about 30 minutes.
Summary of the big day Weather was perfection, the ceremony of light-hearted, the photo session was great at dusk, the reception was decorated elegantly and the food/ service was 100% unbeatable.
Fondest Memory When we left the church and were heading to the photo spot, Ryan and I just looked at each other and just smiled. It was one of those "Oh my god, what just happened" moments I'll never forget.
Funniest Moment Our flowergirl dancing the whole night non-stop. She was honestly the life of the party.
Worst Moment The DJ was a huge mistake. He kinda ruined the atmosphere of the reception and we really regret hiring them. My advice is pay extra for a good experienced DJ.
Money Saving Ideas Research everything. eBay was a fantastic tool and I couldn't have survived without it.
Bride's/Groom's advice Bride's advice is to not let other peoples ideas get in the way of your day. Groom's advice is to stay out of the planning and look after the roles your given. (suits and cars)
What we would do differently Hire another DJ, everything else was as planned.
The Big Day
| Rings | Prouds |
|---|---|
| Bridal Gown | Brides by Mancini, Ferrari Bridal |
| Bridesmaid Dresses | eBay black strapless dresses |
| Hair | My aunty and maid of honour |
| Make-up | Airbrush make-up |
| Suits | Blades Menswear |
| Transport | A friend owns 3 BMW's |
| Invites/Bomboniere | Invitations by Melita, Fyshwick |
| Flowers | City Florist, Queanbeyan |
| Cake | Cake of your Dream, Queanbeyan |
| Music | MobyDisc |
| Photography | Trudie Hargrave Photography |
| Videography | A guest |
| Bridal Registry | Wishing Well |
| Honeymoon | Thailand |
Feedback
Ceremony The church is faily modern and getting married by our pastor in a Christian church was just something we both wanted to do.
Reception Venue Hellenic Club are amazing. They look after you, the service is great, the food was amazing and it's all well priced.
Photography Locations Anywhere around the lake below Questacon is good. Make sure you get good light and don't stress if there are other brides around.
Rings Pick something you really like, because your stuck with it.
Bridal Gown Pick something you really like, because your stuck with it.
Bridesmaids' Dresses We chose a black and white theme which worked well. My girls were all of different sizes but black just looks amazing on anyone.
Hair We had braids, curls and lots of volume for the girls. I had a classic low chignon bun with diamond accessories
Make-up Linda from Airbrush was unbelievable. Was quick, detailed and lasted for days afterwards.
Suits The suits for hire was just very classy and well made.
Transport We had 2 black sedan BMW's and a red hot convertable from friends of our.
Invites/Bomboniere DIY. Get crafty or delegate to someone with a creative side.
Flowers I chose white lisiantus for their soft open look, they looked amazing and smelt great too.
Cake We chose a marble mud cake with black and white deocrations. It was moist, not too rich and looked amazing with the 2 cartoon figurines on top.
Music Let's not go there
Photography Trudie is amazing. Worked overtime and was able to make a few options around our budget.