Sophie and Tom's Byron Bay Wedding
What was your wedding venue (ceremony & reception) and why did you choose there?
Tides Byron Estate, which is a macadamia farm located in the Byron Hinterland.
We chose this venue because I am originally from Byron and my grandparents have a property nearby. It has the perfect combination of lush greenery and big coastal views. Also, it has an epic villa that sleeps 22 people with an infinity pool that the sun sets over, as well as a purpose-built reception hall that can seat up to 140 guests. Tom and I both have big families and it was important to us that everyone felt included, we didn’t want to be fighting over the guest list. The curfew is also 11pm, compared to a lot of other Byron venues that close at 10pm. We wanted the dancing to continue as long as possible!
Did you have a wedding theme/style? If so, tell me about it, please.
My vision was to create a magical fairy garden, we had cosy corners with rugs and ottomans, and as many fairy lights as possible.
My husband inspired the floral choices, he loves all things pastel! So when it came to selecting the flowers, we knew we wanted lilacs, blues, pinks and yellows.
How did you and your now Husband meet?
We met when I was volunteering at Marrickville Legal Centre to complete my law degree.
Tom was one year ahead of me at Uni and he was working there full-time. We spent almost every lunch together eating cheap delicious sandwiches from the local Greek deli and talking way too much.
What is your proposal story?
Tom and I had been living in Singapore together but returned to Sydney in May 2021 due to COVID.
We thought Aussies seemed to be dealing with COVID much better than Singapore and we were craving freedom. So we moved home but 8 weeks later Sydney went into its longest lockdown! Call it lockdown fever or simply comfort knowing that we could get through anything together, we started talking about marriage more seriously.
I knew I wanted a vintage engagement ring and one day I saw my dream ring on Instagram. It had a good band and yellow diamond and dates back to 1910 made in London. I showed Tom and we bought it the next day! It was being flown from the US so we thought it would be a few weeks before it showed up, but it arrived 2 days later on a Tuesday. We were both a bit unsure of what to do next, so we didn’t even open the FedEx package and put it in the cupboard!
We agreed to take the Friday off (from working from home) and would drive to Balmain where the ferry’s dock (within our 5km radius) and take some champagne and…get engaged. That Friday afternoon, I gave Tom a lockdown haircut - I’m not great at it but it wasn’t the worst, and we headed off to our spot at sunset.
Sitting on a park bench, overlooking Barangaroo and the Harbour Bridge, we shared a can of beer (we forgot the champagne), opened the FedEx box and we agreed to get married. It was far from the traditional ‘down on one knee’ proposal, but it was perfect to us.
How did you hear about Prea James Bridal?
Mostly scrolling through Instagram and wedding photographers I had seen a few Prea James dresses.
I thought the fabric she used was beautiful and the styles, whilst still bridal were very modern. I had my first trial at Prea James but didn’t find ‘the one’. I left it for a month or so and I kept seeing her work on Instagram.
I told my mum I had a feeling that my dress was at Prea James so we went back for a second try. It was then I tried on the Elise Blouse and I absolutely loved it. I also loved my heavy silk skirt, which just fell in all the right places.
Also - I am a little bit superstitious, but my dress is from Prea James ‘First Light’ edition, and this is another name for Byron because it is the most easterly point of Australia and always gets the ‘first light’.
I knew it was meant to be!
From where did you purchase your gown?
The Paddington store.
What do you love most about the gown?
I love the sleeves! They are made with such beautiful fabric and capture the light so well. They are unique but also elegant.
I also loved my skirt - it made me feel so silky and beautiful (even though I’m not a size 8!)
Are there any special details about your wedding that you would like to share? (A particular reason you chose the venue, or the date, or did you have a special ritual in your day that was important to you?)
It is a silly family tradition that my cousins always do a (bad) acrostic poem on each other’s birthdays.
I wanted to include this so we hid the letters for ‘Sophie and Tom’ under the guest’s seats at the wedding. During the dinner, my cousins then asked guests to look under their chairs to see if they had a letter.
The guests then had 10 minutes to think of a word starting with their letter to describe Tom and me.
