Fiona and Travis first met on RSVP, and had their first date in Berrima, halfway between their two homes in the Blue Mountains and Canberra. Travis proposed on Christmas morning, in front of his whole family, including three beautiful children. "So I knew his proposal was perfect for everyone," says Fiona. "And I knew he was proud to have me in his life. I said yes close to 100 times through tears of joy!"
As a child, Fiona had dreamt of long, beautiful dresses of silk and lace, handsome men in suits and top hats and all the fineries of a bygone era, like polished silver and fine china.
"My favourite movies were with Katherine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby and Shirley Temple," says Fiona. "So the decision to have a Vintage Picnic theme for our big day was a perfect match. There was very little time to organise everything, I had only 4 months and needed to work on a very tight budget as we had recently purchased our first home and were to move in 6-8 weeks after we wed. I had a few little things of my own, so with a budget of $5,000 in mind and needed to include my dress! I started collecting all sorts of eclectic china, silver and bits and pieces from all around the world. Etsy is the most incredible place to source anything and everything 'Vintage' and 'Wedding'. I went and visited my best friends in Katoomba and we rummaged through every Antique shop from one end of the Blue Mountains to the other!"
Originally, the couple had hoped to hold their ceremony at the Carillion in Canberra, however the weather turned against them, with blizzards striking the day before. "So we had to go to our backup plan of Bonython Community Hall in Bonython," says Fiona. "It ended up being perfect for both our ceremony and reception."
Fiona's stunning rosewater pink gown was a dream come true for the bride. "I had always wanted to wear something full and silk with flowers on it. This had always been a dream from when I was a child from watching old world movies. I bought my gown in Adelaide. It is a Nicolina Gown, it was perfect!
Fiona was the epitome of the DIY bride. "I hand made everything myself!" she enthuses. "I dried rose petals for months that were picked from our garden, buntings, my wedding shrug, serviettes, all the flowers, butterfly nets, vintage photo jars and a 'pass the parcel' with each layer wrapped in beautiful cotton and lace and tied together with pretty ribbons and so much more!" She invested in some professional assistance for some of the more complex projects. "Shelby Mills from Addie & Me designed the Children's table, which represented my dreams as a child. I believe children are too often forgotten at weddings and with Shelby's magic the children felt like little Princes and Princesses and that the day was about them too. David Ferguson from 'Objective Fine Vintage Design' supplied the Antique furniture which made the finishing touches to our perfect day!"
Fiona also made both wedding cakes and all the decorations. "All the flowers were bought from Fyshwick markets, and the set up was done by my wonderful sisters, best friends, sister, mother and father in law and husband to be, even the kids helped with putting flowers in jars!" she smiles. "It was very stressful in the end but we pulled it all together, most importantly together as a family and that is what made our wedding day more memorable. Everyone was buzzing around, decorating and cooking scones and cupcakes the night before the wedding."
The couple gifted each guest with handmade fruitcake cupcakes, decorated in royal and soft icing and topped off with vintage brooches for the ladies and cufflinks for the gentlemen. "I sourced them from all around the world," says Fiona. "Each cupcake took a minimum of two hours to make. Together they formed our wedding cake and were given as gifts at the end of the night in gorgeous handmade boxes."
The couple spent their wedding night at Ginninderry Homestead, and plan to honeymoon in Holland, as they both have Dutch heritage. "Since telling everyone I think we now have Trav's parents, sister, and my sisters with my niece too coming with us!" laughs Fiona. "Lucky we both are family oriented people."
Fiona had such an enjoyable time hosting her wedding high tea that she will be hosting another, but this time with all proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity. "Our High Tea for Habitat is going to be a High Tea that will set the standards of High Tea in Canberra and Australia. We have 12 different styled tables to choose from some including Vintage Photography, Mary Antoinette, The Nut Cracker, Cigar Bar for the men and Flower Faeries for the children. There will be delightful scones to accompany the many flavours of teas, mouth-watering desserts, sandwiches, an abundance of colourful and tasty cupcakes to take your fancy. We will also have displays and lots of information for people interested in gaining ideas for their next High Tea Event. We are encouraging everyone to come dressed in their best dresses, giving the ladies an opportunity to wear their wedding dresses again, men in suits and top hats, and children dressed to suit their theme, come dance to the tunes of the old bygone era and enjoy many of the entertainments throughout the afternoon to early evening. Shelby and I are big dreams people and we make dreams come true, especially important to us is raising as much funds as we can to make the dreams come true for the families of Habitat for Humanity, so come join us and make this dream come true for us all!"
High Tea for Humanity will be held on September 22nd, 2012 at Tuggeranong Community Centre. If you're interested in purchasing a ticket, or you'd like some more information, phone Fiona Kirk on 0412 490 073 or visit www.addieandme.com.au.
Photography: Steven Lloyd Photography
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Bonython Community Hall in Bonython
Cake, Decor, Flowers, Bomboniere: DIY by the Bride and her family
Bride's Gown: Nicolina
Children's Table: Shelby Mills of Addie and Me
Antique Furniture Hire: David Ferguson of Objective Fine Vintage Design
Food: DIY by the Bride and her family
Congratulations to the happy couple!
Are you including a little DIY in your wedding? Or a lot? Let us know! Leave a comment, stop by Facebook or tweet us @ModernWeddingOz.
Enjoy!
Rosemary x