Weddings & Events Blog

It’s been a busy start to 2012 and a lot has been happening at the White Events camp.  We’ve already been through 5 gorgeous weddings and have 3 more coming up in the next few months.  From intimate celebrations at home through to stunning marquee weddings in the South West, it has been a sensational way to start the year.

So needless to say, we were thrilled to have Beth & Craig’s
amazing Busselton wedding selected to be featured in Real Weddings magazine.  It will go to print later in the year and I will definitely keep everyone informed of when it hits shelves.  I can’t wait to be able to show off this stunning wedding and the work of all the talented suppliers involved.

On another high note, we were lucky enough to be asked to be a contributor in the latest edition of Smitten Magazine.  If you haven’t seen it yet, it is a must read for stylish Perth brides.  This online publication showcases some of the wedding loveliness available in Perth and provides many an inspiration for future brides. You can check it out by clicking here.

Then on a personal note, we received the very exciting and extremely unexpected news that we are expecting baby number 3.  Our new addition will be welcomed into the world in September (just in time for wedding season).

So with this news and the fact that October and November are already booked out, we have decided to cease taking further bookings for the 2012/2013 wedding season.  This way I will get a chance to concentrate on the new member of the family and make sure all the couples we are currently working with still get the love and attention that they deserve.

We are however taking expressions of interest for the following 2013/2014 wedding season.  Going forward, we have decided to concentrate solely on our wedding planning services and will be working with only a certain number of weddings per year.  For this reason, we have decided to hand select the weddings that we work with to ensure that they are all perfectly suited to the fresh thinking, naturally beautiful style of weddings that we like to create.

We will have a new look website online soon and included in this will be an Expression of Interest form for anyone interested in becoming a future “White Events couple”.

Looking forward to being able to share all of this year’s stunning weddings with everyone very soon.

Lara x

It was such a pleasure working with Ana & Phil on their gorgeous, intimate wedding celebration.  They chose such beautiful settings for their day.  Gallows Gallery in Mosman Park played host to their wedding ceremony and the “Love Conversations” paintings by Penny Hudson that surrounded them set the scene so perfectly.  The aisle was lined with rose petals and they stood inside a love heart of rose petals as their became husband and wife.  It was such a beautiful, heartfelt ceremony.

Then they joined their guests for pre-dinner drinks at Matilda Bay Restaurant, before heading out to the bay shore for sunset photos.  They then returned and entered the Catalina Room with their bridal party and sat down to their bridal table, which was elegantly decorated with a light green satin table runner, a stunning vase of 12 long stemmed “La Belle” roses and surrounded by floating candles sitting on white pearls with matching rose petals scattering the tables.

Their guests tables were an opposite version of the bridal table, with ornate white candelabras as the centrepiece and small fish bowls of the “La Belle” roses and matching rose petals surrounding.  The outside area, overlooking the bay, was highlighted by two LED Cherry Blossom trees and three cocktail tables topped with a fish bowl of white pearls and floating “La Belle” rose buds.

Their wedding was intimate, warm and the love that they had for each other was evident throughout the day, as you’ll see from the photographs below, which captured their love so perfectly…

Lara x

Special thanks to the fantastic suppliers that were a part of Ana & Phil’s Wedding…

Ceremony Venue – Gallows Gallery
Reception Venue – Matilda Bay Restaurant
Photographer – Daniela Fego Photography
Celebrant – Ann Lord CMC
Stylists – Touched by Angels
Candelabras – Bridal Creations
Flowers – Zinnia Floral Designs
LED Trees – Incredible Concepts
Audio Visual – Perth Audio Visual
Transport – Showtime Limousines
Make-Up – Thiana Sperry
Wedding Cake – Sweet on Cupcakes
Wedding Stationery – Lala Design
Place Cards – Bride + Groom Store
Ceremony Chairs – Comestibles
Suit Hire – Australian Formal Wear

I loved everything about working on this gorgeous wedding.  Nicole & Scott were such a fantastic couple and they trusted my judgement every step of the way.  The result was a wedding that was elegant, understated and classy.

I met Nicole & Scott just 7 months before their wedding day and soon after we decided on the WA Rowing Club as their reception venue.  They loved the warm, wooden feel of the venue, so we decided to highlight this by setting the theme as simply white, wood and candlelight.

We chose to have centrepieces of “Crazy Phil” twigs and hanging candles, whilst the bridal table was lined by candles and matching “Crazy Phil” twigs.  The hand-died rosettes that featured on Nicole & Scott’s invitations appeared throughout the reception and even featured on the wedding cake (which Scott chose as a surprise for Nicole).