It was a great way to involve guests and they said some really beautiful, special things that Tom and I will treasure forever.
Were there any details that you (and friends and family) made yourselves?
Yes, my mum made the wishing well and a wooden sign that said ‘Sophie loves Tom’ that we placed in the garden. Many guests took photos with it so it was a big success!
Also, my mum and I made place cards by collecting eucalyptus leaves, hole-punching them and writing each guest’s name in gold pen. They looked cute and were eco-friendly!
Finally, Do you have any words of wisdom for couples planning their big day? This can be done with any part of the wedding – eg, planning, budget, or the day itself.
We had welcome drinks on Friday, and recovery lunch on Sunday.
Guests paid for their own food and drinks at both. It was a low-cost, easy way to make sure the weekend feels like a festival and doesn’t speed by too quickly!
I wanted to make sure I had enough time with our friends and family, and over 3 days we were able to do this! Plus it was just super fun partying with our nearest and dearest all weekend!
WEDDING VENDORS
Wedding Vendors
Photographer: Blaise Bell - amazing!!!
Cannot recommend him enough. Cool, calm, and collected at all times, even when wrangling a bridal party of 11 bride/grooms-people! He knew who our important family members were, found easy spots to take photos with my grandparents who can’t move very fast, and made Tom and I feel very comfortable like the camera wasn’t even there. Not to mention - his photos are stunning!!
Instagram: @blaisebell
Videographer: None - we chose a few close friends to film the ceremony on their phones (so I could rewatch it) but asked all other guests to put their phones away.
Hair & Makeup:
I chose Anita because she was highly recommended for curly hair - and I can attest, she is the absolute best!
Instagram @anitabauerhair
I chose Marley because her work is so natural but elevated and glowing!
Instagram @marleyhammond_makeup
They run a studio together in Pottsville which I didn’t know at the time of booking, but they work so well together and were amazing at keeping me calm, and managing all the bridesmaids and mums and other chaos! They made my wedding day feel seamless, easy and fun!!
Stylist and Wedding Coordinator: Byron Bay Weddings
They were worth every cent!
Over the course of 9 months leading up to the big day, they staged the process so well that nothing felt too overwhelming.
They kept planning fun and interesting but did not leave out any detail. By the time the big day arrived, the run sheet was so detailed and executed so well that I didn’t even notice different vendors arriving, or how the set-up was going - they did everything I wanted without being seen.
It was truly amazing! I am so grateful.
Instagram: @byronbayweddings
Florist: Pikt Flowers
They brought my vision to life! Super professional with clear and transparent pricing. Love their work! I had so many compliments on the bouquet.
Instagram @_pikt
Stationery: Ink Heart Papers
Easy to deal with and affordable price.
Cake: My cousin Tommy Clark
We weren’t fussed on the wedding cake tradition, but having my cousin make it made it all the more special.
Watching him torch the meringue while we were getting our make-up done was unforgettable! Not to mention - delicious.
Caterer: Fig Tree
What amazing food! Byron Bay Weddings takeitsr food service very seriously, and it shows! The food was sourced using local ingredients and was absolutely delicious. Guests did not go hungry!
Instagram: @figtreerestaurant
Hire/Prop furniture hire: The Wedding Shed
They had everything I needed to bring my fairy garden vibe dream to life.
Instagram @theweddingshed
Veil: My mum’s veil, which she wore 35 years ago! I was planning on buying a veil but tried on my mums for fun and fell in love! It has a gorgeous trim and mid-length, which I felt complimented my dress perfectly. Thanks mum!
Bridesmaids Dresses: Bec and Bridge
Groom & Groomsmen’s Suits: Suit Supply
My husband wore their Lilac Cuban suit, and the groomsmen wore Light Brown Cuban suits. The shirts are from MJ Bale - they helped us pick a shirt that didn’t need a tie. Julius Marlow shoes.
Band/DJ: DJ Coastal Beats
He organised a singer to perform during our ceremony and cocktail hour and then DJ’d our dance floor. The dance floor was full all night so he did a great job!
Instagram: @coastalbeatdjs