Real Bride: Surprise! Welcome To Our Wedding.
When I first saw a photo from Daisy and Marcs wedding I was mesmerised! Colour, fun and happiness exuded from the photo, so I just knew I had to reach out to find out more. Lucky for me, Daisy was more than happy to share her story in the hope that it inspires others to think outside the square, challenge tradition, and do things your own way. There really are no rules, so you should feel excited to create a day that truly reflects your relationship.
So without further hesitation, here is our mini interview with the gorgeous Daisy!
Tell us a bit about your story…
We count ourselves lucky that our wedding was one of the last weddings of 2020 that were restriction-less given the global pandemic we are currently living through. Marc and I met at work, and while it took us a while to get together properly, as soon as I met him I knew he was the one.
The story of planning our wedding could be described as “backwards”. We were actually in the process of planning my 30th birthday party. Given that I could only be described as EXTRA, we were looking at Super Yachts as potential venues. However, when we saw the price tag attached to hiring one of the beautiful big super yachts, we decided that instead of it being a 30th birthday party we would go all out and have a wedding instead! At that stage we had a 6 month old baby, and were not even engaged yet but knew that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. A few weeks later whilst holidaying in New York, Marc took me on a helicopter ride over Central Park and asked me to marry him!
So essentially, the wedding plans had started before the engagement had even taken place! See what I mean about being “backwards”?! My engagement ring was designed by us the week prior in Los Angeles with Jean Dousset – jeweller to the stars and Louis Cartier’s great grandson. The ring is an oval cut work of art, with micro-pave diamonds all the way around and is the most special item I own.
Why did you decide on a surprise wedding?
Marc is quite shy at times, and hated the idea of a large traditional wedding affair. To alleviate any pressure or stress we decided to keep the wedding a surprise and instead invited 65 of our nearest and dearest friends to my 30th birthday party. To further conceal the true nature of the event, we put a strict “white only” dress code on the invitation and made sure everyone knew that it was going to be the party of the century! The surprise element worked great for us, as there was no one telling us what we should or should not do on our special day – it really meant the day was truly OURS and that was so special.
Where was your wedding held?
We were lucky to secure the beautiful super yacht called Corroboree, and had the boat decked out with an abundance of neon coloured florals and hired some bohemian soft furnishings to transform the boat and give it a more “wedding” presence. To break the news to our guests, they were greeted with a sign that simply said “WELCOME TO OUR WEDDING”. As you can see from some of the photos, it was a great surprise and the reactions that we got were priceless!
How did you find the planning journey?
Given the surprise format of the big day, I decided that I did not need a wedding planner and so I quickly snapped up my dream line up of vendors – my jumpsuit was custom made by Sant Elia, all floral arrangements were done by The Make Haus, photography was by Alex Marks, HMU by Kel Bowman, the DJ was Niki De Saint (who we flew in from QLD specially for the event). Because we kept the guest list small, we splashed out on the vendors and of course the champagne (Veuve Cliquot all the way!). My best friend is also a celebrant, and so we were lucky enough to have her marry us – Zoe Wieringa Celebrant. We were actually her first wedding where she performed as a celebrant and that was truly special for all involved.
Did you keep any traditions?
I do not think anyone would use the term “traditional” to describe Marc and I, and our big day really reflected that. I mean, I decided to get married in a ‘70s inspired couture jumpsuit (the design brief was “Elvis, but chic”) with no shoes so I think that sums it up really nicely!
The backdrop of Sydney Harbour really just framed the day beautifully, and was so special. Looking back on the photos really puts a smile on my face as it was the perfect day, the perfect setting and shared with the perfect bunch of family and friends.
What was your favourite part of the day?
My most favourite part of the day was the speeches, where my shy husband grabbed the microphone from me before I could get a word out and delved into a speech he had prepared himself. If you knew how terrified Marc is of public speaking, you would understand what a big deal it was! My second favourite part of the day was the song “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen blaring over the speakers as soon as we were married – you see, we are all about having fun!
What advice would you give to other couples?
Our day was perfectly US – and that would be the advice that I would give to other brides. Keeping your plans in line with your personalities is so important. For us, creating a day that was more about the company, the music and the backdrop rather than about a traditional wedding ceremony meant there were no nerves at all.
Suppliers involved in this stunning day:
Bridal Jumpsuit – Sant Elia
Floral Arrangements – The Make Haus
Photography – Alex Marks
HMU – Kel Bowman
DJ – Niki De Saint
Celebrant – Zoe Wieringa Celebrant