Wedding | Katherine & Nick

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We met in Sydney just over 10 years ago through mutual friends. We became inseparable. We have been together now for 9 years and engaged for 4 of those!

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

We wanted to skip the ceremony. We are not religious, and we were worried that a secular ceremony wouldn't accurately reflect how we felt about marriage and each other. We liked the idea of the legal signing as our "ceremony". The private nature of this felt intimate and fitting.

We knew from the start that we wanted our "reception" to be a lovely dinner rather than a late night party, and Bistro Rex checked all of the boxes for us. We also live in Potts Point and wanted our wedding to be close to home.

How many guests did you have?

40 guests.

What was your budget?

We spent somewhere between 40-50k (though probably closer to 50 than 40!). We set our initial budget to 30k and found it wasn't realistic for us and 40 people. We both had a few areas where we were keen to spend, so we adjusted our budget.

Tell us about your outfits.

Kat's dress was from Cortana Spain, sourced from Carte Blanche Bride with the help of owner Anastasia. I knew I wanted something floaty, silky, and feminine. When I mentioned these criteria to Anastasia, she helped pick my gown for me. The moment I tried it on I loved it. I loved the train at the back, it added some drama, and it acted in lieu of a veil. I didn't want to wear a veil given there was no ceremony, but the train still made me feel bridal.

One of my bridesmaids helped me find my dancing dress - I loved how different it was from the gown, arms and legs out ready to boogie! The applique roses were a special touch.

Nick's suit was custom made with the help of P. Johnson Tailors. The knitted tie was a lovely point of difference to other suits Nick has, and our initials are sewed into the seam of the shirt and jacket which feels very romantic.

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

We wanted the day to feel relaxed and informal, with the focus being on time spent with loved ones. It was important to us that we didn't feel separate from our guests, and that it really was a shared experience. We wanted to be present with everyone and for them to be involved in all elements of the wedding.

It was also special to have close friends involved in the making of the day. A bridesmaid baked our incredible cake and another was our beautiful singer. Having such close friends contribute meaningfully meant so much to us.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

We handwrote our invitations, the seating chart and place names. While this process took a bit longer than having it done professionally, it was nice to have time to focus on our guests and the personal nature of handwriting something for each of them.

We didn't want to spend on flowers, so we went to a local florist the day before and bought whatever bunches of white and green they had at the time. Kat spent the afternoon with her bridesmaids arranging them into vases. It was another memory made and it was fun to recognise each arrangement when they were set up on the tables at Bistro Rex.

Any tips for couples getting married?

When people say it will work out on the day, it will. Trust that your friends and family will help out wherever needed, solve problems before you know they exist, and that you will enjoy your day. Magic hangs in the air, and the joy is tangible.

Do what feels important to both of you - for us we skipped the first dance and cut the cake alone, just the two of us (and Tom!) while everyone else began to boogie. We loved being able to join in with everyone after.

We were hugely grateful for days of rest at home following - we didn't organise a honeymoon straight after, and we are very glad for it!

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

Tom Coburn (our photographer) was so wonderful on our day - his warmth, encouragement and positivity made us feel comfortable and like ourselves. We knew we could relax and enjoy the day, knowing he would capture it naturally and with grace. The film photos are our favourite.

Anastasia at Carte Blanche Bride was so helpful, contacting Cortana in Spain at all hours of the night when I needed some extra assistance, and she checked in along the way making sure I loved my dress and felt good about the process.

Serena Wyllie is a wizard! Her make up looked stunning on all of the bridesmaids and mother of the bride, and her light touch heightened our natural features. We still felt like ourselves. Serena is calm and ultra professional.

Baci and her staff from Bistro Rex made our night unforgettable - we had more people than we can count reach out to compliment the chef and the service. Baci was always contactable and flexible with our requests.

Photographer: Tom Coburn Studio @Tomcoburn_ | Reception Location: Bistro Rex Potts Point @bistrorex | HMUA: Serena Wyllie Makeup @serenawylliemakeup | Entertainment: Claire Fahie Music @clairefahiemusic & Katie Reid Music @katiereidmusic | Drinks: On the Ferry Royale through Rosman Cruises @rosmancruises | Wedding Dress: Cortana from Carte Blanche Bride Melbourne @carteblanchebride | Reception Dress: Self Portrait @selfportrait | Suit: P. Johnson @pjohnsonworld | Engagement Ring: Cerrone @cerronejewellers | Wedding Rings: The Wedding Ring Shop @theweddingringshop