White by Gossip Gowns

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The magical experience of finding the perfect wedding gown is one we’ve all dreamt of, and it’s seriously a special, often teary, step along the wedding planning journey. And while there can be multiple hiccups within that search for The Dress, an all too common one that really hurts is when your dress loses it’s ‘unique’ factor.

Imagine stumbling across your dream gown, ecstatically ordering it months in advance, and then, as the wedding date swiftly approaches, that same design starts popping up seemingly on every bride in town. It’s the curse of the ‘trendiest dress in town’, and this is where ‘exclusivity’ saves the day. And more specifically for our Brisbane (and surrounds) brides, a new showroom in Newport, White by Gossip Gowns.

They boast an incredible selection of exclusive gowns, all lovingly selected, bespoke and unique. Although incredibly difficult to choose favourites, we couldn’t help but share these stunning examples below. Make sure you source them out at A Darling Affair and book an appointment with them ASAP. Every bride deserves to look and feel unique and special, as well as stunning, in their wedding dress.

White by Gossip Gowns

White by Gossip Gowns White by Gossip Gowns

The 10 Reasons Why You’ll LOVE A Darling Affair

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It is not long now till our fair date and A Darling Affair promises to be an absolute visual feast. It will joyously inspire and excite you without lumping piles of stress or decisions on your plate. Our focus is fun, festival vibes and oh my gosh we have some epic treats in store for you.

We oh so humbly call ourselves the Queens of ‘Creative Weddings’ and want to fill your mind, and goodie bags, with great ideas and contacts to bring your unique, creative and bold plans to fruition.

A Darling Affair Brides Tribe

Seriously, we know you will have the best day! Our confidence is so high we’ve even assembled 10 reasons why…

  1. Fashion shows. Gorgeous gowns and male models in suits. Enough said.
  2. Celebrant ✔️ Live Music ✔️ Invitations ✔️ Photographer ✔️ Basically bring your checklist and you’ll soon be in organisational Nirvana.
  3. Kombi Photo Booth. Because taking a break from all the planning with silly squad pics in the Kombi is what every doctor ordered.
  4. Live music. The atmosphere will be chilling and cruising thanks to some incredible (non-cheesy) live musicians, that you will probably fall in love with and book in for serenading your big day.
  5. Free parking. More coins for food trucks.A Darling Affair, Brisbane 2018
  6. Or Ice cream. Like gooooood ice cream. In an Insta worthy cart that is now booked in for your engagement party ✔️
  7. Did we mention Food Trucks. The nice ones, the ones you’d happily drive to the other side of town and wait in a large queue for. Mouth Watering and Foodie Approved.
  8. Assemble your Bride’s Tribe and make a truly epic day out of it. The Fair is happening 2pm – 7pm. So I’m thinking Mimosas/Lunch beforehand and somewhere equally fabulous afterwards? If we weren’t busy packing up, we’d join you!
  9. Prizes. Door prizes, raffles, Oprah giving away free cars… ok that last one isn’t *guaranteed* but our prizes trump it anyway 😉
  10. We want you to have fun! It’s not about stressing you out with pressure, trends and 50 vendors doing *almost the same thing but which one is better?* We celebrate unique ideas and elements to help create a masterpiece of a memorable wedding day, and seriously love the chance to help you get there.

So looking forward to seeing you and your fabulous crew there! So scoot on over and grab your tickets now.

 

For full shoot credits, check the talented team out below:

PHOTOGRAPHY: www.pruefranzmannphotography.com.au/

CREATIVE DIRECTION: www.wholeheartedstudio.com.au/

STYLING: www.himandherevents.com.au/

FURNITURE HIRE:  www.theperfectpartyco.com.au/

MAKEUP: www.thebeautycase.com.au/makeup-and-hair-services.html/

HAIR: www.jodycallanhair.com.au/gallery/

DRINKS CART: www.gatheringevents.com.au/

ICE-CREAM BIKE: www.wheelandspoon.com/

PHOTO BOOTH: www.instakombi.com/

CAKES: www.hanselandgretelcakes.com.au/

VENUE: www.brc.com.au/functions/eagle-farm-venues/

FLOWERS: http://www.mrsgibbonsflowers.com.au/

SIGNAGE: www.ejrdesigns.com.au/

NEON SIGN: www.neonrepublic.com.au/

JUMP SUIT / SEPARATES: www.gingerandgold.com.au/

GOWNS: www.jennifergifforddesigns.com/

JACKETS: www.winstonwolfe.com.au/

TINSEL JACKET: www.shoprachelburke.com/

SUIT: www.urbbana.com.au/

 

