Kate and Thomas’ Thornbury wedding was all things bold and beautiful. Set at Little Henry; a casual and quirky cafe adorned with creeping ivy and fairy lights. Beautiful bright florals, vintage rugs and Kate’s wow factor Havana gown added an incredible pop of colour to the styling.
Kate and Thomas’ Thornbury wedding was all things bold and beautiful. Little Henry was their venue of choice; a casual and quirky cafe adorned with creeping ivy and fairy lights. Beautiful bright florals, vintage rugs and Kate’s wow factor wedding gown added an incredible pop of colour to the styling.
A few thoughtful touches were also included in the couple’s day to not only celebrate their own marriage, but the impending arrival of marriage equality as well. Photographer powerhouse, Phoebe Powell, joined Kate and Thomas’s wedding day Tribe to take some breathtaking pics.
In Kate’s words…
The meeting.
We met through friends around five years ago.
The one.
We hit it off straight away, and knew we were both in it for the long run!
The proposal.
We were at Port Melbourne beach during summer, having a picnic with our dog Edward. Thomas popped the question so unexpectedly. It was a Wednesday night, the day after Valentines Day. He took me completely by surprise!
The planning.
We were very relaxed in the lead up. I’ve spent a lot of my career planning events, so was lucky the process came naturally. The main stress I had in the weeks leading up was that I wasn’t stressed enough.
We planned the day to be completely reflective of us, which made the process feel familiar, natural and easy. We put a lot of thought into what would make the day fun for our guests, and the outcome was a relaxed, lively, beautiful garden party.
Style inspiration.
We wanted to have the ceremony and reception at a café, as we were looking for a venue that was relaxed and not traditional. We live locally to Little Henri and often go there for breakfast, it was the perfect space.
Every detail of styling was a reflection of us; vintage style outdoor rugs on the ground similar to what we have in our own house, bright flowers in hanging pots to match the wedding gown and wooden signage around the venue with the theme ‘Love is Love’ to show our support of marriage equality (just days before the postal vote results). In the center of the venue, we had a massive grazing table full of our favourite cheeses, put together by my talented friend behind Lazy Graze. Our take home gifts were amazing wagon wheels (a favourite treat as a child), made by Zoe Konnikos from Off The Wagon. I am obsessed with Fairy Lights and ivy green walls, so Little Henri provided the perfect setting.
The dress.
My dress was the limited edition Havana Gown by Suzanne Harward. I stumbled across the dress just weeks before the wedding and couldn’t get it out of my mind. With the help of the incredible girls at Suzanne Harward, we were able to turn around the dress in time for the wedding. I am absolutely in love with the dress, it was perfect.
Favourite moment/s.
The moment we walked in. The music was upbeat right from the start, and our guests cheered as we walked down the aisle. It was overwhelming having all our friends and family in one place, there for us. A couple of friends helped set up the venue, and seeing it for the first time all come together was incredible. When the ceremony finished, our guests threw handfuls of colourful confetti to celebrate not only us, but marriage equality. It was the perfect ceremony to kick off the party!
The meaning of marriage.
Marriage to us means celebrating our love for each other with the wonderful people in our lives.
Wedding soundtrack.
Aisle: 1234 by Feist
Reception entry: I’m Coming Out by Diana Ross
First Dance: Let’s Dance by David Bowie
Funny stories/near disasters.
No near disasters, thankfully! Apart from the last minute change of dress, the lead up was smooth.
Planning suprises.
I was so touched by how much people were willing to help out. Having our friends set up and style so many elements of the wedding was so special, and incredibly generous!
Words of wisdom.
Relax and enjoy it. Saviour every moment of the day itself. I underestimated how much fun the day itself was going to be. It will be the best day of your life – make it a reflection of yourselves.
Last words.
Prior to the ceremony, we hired a beautiful Airbnb in Northcote, which was a converted church with views of the city. The whole wedding party and close family got together in the afternoon for champagne and nibbles. It was the moment Thomas and I saw each other dressed up, and it was so special sharing it with such a close group of people. We took all our photos beforehand, and by the time we got to the ceremony we were relaxed and ready for a party. It was a great way to spend the afternoon.
CREDITS
The Gown: Suzanne Harward // Veil / headwear: Fresh flower pins by Norma Anne Flowers // Bride’s Shoes: Joanne Mercer // Bridesmaid’s jumpsuits: Zimmermann // Groom’s suit: P Johnson Tailors // Groom’s Shoes: Aquilla // Ceremony & Reception venue: Little Henri Café, Thornbury // Celebrant: Kaye Mills // Photography: Phoebe Powell // Florist: Norma Anne Flowers // Hair: Ally Jenkins // Make Up: JK Fairchild Makeup // Rings: Wayne Lynch // Catering: Grazing table by Lazy Graze and catering by Little Henri // Bar: Little Henri // Favors: Off The Wagon // Cake / Cake topper: Jenny Rice // Stationery / Signage: Sketch and Etch Creative / State of Elliott // Entertainment: DJs Caitlin Kavanagh and Andrew McClelland // Décor: Rugs – Miss Amara // Hire: Millattack Sound Engineer (sound system) // Honeymoon: Tahiti