Amy and Alex tied the knot after 7 beautiful years together in unique blend of country glam and incredibly personalised touches. Amy absolutely glowed in our white Starstruck gown! Their wedding took place in picturesque Tamworth, surrounded by love and laughter of their family and friends and even a wedding crashing chicken.
When did you know Alex was the ONE?
I’d say within a few months, I freaked out with how in love with him I was so soon. But we waited a few more years until we started discussing marriage.
Tell us about the proposal - We love a good ring story!
Funnily enough we actually just decided to buy rings one night! We bought my engagement ring and both wedding bands and booked a holiday where we snapped some photos to ‘announce’ our engagement.
When you first started wedding planning, what where 3 of the most important things to you both about your wedding day?
1. Nothing over the top or expensive
2. Only the people we really wanted to be there
3. We both wanted to be comfortable all day
Where did you choose to get married & how did you pick your venue?
Kumbogie Woolshed, it’s about 20 minutes outside of Tamworth NSW, and just the most beautiful place. It was nice and rustic, and was easy to decorate to suit our tastes without being too ‘country’.
I
loved the venue straight away, it’s a beautiful spot on its own, but it also so easy to style to a chosen theme. I also loved that they had a small air bnb that we could stay at that night on the property, so once all the guests left we could just collapse!
It’s got great space for vendors to set up and pack down too!
What Vendors did you use and who did you spend the most time selecting?
Did any Vendors go above and beyond for you?
I think that’s a huge bonus of being in a smaller town is a lot of vendors we were already acquainted with or had friends recommend. Like our photographer and HMUAs had already been vendors for my mums wedding!
Hair and Makeup - Glamour Empire (https://www.glamourempire.com.au/)
Halo headpiece + earrings - Cayla Couture (https://caylacouture.com/)
Groom + Groomsmen Ties/socks/suspenders - Peggy and Finn
Florist - Designer Bunches (https://www.tamworthflorist.com.au/)
Photographer - Andrew Pearson Photography (https://andrewpearsonphotography.com.au/)
Celebrant - ceremonies by donna (https://ceremoniesbydonna.com.au/)
Cupcakes - The daily cupcake co (https://thedailycupcakeco.com.au/)
Catering - Gold leaf catering (https://www.goldleafcatering.com.au/)
Styling - Ivory Lane Event Styling & Hire (http://www.ivorylaneeventstyling.com.au/)
Absolutely everyone did go above and beyond, but I do have to say Jemma and the team at Desert Moon were so accommodating. I think I was possibly the most annoying customer always asking when the dress would be releasing but they always kept me updated and I felt very sure in my choice.
Did you find it difficult to bring your wedding under budget?
Not really! Early on we knew we didn’t want anything extravagant, and from there we figured out what we could do ourselves and what we needed help with.
What is a unique way you personalised your special day?
I honestly don’t think there was anything particularly unique! I was happy that we made the decision to let my bridesmaids (also my sisters) choose their own dresses. They’re all so unique and I would’ve hated to force them into a dress that didn’t suit them, so I just gave them a general colour theme to pick from!
Do you have any advice for other couples planning a wedding on a lower budget?
Check Facebook groups like 15k Beautiful Australian Weddings for tips, and check with vendors for any tricks they have! We saved money by having beautiful wooden tables rather than paying for table cloths - they know tricks you wouldn’t even think of!
When you look back on your day, what is your most favourite memory?
Just getting married and having everyone that I love so much being there.
Party all night or did you sneak off with your loved one early in the night?
We’re not big party people to begin with and we told our guests that we would be finished at 9:30! I think Alex and I were sound asleep at the Airbnb by 10:30.
What is something unique you did in your ceremony?
We had each of our grandmothers do a reading for us that was really special! We also had a wedding crashed in the form of a chicken walking down the aisle while I was mid vows!
How did you pick your bridal party?
I chose my sisters, I love them so much and we’re all so close, I couldn’t imagine having anyone else there with me!
How did you choose the colour and styling of your bridesmaid dresses?
It was a mix of our theme being natural earthy tones and what suited them - I gave them a general palette of orange/rust colours and they chose the one that suited them best!
How did you include Alex in the planning? Did he contribute to the nitty gritty stuff or leave the details up to you?
Alex was really great in being involved in all aspects of planning (other than very bride specific tasks). While he knew I was the more creative person between us, he always made an effort to come to any planning appointments and contributed a lot of ideas!
I know we all hate hearing about it - but did Covid affect your plans?
Yes and no, we planned our wedding well in advance so thankfully didn’t need to reschedule anything! We also didn’t need to worry about any guest number restrictions as we didn’t want a lot of people there anyway. We had maybe 5 guests total that couldn’t make it at the last minute because they tested positive. I think we had the expectation that everything was subject to change at the drop of a hat - and we knew we couldn’t do anything about it - so we just went with the flow!
In three words describe your special day to us!
Magical. Warm. Loving.
If you had the chance to give one piece of advice to a fellow bride what would it be?
Don’t sweat the small stuff, and bring a pair of comfy shoes.
What was your styling Inspiration for the day?
It was honestly a mix of celestial and nature! I loved how Hedy Lamarr looked in Ziegfeld Follies, that was a personal inspiration, and because of my dress having stars and moons on it, we did get a sign of a moon that lit the room up, and my headpiece was star bursts.
Outside of that the native flowers in our bouquets informed the rest of the theme and colours!
Looking back, how would you describe the atmosphere of your wedding day?
It was just so relaxed and happy, it was the first time since the pandemic that a lot of our family members had seen each other and it was a very very special atmosphere during the day.
Did you include any special traditions into your day?
Not really any traditions, but I did wear my grandmothers opal bracelet and Alex wore his Grandfathers cuff links and fathers fob watch chain.
Tell us about your fav DIY project, we love creative brides and grooms!
We made this sign to help people find the ceremony location, and kept it afterwards. It was just a piece of wood from Bunnings, some wood stain, and borrowing my mother in laws cricut.
How did you find Desert Moon? What drew you to our brand?
TikTok! Seeing beautiful dresses on plus size bodies, a small Australian designer and affordable prices. Honestly had my heart set as soon as I saw them! The algorithm showed the the black version of the Starstruck gown and I just knew the white version is what I wanted for the big day.
Did you love your gown? How did it make you feel wearing your Celeste dress?
It was everything! The custom sizing was so handy, and I felt so good about myself on the day. My whole family said it was very ‘me’!
I very literally ran around my mums house twirling when I first tried it on! I had zero doubts or second guesses afterwards.
Is there anything else you'd like to share about your dress?
Yes! I’m actually in the process dying it to re-wear! My plan is to dye it a forest green and hem to more of a tea length.
What is something unique you did for your reception?
We had cupcakes! It meant we could have stacks of flavours and cater to dietary requirements.
Is there anything else you'd like to share about your entire wedding day? Honeymoon Plans?
We had a small getaway to a family members holiday house ( a gift from them), and we’re currently planning a one year anniversary/honey moon to Aotearoa/New Zealand next year!
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