 

Get your Reception LIT

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Question… when was the last time you curated a large scale lighting installation to deliver perfect ambience, wow factor and timed specifications for ‘I can see what I’m eating’ and ‘dancing shoes ON’?

Oh never, yeah us too.

So in the interest of saving our sanity, let’s all decide to bring in the professionals when it comes to lighting up the wedding reception.

And when we say professionals, we tend to think of Out of the Dark Event Lighting. They are ambience geniuses and specialise in seriously show stopping installations. We cannot wait to see what they create at A Darling Affair, it’s sure to be a talking point and no doubt they will be swiftly filling their calendars with bookings.

We’ve selected a few of our favourite looks they’ve recently created, and are currently dreaming of what they might come out with next. All hail the lighting legends!

Wedding Lighting

Rattan & Mass Greenery
This is a bohemian classic and creates some serious chill vibes for your evening. Mix and matching the shades creates a layered, less uniform effect. We also can’t stop staring at the gorgeousness that is the accompanying floristry from Bower Botanicals in this installation. Amazing!

 

Wedding Lighting Sheer

Sheer Linens
Ethereal and perfectly diffused for a soft, whimsical glow to the evening. A small cluster of these would be a gorgeous feature over the dance floor or bridal table, or regular lines above long feasting tables would take your guests’ breath away.

 

Wedding Lighting Fairy Lights

 

Fairy Lights en masse
A classic approach which never fails to set the romantic, twinkling scene. Paired perfectly with an overabundance of florals and greenery for a true secret forest feel.

These lighting legends will be at the fair and boy are you going to love meeting them! So head on over to the website and grab your tickets now.

Menswear Trends we can’t get enough of

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In case you missed the memo, men’s suiting is gaining some great style momentum at the moment. We’re loving seeing bolder trends and variations on classic styles. Grooms are absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing wedding outfits for themselves and their crew. Here in Brisbane we have some incredible local talent who will be represented well at A Darling Affair and will no doubt catch your attention strutting their tailored stuff down the runway.

We have noticed a particularly swoon worthy trend around lighter tones, lots of pink and purple hues, linen blends and soft patterns which we just love love love. And when we find a trend we like, we’re soon lost down a rabbit hole of inspiration boards, magazine cuttings, style forecasting heaven.

Here is a gorgeous selection of some of our favourite finds from our three local favourites, Urbbana, Will Valor and Institchu.

Intitchu Linen Suits

Intitchu

Wil Valor Suit Collar

Wil Valor

Wil Valor Wedding Suit

Wil Valor

Institchu Linen Suit

Institchu

 

Urbbana Pink Check Suit

Urbbana

 

To come and see the mens style for yourself, grab your tickets now.

How to be The Greatest Groomsman of All Time

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First of all, well done! You must be a loyal and enjoyable enough friend to be summoned as essentially a ‘wedding wingman’. Or you simply share genetics with the Groom and willingly or not have to stand by your brother’s/cousin’s side for his big day. Regardless, your title has been bestowed, but you quite possibly have no idea what you’re meant to do with it.

Sure, Hollywood may lead us to believe that groomsmen are led by a single goal of complete inebriation and blinding Vegas lights, and only produce issues and roadblocks to the success of a wedding day. But, we know that’s all lies and an epic groomsman loves nothing more than saving the day, providing solutions, and essentially becoming the Groom’s hero.

So to help you on your path of heroic wedded deeds, here are our 5 ‘I’m the Greatest Groomsman of All Time’ Solutions that you can essentially print out, give to the Groom and earn yourself some serious pat-on-the-back kudos.