Flowers were kept to a minimum, but the bride and bridesmaids carried the most beautiful bouquets and the 2 large feature arrangements, which were also used at the ceremony, accented the room perfectly.

This truly was a dream wedding with a beautiful couple and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with you.

Lara x

Special thanks to all of the wonderful suppliers who played a part in Nicole & Scott’s Wedding…

Ceremony Venue – Kaarta Gar Up Lookout, Kings Park
Reception Venue – The WA Rowing Club
Photographer – Daniela Fego Photography
Dresses – Galleria Couture
Hair – Jacquie at Bridal Makeovers
Make-Up – Nicole Antulov
Suits – Australian Formal Wear
Celebrant – Nola Walter CMC
Flowers – Zinnia Floral Designs
Stylist – Touched by Angels
Caterer – Comestibles
Wedding Cake – Edible Elegance
Transport – Central Park Limousines
Classical Trio – Tres Classique
DJ – Choice Entertainment
Stationery – Lines & Squares
Mirrored Place Cards – Felicitations

With the festive season upon us, I just wanted to take a moment to say a massive Merry Christmas to all of my gorgeous clients, industry friends and suppliers.

2011 has been an amazing year and without all of your support, the re-launch of White Events just wouldn’t have been the same.  So I want to thank you all for that, it is so greatly appreciated.

After a year of hard work, I am now looking forward to taking two weeks off to enjoy some quality time with my husband, sons and family.  Which means White Events will be closed for the Christmas break from Friday 23rd December 2011 to Monday 9th January 2012. During this time I will be out of mobile and wi-fi range, so if you are trying to contact me please just send an email and I will respond as soon as I return.

Wishing you all a very safe and Merry Christmas with your loved ones and a New Year that is filled with fun, love and laughter!  See you in 2012!

Lara x

On Sunday 20th November 2011, from 11am to 1pm, treat yourself to a first look at the new collection of gowns by Mariana Hardwick, in an intimate gathering at the fabulous Samantha Wynne Store in Mount Hawthorn.

You will enjoy a glass of wine on arrival and have the opportunity to discuss what you are hoping to achieve in your wedding gown with Samantha herself.  You will also be able to meet and chat with other brides and of course the amazing suppliers that will be attending the event as well.

The parade will be held during the two hour showcase and you will get to meet the Mariana Hardwick Team!  Then, if you see something you love, you can book in for a private in-store fitting in the following week.

Mariana Hardwick gowns are timeless.  Inspired by the grand couturiers of the past, Mariana Hardwick’s designs have a distinctly contemporary orientation.  The collection ranges from very classic gowns to the elaborate with unexpected colour combinations and bold lines.  For a sneak peek at the Mariana Hardwick style, just head to the website, www.marianahardwick.com.au

All you need to do to attend the Launch Parade is join the Samantha Wynne Facebook page (www.facebook.com/samanthawynnedesigner) and register your attendance on their events page.  There is no cost to attend, but seats are limited!

I will be attending – I just can’t resist a gorgeous gown parade – so I hope to see you there!

Lara x

Fate played a hand in me meeting Mandy, owner of Edible Elegance… My sister just happened to show me the facebook page of one of her student’s mums and I was immediately impressed.  They were some of the best cakes I had seen in all my years in the industry, put together with precision and an abundance of creative flair – I just had to meet her!  So when I did and the cake samples were just as impressive, I knew I was onto something special.

Mandy says that she “couldn’t think of anything else that I would rather do than create gorgeous couture wedding cakes for our clients”.  Which is why each and every one of Edible Elegance’s couture cakes is individually designed and delicately handcrafted to create and reflect the client’s personal taste and style.  Mandy’s love of what she does is evident as she gives the “WOW” factor to all of her creations, ensuring there is that something special that will leave the guests in awe.

At Edible Elegance they believe that all wedding cakes should taste as good as they look and pride themselves on using only the freshest & finest quality ingredients, such as free range eggs and top quality imported Couverture Chocolate.  With their flavours catering for everyone, from sophisticated taste buds through to the young at heart.

