Mikaela and Ross : The Wedding
We sat down with the wonderful bride, Mikaela to chat about her recent wedding. The couple created their perfect day at the Gunners’ Baracks, with the photos to match. A picture really does speak a thousand words, you can sense their joy in every shot.
On the proposal: “We had just spent 2 weeks in South Africa for the wedding of Ross’ brother. We flew to New York on Christmas Eve to meet my parents for a perfectly white Christmas. On New Year’s Eve we went out for a degustation dinner, then Ross and I headed to Central Park to catch the midnight fireworks. As the fireworks started he was acting a bit strangely, spent some time on the phone (I now know it was to the Empire State building, which was his plan but it was full and had closed for the night), then took me to a pond. I was totally clued in by this stage and was a blubbering mess. He gave me a card, which I could barely read, then asked me to love him forever.”
The Kindergarten teacher was inspired by the 20’s, which shone through in all the wedding elements. Even though the original intention was for a very casual affair, and items were picked without the theme at top of mind, the inspiration paid off well and truly.
On the favourite moment: “Wow, this is tough. I think I would have to say our ‘first look’. We meet at Athol Hall before the ceremony and I am so pleased we did. It was so special to share that ‘first look’ with just each other. It was a bit emotional but it was also a huge relief and enabled me to feel much more relaxed going into the rest of the day.”
The wedding involved a few DIY projects, including the bonbonnieres. Mikaela’s mum, who had recently returned from living in Chicago, made some delicious American candied pecans. The US influence added a personal touch to the day - especially considering their engagement abroad.
We worked together with Mikaela's bridesmaid Emma on the wedding invitations for Mikaela and Ross. The couple loved their bright polka dot engagement invite, but wanted to incorporate the the pattern in a more elegant way for the invitation for the wedding. Together we came up with the solution of a blind print to keep it subtle and create the beautiful finished product.
On the dress: “I bought my dress in Chicago at Belle Vie Bridal Couture. It’s an Amsale dress. The day is etched so vividly in my memory, it felt very surreal. Trying on wedding dresses on it’s own felt surreal but this day it was snowing outside, the trees lined with fairy lights, and Dad had come with us. When he saw me in the dress he cried, then I cried! We knew this was ‘the one’. We had drama after drama getting it back to Sydney but in the end it made it and it was still perfect.”
Although the months leading up to the wedding were a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, it all paid off. And thankfully Mikaela has shared a few of her wedding prep tips with us:
- Be organised and get things done early.
- Don’t buy a dress overseas.
- On the day, step back once or twice and take it all in. It’s the only chance you’ll have!
Vendors: Photography - Linda Truong Photography // Bridal Gown - Amsale // Shoes - Vivenne Westwood by Melissa // Floral Backdrop - Francis Floristry // Rings - Anthony Carrol // Ear Cuff - Mimco // Bracelets - Tiffany & Co // Groom & Groomsmen Suits - Joe Black // Grooms Shoes - Florsheim // Bow Ties - ASOS // Ceremony & Reception - Gunners' Barracks // Cake - Mosman Cheese Shop // Cake Topper - handmade in South Africa // Stationery - Terrace Press and Emma Cardwell // Hair - Halla // Makeup - Create by Emma Kate // Music - Tim Fitz & David Bruce (groomsmen) // Celebrant - Tim Kirkeguard // Cinematographer - Andrew Ottley
