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Weddings

Morning Wedding at The Bush Chapel, Mount Coot-tha

Hana and Nick are not followers of convention and so decided to do their wedding their own way. They pictured a morning wedding, in the still quiet of the day, surrounded by tall trees and bird song. An 8am wedding doesn’t allow too much time for faffing about, so with minimal contrivance, Hana and Nick arrived at their ceremony location hand in hand.

The bush chapel at Mount Coot-tha is an outdoor chapel in a secluded clearing in the national park, set on a WWII army slab. The pews are lopped trees placed on their sides, and the pulpit is a rustic stone construction. Nick’s family arrived earlier in the morning to set up flowering potted plants along the aisle.

With most of Hana’s family living overseas, a live stream was set up so they could all take part in the ceremony.

Hana and Nick delighted their guests (and myself in particular) by choosing their entrance music from the Lord of the Rings soundtrack – The Fellowship of the Ring. The couple made their vows to each other with just the right amount of sincerity, authenticity and wit.

After a couple of family snaps, the couple headed off to prepare for a celebratory lunch in the city.

Location: The Bush Chapel – Mount Coot-tha

Celebrant: Cheryl Landsberry

Photographer: family

Styling: family

Weddings

Wedding at Wilson Outlook Reserve, New Farm

Peter and Christine decided on a relaxed, but special wedding at Wilson Outlook Reserve, New Farm, which overlooks the Brisbane River and the Storey Bridge. They arranged for their guests to all frock up and check in to Brisbane city accommodation so they could celebrate with a party at Howard Smith Wharves after the ceremony.

Christine and Peter contacted the team at Elope Brisbane to take care of all their wedding planning for them. They chose the Simply Elope package, which includes a local and knowledgeable celebrant and a qualified and experienced photographer. They also added on the hire of some Americana chairs for their guests. All Peter and Christine had to do was shop for their outfits and wedding rings. And choose their honeymoon destination!

On a warm, Thursday afternoon, Peter and Christine stood side by side, surrounded by their closest friends and family, and promised to live out their days together. For their ceremony exit song, they chose, “You’re the one that I want” from the movie, Grease, which set the tone for an evening of good old fashioned partying.

Client testimonial: “The professionalism we received from Cheryl was above and beyond our expectations!!! It was a beautiful day with a perfect ceremony. Thank you Cheryl
Chrissy & Pete

Venue: Wilson Outlook Reserve, New Farm

Coordinator: Elope Brisbane

Guest chairs & signing table: Miss Weddings

Photographer: Romana Saeheng

Celebrant: Cheryl Landsberry

Elopements

Secret Elopement at New Farm Park

C and M wanted their wedding day to be about the two of them. In their everyday life, they spend their hours catering to the needs of their children, their clients, their families, and their students. So their wedding day was just about the two of them.

The brief for their secret elopement was “casual and colourful”. Converse shoes were the order of the day, and frilly frocks were ditched for jeans and shirts. The bouquet was bright and colourful, the kombi was orange, the cake featured a toadstool, and a colourful macaw added to the photoshoot.

The day started with Steve from Kandid kombi picking the couple up from their home and transporting them to New Farm Park. Mel from Miss Weddings had an arbour set up with a signing table and two chairs – no guest chairs needed! Celebrant Cheryl Landsberry led the couple through their legal ceremony, with a little extra added humour and heart. The couple then cut their wedding cake and enjoyed a glass of bubbles before their photo shoot with photographer Romana Saeheng plus some wildlife additions – a tree snake, an owl, and a brightly coloured Macaw. After the photos around the park, the couple were whisked off to lunch – a nearby burger joint which was the location of their first date. Steve then dropped the couple back home – no need to call an Uber.

And no one but them knew the reason for their giant smiles.

Coordination: Elope Brisbane

Photographer: Romana Saeheng

Styling: Miss Weddings

Transport: Kandid Kombi

Celebrant: Cheryl Landsberry

Cake: Cakes by Simone and Cakes by Paulie

Bouquet: Little Miss Flower Shoppe

Animals: Wildlife Unleashed

Weddings

Wedding at Wilson Outlook Reserve

2023 has been the year for couples just doing weddings their own way. Georgia and Declan love a refreshing beer on a warm Brissie afternoon, and their favourite spot is the Green Beacon Brewing at Teneriffe. So, of course, they decided to hold their wedding reception there. With a cold beer or two on hand.

