Tor & Kate’s Whitsunday Beach Wedding

Posted by Sandra Searle on Jun 19, 2014 in Real Weddings | No Comments

In my line of work, there really is nothing more special than creating a friends wedding gown. Not only have they trusted you to make them the most beautiful dress they will ever wear but you also get to spend a lot of quality time with them in the lead up to their wedding.

It’s always a little strange sitting down with a friend and chatting dress. It’s no longer banter between girlfriends, it’s a professional appointment, I have to put on my ‘designer’ hat and listen to their wants and needs like I would with any other potential client.

Kate is the most laid back bride I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. She came into my studio with a vague idea of what she was after and then after a bit of a chat, I sketched up her beach wedding dress. She couldn’t believe that I turned her words into a sketch that she loved!

Tor and Kate planned a relaxed, laid back wedding with their nearest and dearest at the beautiful Long Island Resort in the Whitsundays, Queensland. The location was idyllic and the weather was just superb, the perfect setting for these two lovebirds to tie the knot. I was lucky enough to be one of their guests (my husband had the role of Best Man) so I can vouch that it was a really fun wedding with a great bunch of people!

I had a chat with Kate after the wedding, here’s what she had to say about her experience as a bride, images by Total Weddings Whitsundays

1) What was your favourite moment on your big day?

My favorite moment was just as I was about to walk down the aisle. All the nervousness went away and I suddenly felt very calm and ready. Seeing Tor’s smiling face at the end of the aisle waiting for me was the best feeling.

2) How did you find your venue?

We came across our ceremony location on the internet. We had a beach wedding in Hamilton Island which I have to admit, I was quiet nervous about having never been there before, however, we absolutely loved it! While a beach wedding is not for everyone, it was perfect for us. Everything about our wedding was very relaxed and stress-free which was exactly what we wanted.

3) Who was your favourite supplier to work with?

Elvi Design! In all seriousness it really was. Sandra and Birgitta made the whole process so easy. When I had my first appointment, I had so many different ideas but didn’t really know how to explain/pull everything together. As I was talking, Sandra was sketching and at the end of our conversation she showed me her sketch and I couldn’t believe it – my dream dress! Throughout all the fittings, they listened to me, gave good advice and were extremely helpful and patient. Ever since I have been Elvi’s number one fan and very highly recommend Elvi to all Brides.

4) What kind of bride did you want to be?

I wanted to be a relaxed, no fuss bride. My initial thought when I first started to think about the wedding planning was to run off to Vegas and elope – that’s how simple I’m talking! But after some further thought, there were certain aspects that I did want a bit more traditional. And looking back on the memories, I knew I would be glad I did it. That’s why a beach wedding suited us so well, as it met somewhere in the middle of formal and non-formal.

5) What was the most important thing to you on your wedding day?

We had a very small wedding with only close family and friends that travelled from Perth to Hamilton Island to attend, so what was most important to us was that everyone had a good time and felt included in their own special way.

6) Any special tips on how to plan a wedding?

Having a wedding planner really helped me. If you can find someone that’s in your budget, I would recommend having one because there are so many different things that you don’t think about that you could easily forget, so it’s comforting to have someone that knows what they are doing to guide you through.

7) Do you have any advice you’d like to pass on to other brides?

I know it’s hard but try to switch off and not worry too much the night before – otherwise you will end up getting no sleep like I did!

8) How did your wedding dress make you feel?

Amazing, I love my dress! I think most woman will agree that it’s probably the most important thing you need to get right. If you feel great in your dress then you are more confident and everything else follows because you’re feeling good about yourself.