Brad & Hannahs wedding is a little more special to me than most, mainly because it was Suzies first booking since she joined our fleet so I was extra excited for it. It was just a massive coincidence that she was joined by a bunch of my favourite vendors at one of my favourite venues, The Retreat.
I mentioned in our post yesterday that The Retreat is the perfect venue for a beach ceremony and forest like reception. The venue is a holiday retreat thats back on to the iconic Anna Bay Sand Dunes, but the venue itself is nestled in a bushland setting. Check it out here
Brad & Hannah chose to have their ceremony on the beach, and looking at their photos they couldn't have picked a better day! These good looking roosters were married by Michelle Cramp, followed by some beautiful words from Brads sister. The clouds coming over the ocean was definitely worth the magic it added to their photos!
Images by Lauren Anne Photography
While these two love birds were playing in the sand they sent their guests to the reception where a grazing table by Sprout Catering and the cutest damn caravan bar you could ever dream of were waiting for them, ready to party!
As the guests arrived to the reception area at The Retreat, FairPlay Entertainment
had the vibes set, dropping some perfect afternoon cocktail mixes, our lawn games were out and the beers were flowing, keeping the guests entertained while Brad & Hannah were off making pretend love to the camera.
Our rattan bar cart was used for the non alcoholic drinks station, we bought this piece when planning Suzies branding and knew it would go wherever she went, never leaving her side. They fit perfectly together!
Hannah had a few guests who she knew wouldn't drink so she had us create some custom cocktail jugs for these guys. This is a great idea if you know you have some Sober Sallies at your wedding and want to do something fun for them.
We had a Wild Berry Spritzer and a virgin Blueberry & Lime Caprioska.
They're super easy to make and don't cost much more than your standard soft drinks so definitely consider this for your event!
Brad & Hannah chose Balter XPA and James Squire 150 Lashes for their beer. 150 Lashes is and always will be the favourite at our weddings, so their drinks choices for perfectly with their guests. They also had a mid strength option for those who were driving. For wine they chose a New Zealand Sav Blanc, a Spanish Tempranillo, a French Rosé and an Italian Prosecco. An Espresso Martini cocktail hour was a must, as they are with all our weddings, it's kind of our signature drink!
Guests were left to drink, eat and make fools of themselves for a few hours, after all, isn't that why we go to weddings? Our lawn games were a hit with our picket signs made by Ink & Snow. We worked with A Beautiful Occasion who style most of the weddings we do at The Retreat, they're Port Stephen locals and their style fit The Retreat weddings to a tee. They supplied the indoor and outdoor furniture which complimented our setup perfectly.
Brad & Hannah joined their guests at 5:30 with a sparkler tunnel, leading into the dinner hall for speeches and a feast. I definitely recommend planning a sparkler tunnel for your entrance or farewell, they're always hilarious in person yet breathtaking in photos. Behind the scenes, watching 100 guests fumble to light their sparklers in time and scream with laugher was hilarious, then you look at the photos and it looks so effortless!
I mean come on, look at that!
Once everyone had calmed down after the sparkler entrance, they found their seats for dinner and speeches. Sprout catering kept their bellies full while Brad & Hannahs family and friends took their turns telling their memories of the couples life. Think a cosy family dinner laughing over cobs of corn times 100!
Things got a little weird after that so I'm just gunna leave some photos here, no explanation needed.
We couldn't have asked for a better wedding to set Suzie on her journey, and we couldn't have asked for a better set of legends to celebrate the day with. I got to catch up with Brad & Hannah at their home a little while after the wedding and they have since added a little fur baby to their family, a black lab named Rex. Brad, Hannah & Rex, thank you for choosing us to be a part of your day, you will always hold a special place in Suzies heart. x
Photographer Lauren Anne Photography
Boquet Valley Fresh Flowers
Video HipShot Films
Celebrant Michelle Cramp
Music FairPlay Entertainment
Stylist A Beautiful Occasion
Catering Sprout Catering
Hair Blanc Hair
Makeup Chic Artistry
Boozy Suzie Caravan Bar
Mobile Bar hire servicing Newcastle, Hunter Valley & Central Coast weddings