One of the most heart warning, and deeply ‘in love couples’ I’ve met in a long time! June and Bodhi see marriage joyfully as a ‘never ending sleep over’. Meeting on the Isle of Los, there was definitely ‘something in the air that night’.
Their love story entailed June noticing a very handsome stranger with a sparkle in his eye who was dancing with his whole body. There was an instant spark and connection between them that kept them talking till sunrise, and then June went home to Norway…
Endless conversations lead to their returning 10 months later to the same place and with overwhelming they spent the summer working together and falling in love more each day.
Life presented them with many obstacles and difficult decisions including lots of time apart in different countries, but nothing ever impacted the fact that they loved each other beyond imagination. They kept making decisions from their hearts, traversing a decade of milestones and life chapters learning along the way that good communication is everything!
June and Bodhi’s wedding ceremony was full of depth, happy tears and laughter set within the sprawling grounds of the beautiful Fig Tree Restaurant in Byron Bay. There was springtime magic light delivering the most epic backdrop for their amazing just married couple photos… masterfully captured by the wonderful Mikey Anderson.
Take a look at their heartfelt wedding day…
FEATURED SUPPLIERS – VENUE | Fig Tree Restaurant, PLANNING & COORDINATION | Byron Bay Weddings, FURNITURE HIRE | The Wedding Shed, FLORIST | Pikt, HAIR & MAKEUP | Byron Bay Makeup Co, DJ | Kristin Prior, PHOTOGRAPHER | Mikey Anderson, VIDEOGRAPHER | Paul Skinner, CAKE | Byron Bay Cake Boutique, CELEBRANT | Susie Figgis
Lucy and Simon were keen to create a rich intentional and inclusive ceremony that spoke to their spiritual souls, without alienating their guests, many of whom don’t necessarily share in their depth.
In our early planning stages, they sent me a video of a Hawaiian priest conducting a very reverent wedding ceremony and asked if I could help them create a similar vibe at Byron Surf Club, which we definitely did.
The ceremony began prior to Lucy’s entrance with some live ethereal music by a world renound artist http://www.elijahraymusic.com/ who uses his gift of voice and sound to create exquisite transcendent, uplifting sounds. He basically set the tone for the ceremony to come, playing while Lucy entered.
It is their belief that the essence of everything is about opening the heart… and by fully opening their hearts to one another on this day… and every day… they are coming home to the essence of who they really are.
They believe that Marriage is an ancient and sacred rite of passage and a mystical union of the masculine and feminine coming together .. knowing that they are whole within themselves .. but choosing to unite and be bonded in body, spirit and heart.
After setting the scene with these beautiful beliefs, we then shared a very hearty honest and humorous version of their love story which always helps to engage all the guests present.
We conducted a Water Purification Ritual, as a symbolic purification of their hearts where they firstly washed their own hands and then they washed each others hands. Simple, a little messy but very special.
Then we set their sacred space before their Vows with these words (which I modified from the Hawiian Priest’s ceremony)
“One heart, one hope, one light, one truth, one life, one joy flowing together growing together now from a single source. Feel the unification between you.. of your hearts.. your vision…your intentions. Take a deep breath and look into each others souls.. your time for passage is here. You stand on the threshold of a new beginning. So get ready to deepen into your love and commitment to one another, to express in ritual what has already blossomed in your hearts.”
Their Vows were long but so divine, and then we engaged back with thei family and friends for their commitments to support the marriage in a Community Vow. After signing we ended with a Champagne toast before they strutted ever so happily down the Isle.
It was the most wonderful combination of a deep reverent ceremony that was fun and spiritual, completely aligned with Simon and Lucy’s beliefs, and was gorgeously glamorous all at the same time.
Others involved in this wonderful day:
Van MIddleton Photography https://www.vanmiddleton.com/
Videography – Story of us: http://www.storyofus.com.au/wedding/
Florals – Bower Botanicals: http://www.bowerbotanicals.com.au/
Furniture and Styling – Wedding Shed : http://www.theweddingshed.com.au/
Coordination and Catering: https://www.byronbayweddings.com.au/
Hair and Makeup: http://www.anitabauer.com.au/ Alex Osten Beauty
Brides INCREDIBLE dress: http://pallascouture.com/
Emma and James are 2 of the loveliest people you’ll ever meet, with fabulously fun personalities, I knew their ceremony was going to be wonderful, light hearted and fun, and their celebration afterwards …a little wild!