Solution 1: Don’t get overwhelmed by all the planning.
You can see it, your mate is obviously excited for the impending nuptials but the 100 bridal magazines, 20 varieties of roses and guest list whittling is starting to make his eye twitch. Give him a reassuring pat on the back and load Groomology on his phone for him. They are simply a ‘no BS Wedding Resource for the Modern Groom’. And bonus, sign up to their newsletter and you get a Free Vow and Speech Writing Kit.

Solution 2: Become The Master of Beverages. All beverages!
Not just a crate of whatever stubby the bottle-o had on special that week, but read up on some great whiskies and show off your knowledge when culturally swirling them in a glass. And line up some top drop coffee for the morning after your bucks’ celebrations.

Solution 3: We’ll all be looking Mighty Fine come Show Time!
Yes some of us may have sported a 5 o’clock shadow for the best part of 10 years but fear not… we know a guy! Specifically The Mobile Barber Shop (you’re welcome). A fully decked out barber shop van ready to park up for the morning of the big day and work some clean-shaven magic.

Solution 4: Wow everyone with our outfits just/almost as much as the other halves.
Well fitted and seriously dapper is the order of the day. Yes, it’s time to leaf through some style magazines, even scroll some red carpet slideshows and find a style that suits the Groom to a ’T’. Call your tailor and set up a date. Don’t have a tailor? Give the team at Urbbana a call, they’ll look after you.

Solution 5: Do what you do best.
Either use your witty one-liners to calm the Groom’s jitters, or be the level headed one who remembers to pack breath mints for everyone. There will be reasons the Groom wants you around for the day, so figure out what that might be, and own it!

Because over all, your mate getting married to his other half is the main goal of the day… but if you can make it smoother, more fun or brilliant then congrats! You are a Epic Groomsman!

Image Credits: Groomsmen: Groomology; Florido Weddings Barber images: The Mobile Barber Shop

Amazing Event Hire

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Whether you’re planning a DIY dream or need someone to do all the heavy work planning your perfect wedding, our event hire vendors are hard to beat. These amazing businesses pulled out all the stops to help us create the ultimate party space for our Sunshine Coast Wedding Fair and we couldn’t recommend them enough!
 Hat’s off to the amazing Out of the Dark Event Lighting! Their amazing team worked so hard from start to finish to create a cozy setup that our guests LOVED.
Recognising a gap in the market, Out Of The Dark was born to fill the need for modern and stylish lighting for events and celebrations. Providing a unique interior feel to all of their setups, Michael and his crew do everything from creating lighting plans, sourcing product selections, dreaming up custom designs and providing installation.
 