After some wedding prep at the The Calile Hotel at Fortitude Valley, Georgia arrived in the zesty orange Kandid Kombi.

Mel from Miss Weddings styled the ceremony area with a hexagonal arbour, which suited the geometric backdrop of the city skyline. The blue skies were reflected in the Brissie River as the guests looked out over the Story Bridge.

Georgia was dressed in a slim fitting dress from Grace Loves Lace at Burleigh, and she looked naturally beautiful with a couple of soft curls and natural makeup.

Preceding Georgia’s entrance (to Appointment by DMA’S) walked her grandmother, tossing flower petals. How sweet!

Declan and Georgia’s brief for their ceremony was “relaxed, light, and festive” so I told the story of their first meeting while working at the Story Bridge. Georgia noticed that Declan was handsome, likable, and funny. Declan noticed that Georgia was pretty, capable, and strong-willed.’

They soon became a couple – to the delight of their friends and families who saw them blossom and support each other as they grew up together.

Their wedding day was held on their ten year anniversary!

After the ceremony and some photos, the revellers made their way to the Green Beacon to celebrate.

Contact the team at Elope Brisbane to do your wedding just how you want to.

Photos by Romana Saeheng Photography and Graphic Design

Coordination by Elope Brisbane

Styling Miss Weddings

Transport Kandid Kombi

Flowers Little Miss Flower Shoppe

Celebrant Cheryl Landsberry – Marriage Celebrant

Videography Dan Hodgson Freelance

HMUA Silk Hair and Makeup

Dress Grace Loves Lace

#realwedding

#brisbanecitywedding

#brewerywedding

Surprise Weddings

Surprise Wedding at Surprise 40th Birthday party

Aaron and Raju were so impressed with the team at Elope Brisbane when they were guests at the beautiful wedding of Albany and Zach earlier this year, that they engaged the team to help plan their surprise wedding.

In a sneaky plot twist, Raju invited guests to a surprise 40th birthday party for Aaron at Brisbane’s Byblos Mediterranean Restaurant on the Brisbane River at Portside Wharf. Guests arrived in the afternoon for drinks and appetisers, and enjoyed “surprising” birthday boy Aaron. Photographer, Romana Saeheng, was on hand to capture the group as they enjoyed cocktails by the River, and Aaron did a passable job convincing friends and family that he was totally surprised to see them all there.

However, behind the scenes, Aaron and Raju had lodged their Notice of Intended Marriage over a month earlier, had shopped for blazers, and written some absolutely heart-felt vows to each other.

Imagine how surprised their guests were as functions staff pulled open the curtains to the function room to reveal an intimate ceremony space styled with candles and vases of flowers on plinths styled by Mel of Miss Weddings. Aaron and Raju had donned their jackets with boutonnieres and stood at the front of the ceremony space beaming cheekily. Guests gasped, squealed, and cheered as they realised what they were about to witness.

After the mania settled a little, and the guests were seated, Celebrant Cheryl Landsberry played the song, “Everything has Changed” by Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift, and announced that Raju and Aaron were about to join their lives in marriage. The couple adapted the Bob Marley reading, “He’s not Perfect” and Cheryl told the story of the couple’s first date and subsequent affection as they inadvertently fell in love. Raju and Aaron put quite a bit of thought into their wedding vows, and guests were mesmerised listening to them speak, emotion filling the room.

After exchanging wedding rings, some cultural elements were added to the ceremony reflecting Raju’s Nepalese heritage, and then the couple were pronounced partners for life.

After some excited congratulations, the couple joined guests back on the boardwalk for a sunset photo shoot and celebrations long into the night.

Surprising your guests at a birthday party or engagement party is a really fun way to be married. Contact the team at Elope Brisbane to assist with your surprise wedding planning.

(NB – Under Australian law, the couple who are marrying must both consent to the marriage – neither of them can be surprised on the day!)

Weddings

Cruise Ship Wedding

Couples who investigate marrying aboard a cruise ship soon find that there are certain criteria involved. The wedding ceremony is usually held while the cruise ship is docked in port, before the ship sets sail. Most often, all the wedding guests must also be cruising. Guests are not permitted to attend just the ceremony and then disembark. The celebrant is able to board the ship (under a watchful eye to ensure we don’t stow away!) and then is accompanied back down the gang plank immediately after the ceremony.

