Sarah & Reece
How did you and your partner meet?
Our first meeting was one of a good romcom. Boy spots girl as she walks past his table a few times in a restaurant, where he was celebrating Christmas lunch with his mates. Boy and girl share looks across the room. Boy leaves restaurant with his mates, then quickly returns, having plucked up the courage to speak to girl. Boy and girl dance the night away to ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’.
How did you or partner propose?
Reece proposed at my family home in Bowral on Friday 26th November 2021. A place we go together often. A place we have shared many memories. Reece proposed on the balcony in the rain with a love letter. He then got down on one knee and here we are today.
Why did you choose to have your wedding at Terrara House?
Like with us, it was love at first sight. We loved everything about the venue from everything being in the one place to how exquisite the house and grounds were. The professionalism of Kristy Franks in answering all our questions (and I asked a lot) made our decision even easier knowing that our wedding would be in good hands.
Did you have a theme for your wedding?
Romance, romance, romance. We wanted a black tie wedding with whites and greens with a hint of pastel pink. We envisioned fairy lights, draping, chandeliers, candles and rose petals. We take our hats off to Liz Halikas and Sophie Walsh from White Top Venues who brought our vision to life!
What was your menu on the night?
Our menu was managed by the fabulous Orchard Catering. They did a great job at meeting all our guests’ dietary needs. Canape hour was our entrees, followed by an early dinner, then adding the ham carvery as a late night bite which was a huge hit. Every single person raved about how amazing the food was. The quality and quantity of servings was high class. Everyone was very satisfied.
What was your favourite part of your ceremony?
I have two favourite parts. Firstly, seeing Reece’s face the moment I stepped out the door which made me feel instantly relaxed but also brought on the tears. Secondly, having my god mother, Deb Curtis (who was luckily a Celebrant), marry us. It was so personal and made the moment even more special. Due to the weather, we moved the ceremony from the Fig Tree to the Balcony. This worked so well with our guest numbers and we both concluded that we loved it so much more. Given how much more intimate the ceremony was, we could see the emotion on everybody’s faces.
What did you love about your reception?
It was the greatest feeling in the world walking into the Marquee and see that our entire vision had all come together with all our favourite people there. It was everything we wanted and more! White Top Venues and Ivy Lane did a fantastic job at bringing our very specific vision to life with a room that felt like we were in a fairy tale. Along with our guests, we were in awe of the detail from the hanging installation with the chandeliers down to the green velvet napkins. The colours and textures just worked so well together. As we only had mains served at our reception, this allowed extra time for the dancefloor which created a real party vibe for the night. We couldn’t be happier in achieving the key priorities that we wanted for our wedding - great food, drinks, service and entertainment.
How many people attended your wedding?
80 - very intimate and special. Each of the people who attended have played a special role in our relationship and we wanted to be able to spend time with each and every one of them.
What was your favourite location in Terrara House & The Estate and why?
We loved everything about the venue but to name a few of our favourite spots. There is something pretty special about the Fig Tree and we love what it stands for. It is believed to be sacred and symbolises new beginnings, just like marriage. Another would be, and I think I speak on behalf of all our house guests in saying this, the Highland Cattle paddock! The house itself was exquisite - rich in history and just beautiful inside and out. Each room had its own unique flair and having some of our guests stay onsite with us just made for an exceptionally joyful weekend.
Did you plan a post wedding ‘honeymoon’ celebration and if so, what experience did you plan? We spent three nights getting the full five star treatment at the stunning One & Only Wolgan Valley. If you haven’t been, we highly recommend!
What is your advice for any future couples planning their wedding?
We have three key pieces of advice - one for the planning and two for the day.Enjoy the planning process, it’s so much fun. On the day - take a moment as a couple to take it all in because it goes by so quickly, and trust the staff because they know what they are doing and they are complete professionals. Our day ran so smoothly and was so special, all thanks to Kristy Franks and Sophie Walsh!
THE DETAILS
Photographer; Blumenthal Photography - @blumenthalphotography
Videographer; Soda Films - @sodafilms
Bride’s Dress; Galia Lahav from Eternal Bridal - @galialahav @eternalbridal
Brides shoes; Dior - @dior
Bride’s accessories; The White Collective & Eternal Bridal - @thewhitecollective @eternalbridal
Bridesmaid Dresses: Chancery @chancerythelabel
Groom’s attire; Brent Wilson - @brentwilsonfashion
Engagement & wedding rings; Diamond Setting and Jewellery Repair @diamondandjewelry_repair
Celebrant; Deb Curtis - @debcurtis333
Hair & Makeup; The Makeup Agency Sydney (makeup) & Ash and Co Sydney (hair) - @themakeupagencysydney @ashandcosydney
Florist; Ivy Lane - @ivylanecollective
Venue; Terrara House - @terrarahouse
Catering; Orchard Catering - @orchardcateringco
Cake; Cake by Sonja - @cakes_by_sonja
Planner; White Top Venues - @whitetopvenues
Stylist; White Top Venues - @whitetopvenues
Styling elements; Blaze Displays, The Wedding & Event Creators, and South Coast Party Hire - @blaze.displays @wedeventcreators @southcoastpartyhire
Stationary; Esthetic Bride - @esthetic.bride
Invites; Paperless Post - @paperlesspost
Wedding website; Say I do - @sayi_do
Entertainment; Braden Evans & Anthony Cianci - @bradenevensmusic @anthonyciancimusic