Jess and Todd’s boho-inspired Ardeena wedding
Jess and Todd met at a fancy-dress rooftop party on a beautiful spring day. Fast forward eight years, many shared adventures and a proposal later, and I had the absolute pleasure of being their wedding celebrant at their totally romantic Ardeena wedding this April.
I’m so excited to introduce you to Jess and Todd and I’m sure you’ll draw a lot of inspiration from their gorgeous, boho wedding.
The proposal
Jess says that from the day she met Todd, their lives changed forever… and for the better. “I can’t imagine not having him by my side every day!”
When the time came for Todd to get down on one knee, it was tears more than words that won Jess’ heart. “We were in a hotel room watching the sunset and getting ready for Todd’s mum’s birthday party. I didn’t see it coming at all. Suddenly, Todd was on one knee, held up a ring and started crying. He couldn’t actually talk, so I started crying too and we just hugged before he managed to ask the question. It was so beautiful.”
After Jess said yes, they enjoyed a three-year engagement and took this time to plan their perfect wedding day.
The venue and style
One thing was clear from the start. They wanted a fun, relaxed vibe on their big day. They were also really drawn to the ‘boho look’, with lots of textures, naked teepees, natural colours and warm lighting. Adding a splash of fun were some quintessentially Mexican elements including the food and a feature cactus.
Jess says that Ardeena was the first venue they checked out. “It is quite breathtaking! We instantly fell in love with it and it just ticked all the boxes. You can make it completely your own, by bringing in all your preferred vendors and there’s a fantastic wet weather option and onsite accommodation too.”
The vendors
When it came to their catering, Jess and Todd wanted to keep it really casual by bringing in a food truck. “We had canapés, followed by a few hours where guests could order as many tacos as they wanted from the truck. Mamacita’s food was absolutely delicious!”
Jess’ sister in law also prepared a grazing table for guests to enjoy after the ceremony. “It looked amazing and tasted even better,” Jess says.
Aside from photography, Jess and Todd also wanted to capture their day on video. “Jason from Pavey Films and his offsider were amazing. When it came time to view our edited film, he even helped organise a viewing at HOTA cinema; going in the day before and meeting us there the day we watched it.”
The family theme continued with a stellar effort by Jess’ brother and nephews from Cactus Bros, who delivered an over two-meter-tall cactus and set it up for the ceremony; and her cousin Belinda from Inner Beauty Lennox, who did an amazing job with the makeup.
The dress
Jess wore a stunning Grace Loves Lace gown. She fell in love with the design as soon as she saw it and ended up buying it without even trying it on. “I absolutely loved wearing my dress. I think its simple design is quite timeless and very me, and it was seriously so comfortable!”
The highlights
Looking back on their day and reminiscing about their favourite moments, it’s clear that the highlight was the ceremony.
“Walking down the aisle and locking eyes with each other for the first time that day was a really emotional moment. Reading our personal vows to each other, which we had kept a secret until that point, followed by the absolute blissful feeling of just being married and walking hand in hand under an arched tunnel, surrounded by our loved ones and confetti - best feeling ever!” Jess explains.
The bloopers
No matter how thorough you are in the planning stages, there’s bound to be something that goes wrong on the day. Jess and Todd’s wedding was no exception. In fact, Jess laughs that there were quite a few hiccups.
“The funniest thing that happened was definitely the rings being forgotten by everyone! We had our three-year-old nephews as pageboys - and they were meant to carry them down the aisle. Luckily the rings were in one of the rooms on-site, and we were still able to have that part in our ceremony, so it all worked out.”
Some advice
Jess and Todd’s top tips for a smooth wedding are to:
find a good celebrant that will create a ceremony that’s centred around your unique love story
hire a videographer, as the day can become a blur and although photos are beautiful, they just don't bring back the emotion like a wedding video doesa
don’t shy away from DIY – “the things we did ourselves ended up being our favourite parts of the wedding!”a
take the time to enjoy it. “During the planning stages and on the day of the wedding, try and take the time to soak it all up. It’s such a special time!”.
If you’re in the planning stages of your wedding, let me help you create the perfect day! I love bringing people together and sharing personal love stories in a genuine, fun way. My aim is also to take some of the stress out of the preparations.
Get in touch and let’s start planning your wedding today!
Jo x