So what are your options? Pre-Cruise Wedding Ceremonies are becoming a popular trend. Couples who don’t see the need for an expensive traditional wedding are opting for a relaxed morning wedding ceremony, followed by an afternoon cruise ship boarding for a honeymoon or reception.

Paisley and Gary were married in the morning at Cabarita Beach near their home, with just their immediate families present. After a breakfast of champagne and cupcakes, they headed off to the port to board a cruise ship for a week long vacation. I’m not sure what they planned first – the holiday or the wedding! But either way, it was a relaxed and enjoyable way to celebrate their marriage.

Earlier this year, Elyse and Todd also chose a morning wedding. Their ceremony was at New Farm Park in Brisbane. After their morning wedding ceremony, Elyse, Todd, and their little daughter boarded a cruise ship for a relaxing week away. 

Kristen and Brody enjoyed a morning wedding ceremony at The Pavilion, Mount Tamborine, followed by a breakfast reception. Later that afternoon, the newlyweds and their families headed to the docks to start their reception / family holiday / honeymoon cruise.

Sounds pretty good to us!

Baby Naming Ceremonies

Theo’s Baby Naming Ceremony

What are the rules of a Baby Naming Ceremony?

Do the parents need to be a particular religion?

Do the parents need to be married?

Do the parents need to be a couple?

The answer is that there are no rules for a Baby Naming Ceremony. As a non-legal and non-religious ceremony, the ceremony can be created to suit any family situation.

Can there be Godparents? Yes, of course. Or you can choose to call them Mentors, Guardians, Aunts, Guideparents, of Fairy Godmothers.

Sarah chose to ask 5 special people to be Theo’s Guideparents. We chose a special piece of music to play, Sarah sourced some Monarch butterflies for the Guideparents to release, and she hired an arbour for the ceremony space.

Your baby naming ceremony can be anything you want it to be.

Weddings

Your day, Your way

When Leonie and Shane met online on a heavy metal music forum, they each knew that they had found a kindred soul. After meeting in person, they decided never to part.

After learning that the metal band, Slipknot, were headlining metal music festival Knotfest in Brisbane, the couple decided to combine their wedding celebrations with a trip to the music festival.

Planning their wedding, Shane and Leonie knew that their would be an unconventional one.

Tattooed Shane didn’t want to wear a suit and tie, and instead wore an open shirt with skull motif. 

Leonie chose a gorgeous macrame white dress with a pale pink lining.

It was no surprise to their guests when Leonie and Shane chose songs by Shinedown for their ceremony. The lyrics rung true, as after a medical episode, Leonie actually did literally save Shane’s life.”You saved my life, not once but twiceYou keep me free from fallingYou saved my life, make it all alrightWhen I don’t feel like talkingYou make sure I always see the daylight”

If a traditional wedding isn’t your style, and you’re more of a rock chick, you can still do your wedding day totally your own way. 

Weddings

All the guests wore Dusty Pink and Eucalyptus Green

In sheer coincidence, after my post yesterday about the guests all wearing navy blue, white, and cream at a wedding, today’s wedding guests were invited to wear dusty pink, eucalyptus gree, and gold. And the effect was stunning against the leafy backdrop of Redland Bay Golf Course.

Weddings

All the guests wore Navy Blue

I asked Kristen and Brody about the colour scheme for their intimate wedding at The Pavilion at Mount Tamborine. They replied that the wedding colours would be navy blue, white and beige.

So, as is my custom, I dressed to suit the theme, and didn’t wear a fluoro striped kaftan. I donned a navy blue fit and flare dress from Review Australia.

To my surprise, all the guests were dressed in theme too – which looked absolutely striking!

Beige makes for an easy choice for menswear, one of the most popular casual wedding looks being chinos (which are beige!) with a crisp white shirt.

For a small guest list of close family members, asking the guests to wear a particular colour palette can make for really effective photos. I’m hoping this idea catches on!

Venue: The Pavilion Mt. Tamborine
Coordination: Elope Brisbane
Photographer: Romana Saeheng Photography and Graphic Design
Celebrant: Cheryl Landsberry – Marriage Celebrant 

About Your Celebrant

Cheryl is an experienced and organised professional who prides herself on giving attention to every detail of your ceremony.

She endeavours to create a meaningful ceremony which you will remember for the rest of your lives.

Contact Me

0418 602 838

 ido@cherylwedding.com

6 Lewisham Ct, Birkdale QLD 4159
(By Appointment Only)

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