Stylish Sydney Harbour Wedding: Rachel + Jack

Sydney Australia wedding

Happy Monday, guys + gals! We’re gonna have some fun at GWS this week, ’cause it’s all about dress fashion and we have some pretty amazing features lined up! We’re starting off strong (it would be impossible to have skipped over Rachel’s stunning + super unique dress, right?) with such a rad wedding held on a pontoon floating in the middle of Sydney Harbour! Rachel + Jack really did things right with a day that was seriously stylish, lots of fun and inspired by…THEM! Making your day all about the two of you is not a new or crazy concept, but something that can easily get skipped over if you let it. Below, let’s hear more about how R + J made sure that didn’t happen, and stay tuned for LOTS more details about that dress!

From Rachel, I think sometimes the wedding day can get lost in what you think you should do instead of what you as a couple actually want to. So we stayed really true to our selves and our personalities. We chose music styles we liked and wanted to listen to, a venue that wasn’t a typical wedding venue, a cake that looked like it was for a kid’s birthday and for me a dress that was not like anything I’d ever seen before!

Thanks so much to Lara Hotz for these crazy good images and big congrats to Rachel + Jack on such a unique day!

bride getting ready

bride getting ready

Since it’s all dresses all week long, we HAD to know all the deets on this truly amazing custom piece. Lucky for us, Rach is revealing both the inspiration and the designer who helped bring her idea to life just a little further down in the post!

bride getting ready

first look

first look

Sydney Australia wedding

lace detail dress

Sydney Australia wedding

Sydney Australia wedding

velvet bow tie

Juilee Chione wedding dress

The only thing I really knew when it came to my dress was that I wanted a custom design, because I had never seen a wedding dress that I thought would suit me, and our wedding. I came across two images that blew me away, Anja Rubik’s wedding dress and a Zuhair Murad Haute Couture dress. One of my bridesmaids recommended an amazing designer (Juilee Chione of Ms Couture) to me who had previously worked for a renowned Australian label, and she was able to morph the two designs into a masterpiece. My dress was traditional from the back but all party in the front, and my train was detachable so I could dance the night away! It really went so far beyond my expectations. It was a work of art and it was fascinating to go through the process of building this dress from scratch with a true artist. She was able to figure out who I was, and made a dress to reflect me as a bride.

Sydney Australia wedding

white peony bouquet

A bouquet pretty much filled with fluffy peonies is a-ok in our book! This lovely was crafted by Mikarla Bauer.

Sydney Australia wedding

neutral bridesmaids

blowing confetti

Sydney Australia wedding

The only way to access the venue, The Island Sydney, was by speedboat! Seriously, how awesome is that?!

groomsmen on a boat

Australia wedding

bridesmaids on a boat

floral arch

floral arch

floral arch

Stylist, Sheree, of She Designs and florist, Mikarla Bauer, worked with Sophie from The Island Sydney to make sure no detail was overlooked. We’re in love with the flower market feel of the ceremony site and, oh yeah, we still can’t believe this insane wedding location!

buckets of flowers

Australia boat wedding

buckets of flowers

Australia boat wedding

Australia boat wedding

Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding

When we were able to stop and look around together at all of our friends, families, our unbelievable location and the amazing day and night mother nature had put on and take in how lucky we were to be able to have the wedding we did. It was a real WOW moment.

Australia boat wedding

vintage vignette

cheese board

appetizers

Sydney Australia wedding

rainbow sprinkle cake

Remember how Rachel described her cake (by Sweet Art Paddington) as something you’d see at a kid’s birthday party? Well, we totally dig it – and think those bows totally dress it up perfectly! Bet it tasted amazing, too!

Sydney Australia wedding

See even more in the film below by Light Noise Films:

Our Advice To Those Planning Now

Invest in your Photographer and Videographer, and 100% get a Videographer. Even if you have to go without a few things on the day, they are worth every dollar. Also book them straight after you book your venue to make sure you get who you want! It’s so nice to see your day from another perspective, and when your memories fade the photos and video will remind you.

photography: Lara Hotz // venue name: The Island Sydney, Sydney, Australia // event design: Sheree Gaulke of She Designs // florals: Mikarla Bauer // wedding dress: Juilee Chione of Ms Couture // hairpiece: Juilee Chione of Ms Couture // bride's shoes: Valentino // hair stylist: Rhiane Schroder // makeup artist: Nicole Thopmson // groom attire: G.A Zink & Sons Bespoke Tailoring // videography: Light Noise Films // paper goods: Elsie Invents // catering: Laissez-faire // cake: Sweet Art Paddington // officiant: Paul Grech

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