Here are some of Mandy’s tips for choosing your wedding cake:

• Know your budget. It is very easy to fall in love with the idea of a 6 tier wedding cake but is it really needed and is it within your price range?
• Are you creating a theme for your wedding? Knowing this will assist with the cake design process.
• Are you going to serve your wedding cake as the main dessert or will it just accompany coffee?  This will help to determine the size that your cake will need to be.
• Ask to see the designer’s wedding cake portfolio.  Are the photos all of their own creations?
• Does the designer offer cake sampling?  You wouldn’t want to serve something to your guests that you hadn’t tasted yourselves.
• You shouldn’t be limited to only one flavour.  Ask the wedding cake designer if you can have different flavours in each tier and are there any extra charges for this?
• Take your venue into consideration.  Are there high ceilings?  Is your wedding cake going to get lost in such a large area?  High ceilings would match in well with a multi-tiered wedding cake.
• Ask the wedding cake designer for some authentic testimonials.  Fantastic testimonials will put your mind at ease.

Mandy offers design consultations by appointment so that you can share your ideas and visions, then together you can create the wedding cake that you’ve been dreaming of.  To make an appointment to visit Mandy and discuss your cake creation simply call 0416 088 807 or head on over to their website to see some more of their gorgeous cake designs www.edibleelegance.com.au.

Lara x

Are you smitten?  If so, you must check out this brand new online wedding magazine, Smitten Magazine.

Smitten Magazine has been created for stylish brides who are truly smitten with all things wedding related – dress, venue, theming and of course the groom.  Smitten is designed for West Australian brides and wedding businesses, bringing together a West Australian focus, together with some national and international content.

So what does a wedding planner’s wedding look like?  Not so different from anyone else’s really…

I’ve been asked a few times now to put my own wedding up on my blog and usually I’d feel that is way too self indulgent, but with the start of the wedding season upon us I thought “hey, why not!”

After having planned so many weddings in my time, my aim was to have a day that was simple, stylish and more importantly we just wanted our friends and family to have a great time.  We go down south often, so we opted for a Yallingup ceremony and an Eagle Bay reception. Our ceremony was held on a private estate, which is now known as The Vineyard on Abbeys Farm Road and followed by a reception at Wise Wines.

My dress, the only really elaborate part of the day, was a Maggie Sottero – the first dress I tried on and after trying on a lot more I went back to the very first one (I hear that from brides a lot).  My bridesmaids wore black and my flowergirl’s dress was made to be a mini version of mine.  We incorporated black roses into the bouquets and my flowergirl wore a black rose in her hair.  I had the luxury of a hair stylist, make-up artist and florist in my bridal party, so those things were a breeze.

The fantastic Stephen Blakeney took our photographs and we had some gorgeous locations for photos… The Vineyard on Abbeys Farm Road, Injidup Beach and Wise Wines.  The food and service at Wise was sensational and our diamante-encrusted cake by Edible Art was simply stunning.  As a gift from us, our guests were given a silver ribbon from the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation in memory of my Mum.

Our night ended with a mini-honeymoon at Chandeliers on Abbey.  Seriously amazing accommodation in Yallingup, I can’t recommend it highly enough for a gorgeous, romantic getaway.  Then a couple of months later (due to a large event I was looking after) we headed off for the real honeymoon, two weeks of relaxing at The Legian and the Maya Ubud in Bali.

So here it is…  This is what this wedding planner’s wedding looked like.  Enjoy!

Lara x

Special thanks to the following suppliers:

Ceremony Venue – The Vineyard on Abbeys Farm Road  www.thevineyard.net.au
Reception Venue – Wise Wines  www.wisewine.com.au
Photographer – Blakeney Photography  www.blakeneyphotography.com
Videographer – Kingway Video  www.kingwayvideo.com.au
Cake Designer – Carmelo at Edible Art  www.edibleart.com.au
Transport – Bridgefield Chauffeur-Driven Jaguar  www.bridgefield.com.au
Accommodation – Chandeliers on Abbey  www.chandeliersonabbey.com.au

I believe that your wedding invitation should be a statement.  It gives your guests their first taste of your wedding theme and creates an immediate anticipation and excitement, so it is important that it captures the essence of your big day and begins the story.

My clients are all about quality and, like all couples, they love to let their uniqueness shine through in their weddings, so when I met Chloe, owner of Lines & Squares, I just knew my clients would love her and her amazing stationery.  She is incredibly creative and uses the most exquisite paper stocks and embellishments to create truly magnificent wedding and event stationery.  Chloe is currently designing an invitation for one of my clients that is, I dare say, the most fabulous wedding invitation I have ever seen.

Chloe brought Lines & Squares to life in early 2010 after developing an enormous love of the design and production of papery products.  Chloe says “From my childhood days of playing with puff paint and fairy dust at the kitchen table, I’ve now progressed into things a little more glamorous and am reveling in the opportunity to share my work with others in so many different and inspiring ways.  I take great pride in our products being acknowledged as something a little different and am always working to keep up with the constant stream of new products within the market, while also developing my own line of rustic styled, handcrafted recycled papers.”

