Real Wedding; Ella and Mark @ Seacliff House

About You Two;

Now, How did you two meet?

We met at the Harp Hotel. I was a bartender and Mark used to come in on Friday Nights with friends. We got chatting about our tattoos and he asked me out on a date. I couldn’t say no to those beautiful blue eyes! We went on our first date and we’ve been inseparable ever since.

Who popped the Question and how did it happen?

Mark did. It was peak COVID 19 lockdown and I heard a knock at the door. I went to the front window and the postman put the parcels at the door and gave me a thumbs up. I responded with a thumbs up as a form of signing for the parcels… (COVID 19 signature). I brought the parcels in and saw a parcel from “Louise Jean Jewellery.” I instantly knew it was my engagement ring as I don’t wear jewellery. I told Mark an “unknown parcel” had arrived. Little did I know, he was panicking at work. I was also panicking at home. Later that afternoon, Mark proposed in the kitchen, it was perfect.

Why did you choose your venue and how was the venue choosing process?

We wanted coastal/farm and nothing too far away for guests. Due to us getting engaged during COVID, my parents (who live in Kiama) attended Seacliff and completed a site visit with us on facetime. They said “it’s everything and more that you want.” We booked Seacliff the following day.

Quick Fire Questions;

How many wedding guests did you have?

62

Sit down of Cocktail Style?

Cocktail

What month?

February 2023

Planning The Wedding;

Was planning the wedding stressful or did you enjoy the journey?

LOVED planning our wedding

How involved were you both in the wedding planning, did one of you take more of the lead on certain aspects than others or were you both equally involved?

Both equally involved. I (Ella) liaised with all the vendors and did a lot of research, however, I always asked Mark for his thoughts and opinion before booking anything. It was all we talked about!

What was the top couple of non-negotiables or important must-have’s at the wedding for you both?

Making our wedding feel like a big celebration / party rather than a wedding. We wanted everyone to have fun and enjoy themselves. Our dog Charlie was a must have at our wedding! We loved that Seacliff allowed us to have her there.

Tell us about your dress and that dress-finding process?

Oh, my dress! I still think about it. I purchased and had my dress designed by Karen Willis Holmes. Fun Fact: I’m the only bride in NSW to ever wear that dress combination – the top part of my dress is no longer available.

KWH was the first dress place we went to & my dress was the first dress I tried on. I fell in love with it instantly. We went to Love Marie Bridal where another dress was second best. I found the dress process really weird, definitely not my thing.

What sort of theme, vibe or style did you go for?

Modern, black and white, and timeless.

On the Day;

How did you both feel wedding morning?

Nervous, excited, emotional, stress free, all the feels!

What was the best part or moment of your day?

Our first look for sure!

Anything you would change about your wedding or anything that didn’t go to plan?

We wouldn’t change a thing! It rained which was not the plan but we loved that our ceremony was inside, it was so romantic.

Are there any rituals, sentiments or traditions you incorporated into the day?

We had different elements of our grandparents who had passed away + a candle lit for our friends and family who had passed away.

Mark’s present Granddad wood turned pens for us to sign our marriage certificate.

Ella worn her late nana’s earrings

We had a wine dedicated to Ella’s late grandmother behind the bar.

After the Wedding;

Describe newlywed life in a couple of words?

THE BEST.

Best investment or money well spent on the wedding that you made?

So many beautiful parts of our wedding that we’re glad we invested money in. Although, a wedding coordinator made our life so much easier during the planning process and on the day! We couldn’t have done it without them.

Budget-over, under or what you estimated?

Well over! haha!

Credits:

Coordination/Set Up; The Wedding and Event Creators
Celebrant; Claire Belford
Venue; Seacliff House
Florist; Two Wild Hearts Co
Photographer/Videographer; Tom Coburn
Catering; Rabbit & Co
Bar Staff; Henry Clive
Entertainment; The Jets
DJ; Vintage Stylus
Makeup; Amy Cooper
Hair; Chelsea Louise Studio