Upside down wedding cake + Mariana Hardwick wedding dress for a country wedding

We’d like to think that we’ve witnessed the best moments in wedding design, but this gorgeously themed wedding hit our desks and we realized that all bets were off. As such, we’re absolutely honored to share a recent feature from the team at OnThree Photography. Ailsa and Phillip had a charming and vibrant wedding celebration in the countryside, incorporating a vintage-like theme by holding the nuptials at a famous war site Flagstaff Hill – Maritime Museum and the town’s own cinema Lighthouse Theatre Warnambool.

The wedding ceremony itself was full of vigor while also being comfortable and relaxed with a hint of quirkiness that matched the personalities of the happy couple. Ailsa wore a stunning gown designed by Mariana Hardwick while Phil donned a suit in navy blue from Mens Suit Warehouse, paired with a cream tie for a classic twist. The reception featured a naked upside down wedding cake by Maria’s Creative Cakes that hung from the ceiling, which is certainly something we’ve never seen before and definitely awed the guests! Giant block lit-up letters spelling the word “LOVE” only added romance to the already heartwarming setting. The vintage and retro-style décor was thriftily sourced from vintage stores, or were simply DIY projects made by the talented bride herself! The geometric shapes, copper-painted decorations, and hand-crafted marble table numbers all added up to make the perfect, magical vibe that perfectly matched the unique wedding theme.

Upside down wedding cake + The bride wore Mariana Hardwick wedding dress for a country wedding

From Vendor

How Ailsa and Phil met :
The two both shared a love for the Tile Industry (where both of the couples work in) and spent time in front of their workplaces coffee machine. One Saturday night however, Ailsa decided to ring Phil and say hi where four hours later – the conversation finally ended. After their first date – they were doing everything together and as Phil would add, “she stayed over one night and never really left.”

The Proposal:
The couple both travelled to Thailand together in October 2014. After one beautiful dinner together and completely unbeknown to Ailsa, Phil got down knee in front of the entire restaurant and proposed.

Could you sum up your wedding day in a couple of sentences : Their wedding was completely relaxed, comfortable and just a little bit quirky – coincidentally, the perfect description of the couple themselves.

Any DIY Elements:
Ailsa, being the creative individual that she is, couldn’t wait to create the elements and décor in the wedding. All of the décor featured at the reception was either sourced from vintage shops or department stores such as Myer. DIY projects added to the weddings unique theme, some of this included vintage vases and hanging geometric shapes. Ailsa actually hand painted all the materials in copper, and her and Phil cut marble tiles in half and hand painting the table numbers onto them. She also organised with the florist to have the flowers from the arch at the ceremony moved to become the center piece on the headtable for the reception.

From Ailsa The Bride

What advice would you give to brides and grooms planning their day?
Honestly to the other brides out there – the best advice that I can give would to look at cost saving options where you can! It does take a little bit more effort but it makes the world of difference. For example, a lot of the décor elements I actually found or created myself. This saved us a ton of money that could be better spent on other elements (such as the dress!) Our rug for the ceremony was hired from a vintage shop, I sourced seat covers from Melbourne for $1.50 where as the local supplier was asking for $8.00 each!! Our wedding favours were stunning little tapas plates from Royal Daulton that I managed to find on ebay. Paying only a fraction of retail price! Although these things may seem small, it all still adds up!

Your favorite part of the day?
Can I say the whole day? If I had to pick, I’d go with the ceremony. It was such a fun experience to share with family & friends. The changing weather kept us all on edge, but we embraced & cherished every moment, even during the surprise rain & fork-lightening out at sea.

Anything you weren’t expecting?
The weather! Our wedding was at the start of an Australian Summer, so of course we knew it would be hot but not THAT hot. The temperature climbed up to 41c degrees (105 Fahrenheit) My makeup artist even organised special setting spray to try help protect our faces once we left the comfort of inside. However true to Victorian weather – the clouds rolled in and half way through the ceremony it started raining! It was a welcome relief & honestly I wouldn’t change a thing.

Wedding Dress : Mariana Hardwick
Shoes : Shoes of Prey
Reception Bolero : Hayley Paige Bridal
Stationary : The bride – Ailsa
Photography : OnThree Photography
Ceremony : Flagstaff Hill – Maritime Museum
Reception Venue: Lighthouse Theatre Warnambool
Entertainment : Andrew Vedulla Melbourne
MC : Dean Sindoni
Flowers : Functions 2 Flowers
Upside down wedding cake : Maria’s Creative Cakes
Hair and Makeup : Megan Everett  and Anna at Purple Haze
Groomsmen Attire : Mens Suit Warehouse
Bridesmaid Attire : Chi Chi London
Jewelry : Swarovski
Bags : Olga Berg
Wedding favours : Royal Daulton

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