Libby & Dave's South of Perth Yacht Club Wedding

THE DRESS When I started the journey of finding my perfect dress, I had selected three places I wanted to visit and had chosen a few dresses off each website which I thought I might like. After visiting the first store (I won’t name names) where I tried on five or so dresses, I left feeling a bit like I’d been in a meat market for dresses and was a bit deflated.

The next stop was Samantha Wynne where we were treated to an exclusive one-on-one experience. After trying on four dresses, I wriggled my way into the final option which also happen to be the one! I could see my bridesmaids and both our mums had fallen in love with the dress which made it in an easy choice. Really not knowing what I wanted in a dress, it wasn’t until I found the one that I realised I wanted something that made me feel special, while also being comfortable and allowing me to feel good about myself. My gown from Samantha Wynne was really a thing of dreams and I have had so many compliments.

Needless to say, I cancelled the last appointment and we all went for lunch to celebrate!

HOW DID YOU FIRST MEET? Dave and I first met in the winter of 2018 over drinks at Hadiqa in the city. As you do in Perth, it wasn’t long before we realised we knew a lot of the same people and were quite surprised we hadn’t come across each other before.

After a few drinks and great conversation, we said our goodbyes. We ended up catching up a few times of the next few weeks, before I headed to Vietnam and Cambodia on holidays for a month. It was while I was away that I realised Dave was different and could be ‘the one’.  And as they say, the rest is history.

THE PROPOSAL Dave was extremely romantic and had arranged the most stunning proposal on the front porch of our new home, which we’d moved into the week before. I really wasn’t expecting a proposal as we’d made a big financial commitment buying our home, so it came as a complete shock to me when it all unfolded. I actually thought he’d arranged the whole thing initially because he’d played golf on our anniversary and we didn’t end up doing anything together!

Dave had arranged for a friend to get me out of the house to run an ‘urgent errand’ and a few of his mates came around to help him setup before I returned. I walked up to candles, a beautiful cheese board and champagne, and the next thing I knew he was down on one knee and I just started crying. We were flying out to Cairns the following morning, so Dave had secretly arranged for my parents to meet us at a small bar down the road for a drink to celebrate our engagement.

FAVOURITE MOMENT I don’t think I have a favourite moment from our wedding – the whole day was honestly so amazing. I know a lot of people say it, but it really is the best day of your life. We were so lucky to have our loved ones all in one place to help us celebrate our big day.

I will say that we got the surprise of our lives when, after a lot of secret planning by my parents, fireworks erupted on the river mid-way through the night. We definitely weren’t expecting this and it was a highlight for everyone who attended.

THE VENUE We planned our wedding in around six months, so it was a bit harder to find venues – especially in peak wedding season. We knew we wanted to get married along the river for a close connection to our daily lives, and we had visions of our guests dancing under the stars at the end of the night.

We were lucky enough to find an available date in February at the South of Perth Yacht Club which ticked all our boxes. We were able to have our ceremony and reception all in one place, making use of both the stunning views in the outdoor setting and the protection and more intimate nature of the marquee, with an outdoor dance floor.

FAVOURITE DETAILS I loved every detail of our wedding. Our colour palette was quite neutral as the views over the Swan River really did all the talking. Our flowers from Floral Army were stunning and so elegant, and we had arranged for a swing to be installed with the city in the background for photos during the day. We knew we had an incredible venue, so we could really pair back on the detail which was a fantastic help.

ADVICE FOR FUTURE BRIDES Know how you want the day to be and channel that energy. We had always had a dream of our wedding being a bit party with our nearest and dearest and being together and in the moment for the whole day.

I was so glad that I was extremely prepared and organised ahead of the big day. When I woke up the morning of our wedding, I wasn’t worried about a thing, I was really relaxed, and was able to enjoy every moment as it unfolded knowing everything was in hand.

When it comes to dress shopping, I loved the personal experience at Samantha Wynne and have since recommended Sam to a number of friends who are getting married or know someone who is. It can be overwhelming getting in and out of so many dresses, and having others giving you their opinion, so make sure you have a least one person who can be really honest with you and help you make that all important decision.

BEST WEDDING SPEND Our DJ (DJ Aslan) and photographer and videographer (Ben and Ebony) were really worth the money. DJ Aslan had come highly recommended from a few people we knew, and we heard the dance floor was already pumping while we were off for photos! He kept everyone on the dance floor all night and the range of music was perfect for a mix of old and young.

We came across Ben and Ebony in our hunt for photographers (and let me tell you they are hard to find at short notice!). After looking through their website, catching up for a drink with them, and then coincidentally finding out a few different couples we knew had used them, we locked them in straight away. We were so pleased with our photos, and Ben and Ebony are so lovely to work with and were an incredible help and support on the day. We didn’t originally intend on getting a video made, however my cousin talked us into it and we haven’t regretted it so far (we have probably watched it once a week since the wedding!).

VENDORS
Photography @benandebony
Venue @sopycevents
Celebrant @caitlinthecelebrant
DJ @_aslan
Dress @samanthawynne_bridal
Flowers @floralarmy
Hair @fattyarbuckles
MUA @nadiaduca