Meeting for the first time in a night club. Emma spotted James and admits that it was love at first sight. He seemed cool, calm and easy going, and she though his glasses were super cute…. but she was to shy to approach and say hello. Luckily her friend struck up a conversation and once chatting, they realised they had lots in common, both studying property. James was attracted to Emma’s beauty… he found her polite and shy, but really funny. They met up with each other on and off for a year as friends, usually in Night Clubs having fun (as you do)
Then one day James had an epiphany that it was time he had a girlfriend (Emma had been patiently waiting for this moment), he moved to Brisbane to focus on his career and took Emma on a real date. Fast-forward many special moments.. to when James finally said I love you .. (again Emma would have said it much earlier but as a bit of a traditionalist she waited for him to say it first) .. it was when emotions were running high for them both after seeing Angus and Julia Stone in concert.
Together for almost 10 years now .. they have achieved so much! .. from graduating uni, getting crappy adult jobs, numerous holidays, birthday milestones, share houses, dealing with death, buying their own homes, renovation projects, and moving houses 7 times. Now living in their dream home, which they worked super hard for.. they really look forward to the next stage of their love story.
Their guests enjoyed a sublime outdoor dining experience up at the stunning Byron View Farm, and the party was clearly a ripper.
All in all, this was a classic relaxed yet very stylish Byron Wedding.
Masterfully captured by the wonderful Joseph Willis
Awesome Musical vibes by Lily Budiasa Music
Florals Bower Botanicals
Catering https://figtreerestaurant.com.au/
Gust transport http://byronbaydoubledeckerbus.com.au/
Furniture and Styling http://www.theweddingshed.com.au/
Coordination https://www.byronbayweddings.com.au/
It was lush tropical vibes at this super fun wedding.. and the Grooms simile was Golden. The rain just before the ceremony created a grey backdrop that made all the bright colors really pop.
I loved getting to know Helen and Andy who moved from England together and established a new life in Sydney. With a fabulous fun and supportive connection, they shared lots of juicy funny information about themselves for me to work with in writing their ceremony. In this relationship it was Andy who was chomping at the bit to become a Dad… which we referenced a few times to waves of laughter from their friends and family…apparently It was quite a thing.. and it was so great to hear Helen in her Vows, say that she was finally ready to embrace parenthood with him.
Perfectly complimenting the colorful people who were getting married.
Why? My main reason for this is so they can hold hands and look deep into each other’s eyes … physically and visually connected when they say those words.
The alternative? In my experience when couples are left to read their vows and handle the mic themselves, I don’t believe they connect as much. They are busy reading their vow cards and holding the mic.. so they don’t tend to look at each other as much and probably won’t have any physical contact either. .
Of course it’s all personal preference and I know other celebrants (who I fully respect) prefer to do it the other way… but in my mind it’s all about the heart, eye and hand connection in that moment.
Venue http://www.secretgardenbyronbay.com/
Stunning Photos https://beckrocchi.com.au/
Coordination and Styling https://frankandjoy.com.au/
Fabulous Florals https://www.byronstyleco.com.au/
Catering https://yourgourmet.com.au/
Tom & Kristine’s elopement was simple and sublime in a magical beach location. With their cuddly toddler, photographer & babysitter as witnesses we set off to a very secret location that I suggest to special couples who are looking for privacy and simple natural beauty (and a little bit of elemental magic) for their nuptials.
These photos really speak for themselves… there were happy tears, unbridled joyful moments, and a palpable sense of magic through out the ceremony.
I absolutely love the timeless oriental beauty of Kristine, and the fact their uber cute little boy was able to witness all teh proceedings. It was it was all so perfectly captured by Nina Claire Photography.
Katy and Nigel curated a truly magnificent wedding party. Literally perched high up on a mountain in Mullumbimby the vibe was very cool, fun and indulgent. Outdoor dining at it’s absolute best with a hearty .. and a bit wild … celebration of a beautiful love story.
The moment they met, Nigel was immediately attracted to Katy’s sense of humour and beauty, and Katy fell in love with Nigels distinctive and contagious laugh. It was during their first date, that Katy learnt of Nigels ambitions to become the Lord of Manly! After experiencing the calibre of this man at his own wedding this may just be a realistic life goal. It sure was a wedding fit for a Lord and Lady!
