JAE + ANDREW :: SUMMER LUXE AT FINS PLANTATION HOUSE

Jae and Andrew’s hinterland celebration at Fins Plantation House was, in a word, EPIC. After finally being able to get legally married, these guys pulled out all of the stops to create an unforgettable party dedicated to their family and friends.

Working alongside the uber-talented Ngaire from Event Stylist & Co, this extravagant day was designed around a theme of Summer Luxe and packed with fun, creative details. No, seriously – we’re talking shots on arrival, custom neon lights, spectacular floral installations, champagne towers, oyster bars and a 7-piece band. Not to mention surprise guests Joel Creasey and Gina Liano taking on the roles of MC and celebrant. What a vibe!

Captured by Cloud Catcher Studio, strap yourselves in and see all of the magic from this glamorous Tweed Coast wedding below as Jae and Andrew give us a behind-the-scenes look into their best day ever.

ABOUT THE DAY //

As this was technically our second wedding (we had a commitment ceremony in 2012), we needed to really step it up for this one. We had a budget until we engaged Ngaire from Event Stylist & Co and the budget was very quickly thrown out the window. We went for a Summer Luxe theme and wanted to really make this event special for our friends. The fact that we can now legally become married was important, but this wedding was more about our friends and family and we wanted to show our love for them through this event. Plus, the fact we are now allowed to be legally married, was a great excuse for a party!

We have worked very hard and have been successful so we wanted to put on an event to say thanks to all of our family and friends who helped us achieve what we have. Gina Liano and Joel Creasey were surprise guests and everyone loved it.

ABOUT THE STYLE //

We love the beach, we love the sunshine, we love cocktails, we love great tunes and good friends – so we came up with “Summer Luxe”. We wanted our guests to look and feel great but also be comfortable. We also really enjoy the finer things in life so had to throw in some glitz and glamour as well.

We had a Shot Bar set up for when people ventured into the reception, Chef Snowy serving freshly shucked oysters, and everyone that walked in touched the flowers to check they were all real. We wanted this to be a day to remember for our guests as well as us.

We had Gina Liano as our Celebrant, Joel Creasey our MC and we had a 7 piece band flown up from Melbourne who put on the amazing tunes, there was no one seating once mains had been served.

CEREMONY SONG //

Our ceremony song was performed live by Emma Lancaster and was Re-Write the Stars from The Greatest Showman. Emma is an incredible performer and was positioned perfectly under the tree and performed live while our guests arrived to a cocktail awaiting our arrival.

FIRST DANCE SONG //

We didn’t have a first dance, but instead we did a whole wedding dance. Immediately following the cutting of the cake we had a live Saxophone player who performed Show Me Love and led us while playing the sax to the dance floors where the whole wedding joined in and then stayed there the whole night.

DIY PROJECTS //

We had neon light-up display signs made for all around the venue. We created a hashtag #FRASERHURST which is a blend of both of our last names and had these made. We also had a neon sign hanging in some greenery which said “Shut up and kiss me” – this was a guest favourite.

We also didn’t want to bother our guests with gifts, and we didn’t want to ask for money, so we chose a local charity that supports vulnerable families – Baby Give Back – and asked all of our guests to bring a gift for a child wrapped in Xmas wrapping that we would be donating to children less fortunate than us. This ended up being two trailer loads of toys for children in need of the GC – it was amazing.

FAVOURITE MOMENT //

There was so many, but when we arrived and needed to get out of the amazing Versace Rolls Royce, Andrew started to cry – our puppies Miko and Toby (who had a Gin Bar named after them at the reception) were there in their tuxedos desperate to see us. Ngaire appeared and said “Do you need a shot?” to which we said “Of course” and we promptly provided a shot to which the crowd cheered – that was the beginning of the best day ever.

My next favourite part was the champagne tower of Veuve, followed by Joel Creasey and then the band. I remember Ngaire walking us to the reception setting to see it, and I burst into tears, it was the most incredible thing I had ever seen, and the vision of what we wanted to create was alive and beyond what we had expected – it was amazing. At one point (before the reception) I remember looking over to see someone drinking an espresso martini and thought this is going to be a good day.

AFTER THE WEDDING //

We didn’t want our day to end, so planned a Brunch at our beach house in Kingscliff the next day, we had a Bloody Mary bar set up and catered delicious bacon and egg rolls and platters for everyone to enjoy while we sat back, reflected on the day, and continued the amazing connections with all of our families and friends.

NUMBER ONE TIP //

Eat – don’t forget to eat. The morning of the wedding is always so stressful and can be a bit daunting, so be sure to enjoy the quiet moments, relax, have a drink and really enjoy what will be the very best day of your life.