Real Bride Emily wearing Inbal Dror
“Helen is truly the best in the business. Out of all my wedding suppliers, she was the one I trusted the most. She found me two amazing wedding dresses and styled them to perfection. Helen’s shop is warm and inviting and I will miss our conversations (my mum will too!). I would honestly recommend her to every bride I know!”
Bride & Groom: Emily & Stefan
Planning & Styling: myself & Rosi at Jaspers, Berry
Stationery: Atelier Design Group
Venue: Jaspers, Berry
Photography: Bayleigh Vedelago
Videography: Moon & Back Co
Floral: Floral team at Jaspers
Makeup & Hair: Alex Perrin & Sarah Laidlaw
Gown: Helen worked closely with designer Inbal Dror to create two custom made gowns based off the samples in the HR Boutique
How did you and your husband meet?
Stefan and I met online. My friend installed the app Happn for me and convinced me to give it a try. She had just met her now husband on the same app and Stefan and I had friends in common, so I agreed to go on a date with him. He took me to Sokyo at the Star for our first date and we were inseperable ever since!
How did he propose?
Stefan and I were on holidays at Elements of Byron Bay. I had just finished a yoga class and Stefan came to find me to ask if we could go on a walk along the beach, I agreed. He had written “will you marry me?'“ in the sand and dropped to one knee as he asked me to marry him. I was so shocked and cried tears of joy. A few minutes later, we bumped into another couple on the beach who had just gotten engaged, we celebrated and took photos for each other.
What was your vision for your wedding day?
Most importantly, I wanted our wedding to be fun. I wanted our closest friends and family to enjoy themselves and entertainment was a big part of this. We flew our entertainment in from Melbourne, we had a rapper, saxophonist, violinist (Sally Cooper) and a singer/guitarist. Rutherford Entertainment did an amazing job in coordinating it all. Our guests were on the dancefloor all night long!
In terms of flowers, I wanted soft pink and white tones. I am very girly and this was reflected in the overall look. We had baby’s breath on mass lining either side of the aisle and an arch full of pink and white Colombian roses. I had a clear vision of how I wanted everything to look and when I finally saw it in real life it was overwhelmingly special. The team at Jaspers did an amazing job in bringing it all together.
Where did you look for your wedding inspiration?
I used Instagram for my wedding inspiration. I followed planners such as Mindy Weiss and Tantawanbloom Wedding and Events.
For my bridal inspiration, it was definitely the Israeli brides- they always look stunning. I follow Reem Sharvit (Israeli hair and make up artist) who inspired my hair and makeup for the day.
What drew you to your gown from Helen Rodrigues Bridal?
I went to the Inbal Dror trunk show at Helen Rodrigues, I was so excited as I had known for years that I wanted a gown from Inbal for my wedding day. When I tried on my gown, my Mum cried. I knew immediately it was the right dress for me. I felt soft and feminine in my dress. The silver hand beading on my dress was beautiful and so detailed and I think that’s what made the dress stand out to me.
What was your wedding planning journey like for you? How far out did you start planning?
Stefan and I looked at a wedding venue in Byron Bay the day after we got engaged. However, we ended up deciding on Jaspers in Berry about a week after our engagement. I am a perfectionist and super organised so I started planning the wedding a year out from the big day. I booked all the major suppliers such as photographer, videographer, and entertainment early on and focused on the finer details such as flowers and decorations as the wedding got closer.
What was the biggest decision you had to make?
The choice of wedding venue was probably the biggest decision we made. Stefan’s family have a farm in Berry and we spend a lot of time there, so it made sense for us to get married in Berry. Jaspers as a venue is everything I wanted, it is surrounded by beautiful green gardens and has an opulent Great Gatsby feel.
What was the highlight of your wedding day?
Marrying the love of my life was the highlight for me, seeing Stefan at the end of the aisle is one of the most special memories that I will cherish forever. I also loved spending the morning with my Bridesmaids and celebrating with our family and friends.
Another highlight was getting changed into my second dress. This was the best decision I made! Helen found me the perfect dress. It was from Inbal Dror’s Pure line and was originally a wedding gown. We made it short and fun and we paired it with Keren Wolf pearl headpieces (also from Helen’s boutique). I got changed while guests were eating their main meals and my hairstylist Sarah Laidlaw changed my hair into a power pony. As soon as I put my second dress on I felt I could relax and enjoy the dancefloor with the rest of my guests (the change of shoes helped too).
Is there anything you would do differently?
Nothing- I want to go back and do it all over again!
Is there any advice you would give other HRBride’s?
Helen gave me one piece of advice that I remembered on the day- if things don’t go to plan, don’t worry because no one else knows the plan! And it is so true. I planned every detail of the wedding for a year leading up to the day, but on the day things just happened naturally and it is better to go with the flow rather than to stress over the little things.
It is the most special days of your life and you want to enjoy every moment because you cannot relive it again! Make sure you take some time with your groom to take it all in, because at the end of the day it is about you as a couple and your special day.