Other great folks involved in making their day so wonderful ..
https://www.ninaclairephotography.com/
http://www.threeblueducks.com/byron/
https://www.wildernessflowers.com.au/
https://www.heartfirecollective.com/
Kym and Dane are truly awesome humans sharing a wonderful loving life together here in Byron. You can see their whole wedding featured by @the_lane here
The day before their wedding a handful of us enjoyed a beautiful Welcome to country ceremony facilitated by local Indigenous legends (Delta Kay, Nigel and uncle Magpie) to connect with the land and receive the blessings of the ancestors prior to their marriage. Then the next day their ceremony and wedding celebrations were sublime; stylish and earthy while still being Chic and classy all at the same time. Their venue Horizon Byron Bay (sadly no longer a wedding venue in Byron) was on top of a hill overlookingBelongil Beach, Main Beach, Clarkes Beach, Julian Rocks, The Pass, Wategos and of course the iconic Byron lighthouse.
Kym and Dane met in Bondi at a mutual friends Halloween Party in 2008. Kym was living in Sydney and Dane was about to head off travelling, but they kept in touch and then actually met up again the following year again on Halloween, which will clearly always be a big date for them. During their 5 years together they have traveled a lot and explored many destinations and cultures, they just love sharing the all the joys of life together! Whether it’s camping beach side or in a remote location and experiencing nature, like being trapped in the pouring rain in a swag … or enjoying an amazing sunset or sunrise while sipping cups of tea.. or in the mountains of Japan waking up super early to get up the mountain first for the freshest snow. Then there was the best adventure yet.. and this is one that all the guests knew about because they had read Danes email about how he proposed to Kym. It was their 4 year anniversary.. Halloween 2013.. and after all the false starts, he finally pulled it off in the water out the back of Wategos .. and just to quote a small piece of this golden story from Danes perspective.. “It was super shallow out the back which helped so when I dropped to the knee my head didn’t go under. Kymy was looking into the shore and she turned around and looked down at a little black fella smiling with a diamond ring! “ And for Kym, when she looked at Dane that day she absolutely knew he loved her completely. It was such a wonderful moment for them both!
As their celebrant it was such a fun and humbling experience to meet them and get to know them in this exciting time in their loves. And these were Kyms lovely words “Susie Figgis, she has truly found her calling. She knew us better than we knew ourselves. The ceremony was so beautifully written. I cried when I read the first draft… there was only need for that 1 draft, no more.”
Love, Marriage and Weddings … Thoughts of a celebrant – by Susie Figgis …
Everyone’s ideal wedding is different, and most couples choose to create an experience that defines and celebrates them as a unique couple. With all the incredible options in Byron’s community of wedding professionals, one of the best ways to keep your wedding authentic, is to focus on creating an awesome personalised ceremony. (Byron has a healthy amount of wonderful Celebrants, and I’m lucky to be one of them.)?
Working with couples and tuning into their love story, and their thoughts about intimate relating is always a privilege. I find that this conversation often prompts people to get clarity on why they are getting married. As one couple shared “Susie’s process in shaping our ceremony was instrumental in helping us voice our true reasons for marriage, and made us reflect on the why we wanted to spend the rest of our lives with each other.” This is the stuff that family and friends love to hear about; the love story, reasons why they love each other, and a funny story or two. If it’s an elopement, it’s just as important to nail it in terms of personalisation, because it’s so intimate that generic material isn’t likely to resonate.
Making a ceremony a true representation of each unique couple is what it’s all about. Everyone loves a wedding, and there are some elements that are reliable emotional highlights, like the Brides entrance and the Vows, but there are so many different ways to add personal flavour. Some popular ideas include; a musical performance by a friend or family member, some kind of ceremonial ritual, having a cute ring bearers or flower girl/s, and involving all the guests in a big celebratory exit. These are all ways to add to the magic of the ceremony, and the sky really is the limit.
Marriage will always have an ebb and flow and with this in mind, when you go beyond the beauty and joy of the wedding…. it’s actually about how people step up to become Husbands and Wives they say they are going to be in their ceremony. Inviting family and friends, as witnesses to the marriage, to support them on this journey is a nice touch.
Whilst still believing in the dream.. the best ceremonies, in my humble opinion, are optimistic yet realistic about love. They can be fun and reverent, realistic, romantic and relaxed all at the same time, and this is the flavour that I think Byron Weddings are becoming famous for.
Grace Loves Lace Gowns are very popular with Brides I’m working with, this article is about beautiful Rhiannon who chose to wear the Grace Loves Lace Nia Gown. Read more here