“With so many steps to be taken towards the momentous occasion that is your wedding day, the importance of a wedding invitation can be one detail that is often a little underappreciated.  Many couples feel that spending money on pieces of paper that their guests will most likely dispose of once the big day has been and gone is a big farce.  In my eyes, your invitations are the first glimpse of the fabulous things that are to come on your wedding day.  Those little pieces of paper are what form the first impression that your guests have of your upcoming nuptials so, when it comes to the kind of mood you want to create for your guests, the type of venue you have chosen and the style and decorative elements that you’re incorporating, it’s important that the stationery you choose will trigger the right response and do all of your hard work and months of planning justice.  The trick is to create something so special that your invitee has no doubt whatsoever that he or she will have a great time.  If you’re successful in achieving that, there’s no chance your guests will even consider tossing their invitation in the bin.  Instead, it will be something they’ll want to hang on to as a souvenir from the memorable day that you’ve put your heart and soul into creating.”

Chloe believes that when settling on a designer to create your wedding stationery, it’s important to find someone who is willing and able to incorporate and pay tribute to your own unique style.  “it shouldn’t be a stretch or a chore for them to challenge themselves to meet your individual needs. This doesn’t mean that they won’t offer their advice and opinions on the direction they think you should go, but at the end of the day, the finished product should reflect you in every way possible and, even if it is a long way from their own personal style, if they’ve made you happy they should consider it a job well done.”

To view some of the fabulous range available at Lines & Squares head to www.linesandsquares.com or give Chloe a call on 0420 638 001 and have her custom design something just for you.

Lara x

One of the main things I look for when choosing suppliers is that they must be reflective of my style.  I look for people who are down to Earth, professional and have no agenda other than giving my clients a wonderful wedding day.

When I met Ann Lord at a wedding back in 2009, I knew immediately that she would be a celebrant that my clients would warm to and with the choice of celebrant being imperative to the wedding day (after all, without them there is no wedding) I knew she would be an excellent addition to my team of suppliers.

In Ann’s opinion, “Selecting the person who is going to be the one declaring you to be ‘husband and wife’ should be one of the ‘biggies’ in planning your wedding.  While the dress, the flowers, the photographs and the reception afterwards are all important elements of the big day, your ceremony is the one chance to have someone tell your story and convey your love for each other in front of your family and friends. Oh, and you want to make sure you actually get married!  The legalities and paperwork beforehand, on the day and afterwards are an important part of the celebrant’s work – and as a wedding guest, you really only see the celebrant’s public performance.”

Ann has been happily married for almost 17 years and has two young children, six and four years old.  “When the children were babies I felt the need to extend my brain in another direction but couldn’t face the thought of doing any more study at university!  I saw an advertisement in the paper for the marriage celebrancy course and immediately signed up. Three years down the track, I love the diversity of being a mum, continuing part-time work in the education sector and sharing in such a special occasion nearly every weekend.  From small and intimate backyard or beach ceremonies to weddings with over 200 guests, I get a buzz out of each and every one.”

Here are Ann’s top 10 tips for choosing your celebrant…

1. Start with the celebrant’s website and/or Facebook page.  Do you get a good first impression?  Save yourself some time and organise a chat on the phone first before you decide to meet them, or exchange a few emails to ‘get a feel’ for their personality.
2. Do they offer an ‘obligation free’ meeting to see if they are the right person for you?
3. Can the celebrant confidently explain the legal requirements for your situation?
4. Do they have photos or examples of other ceremonies they have conducted?  Check out what they are wearing, where they are standing, etc.
5. What’s the background of your celebrant?  An older celebrant with 2000 ceremonies under their belt isn’t necessarily an inspiring person you ‘connect’ with – lots of newer celebrants come with experience in public speaking and are great communicators!
6. Can they help you write your own vows and do they have lots of samples and ideas for your ceremony?  Writing your ceremony should be a shared undertaking, with you being guided to have the ceremony YOU want.
7. Will the celebrant be available to talk, email or meet several times?  Will they come to, and facilitate, a rehearsal?
8. What sorts of things are included in the fee?  Are there any additional charges?
9. Do they have a PA system with two microphones that can play music from an iPod or CD?
10. Is your celebrant a member of a professional association?  Membership of a group such as the Australian Federation of Civil Celebrants shows a commitment to the profession and access to a network of experienced colleagues.

For more information on Ann’s services head to www.annlord.com.au

Lara x