 Perfect Party Co. know how to do it right. With talent oozing out of them, this fab business gave 200% to make the Fashion Lounge look STUNNING.
The sister company to Out of the Dark, they offer an all-inclusive service of planning, styling, floristry and hire and can handle everything from proposal to reception pack up. Headed up by the lovely Amey, she and her team work with a network of creative wedding industry vendors and have managed events from Brisbane to Auckland and Fiji, with guest lists ranging from 20 to over 500!
A Darling Affair have been so lucky to have Equip 4 Hire onboard as a sponsor to make the Fashion Lounge possible. We love working with them and couldn’t recommend them enough! One glance at their product list is all you need to see that they are able to provide everything from the marquee, lighting, dance floor, tables and chairs, right through to the linen and cutlery. This awesome business can provide just about anything for your perfect DIY wedding and are more than happy to do the grunt work with set up and take down. Picturing something that they don’t have on their product list? No worries! Equip 4 Hire love trying new things and are always keen to hunt down that perfect item that their clients are dreaming of.
How gorgeous is that greenery wall!?? An established business in Sydney for 14 years, Fairylight Curtains owners Jayne and Inigo made a sea change to the coast and expanded their family business while they were at it. For them, this was the perfect creative outlet in an industry that they truly love. Fairylight Curtains provides stunning backdrops and ceiling drapery for weddings, celebrations and photo shoots, and since moving to Queensland they have expanded their product range to include flower walls and green walls. Every instagramers dream! Their gorgeous backgrounds look fantastic with props and have endless uses! Whether it’s for an eye-catching centrepiece, used as a photo backdrop or front and centre during a ceremony…if you can dream it, these guys can do it.
A big thank you to Asha Jane & Co. who made our gorgeous gold A Darling Affair sign that we had above the door of the chapel and some other lovely bits and pieces for the fair. Designer Kelly is the brains behind this popular Laser Cutting Studio based on the beautiful Sunshine Coast. Making ready made & customised wooden & acrylic products, they make the perfect keepsake for any wedding or home.
It’s impossible not to fall in love with this talented guy and his amazing creations! Twisted Mr provides everything that a balloon loving customer could want. From giving small intimate affairs a splash of wow factor, to working alongside stylists to brings a large scale venue to life. Specialising in organic balloon garlands, jumbo balloons, confetti balloons and tulle balloons, there’s nothing that he won’t do to create the magical decor that you desire.
Starting off by creating designs for family, Event Letters owners Dave and Katie were inspired to share their talents with other couples looking for a unique way to set their wedding apart from the rest. Each and every one of their letters and props are designed, machine cut and hand finished locally by the Event Letters team. Filament style bulbs recreate a vintage carnival feel that their clients love, while also having the option of customising the letters with coloured bulbs to perfectly match the palette of your celebration. All of their props are fully dimmable, making them able to create the perfect vibe and ambiance for whatever type of wedding you have your heart set on.
Photo credit: Daisy Chain Weddings

So Delish

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On the hunt for some delish grub for your guests? From cakes and desserts, to sit down feasts, our catering vendors have all your food bases covered.
Wild Child Catering specialises in creating 100% bespoke cakes and drool-worthy dessert tables. Creator Kendra is a master at putting together the most amazing, Instagrammable dessert spreads and is a genius at eclectic, vintage and boho-chic themes. Kendra works closely with her clients to customise one-of-a-kind menus based on couples wants and needs. You want a pie table? She can do that! A skyscraper of Parisian macaroons? You got it! Have your heart set on a donut tower? No problem!!!
We were so lucky to have Icecream Curls with us at the fair! It was an absolute scorcher and they had us cooling down with delicious, super fun ice-cream curls. This fab biz create delicious frozen treats that have people craving more up and down the Sunshine Coast! The first of it’s kind in Queensland, Icecream Curls is made from scratch by husband and wife team Sam and Dannii.  All of their fresh ingredients come from local suppliers and they’re strong believers in keeping things local and supporting others chasing their dreams. Community over competition!

The Little Bluebird Fine Cakes and Sweets create gorgeous individually designed wedding cakes and coordinating sweets for lovely couples who are looking for something special on their big day. With a timeless and distinctive style that makes them unique, The Little Bluebird offer crisp, elegant and designs that are executed with perfection and taste out of this world.

Hat’s off to Parma Street Food (formerly known as Maribelle’s Street Food) for not only being a favourite with our guests, they were also one of the friendliest vendors at the Sunshine Coast Wedding Fair! The only food truck of its kind on the Sunshine Coast, Maribelle’s offer different menu choices for any occasion, ranging from Italian antipasto platters, cheese and fruit platters, canapes and even a buffet and restaurant style option for the couple looking for a sit-down feast. They really have all the bases covered for a delicious and original wedding menu that will keep your guests talking about your day for years to come.
Thank goodness for Head Over Wheels! These guys kept everyone cool with their refreshing drinks on such a hot day, plus they looked great and tasted soooo good! New to the Sunshine Coast, since May of 2017 they have already helped celebrate multiple weddings, birthday parties and community and corporate events from Byron Bay to Noosa. Not a bad start! Their gorgeous mobile caravan bar is an absolute wow factor, guaranteed to make your celebration even more memorable. Operating as a BYO alcohol and beverage service, the Head Over Wheel’s friendly and talented bar staff ensure that your guests are happy and hydrated at all times. Plus, their amazing decor and relaxing ambiance create incredible photo ops!
Photo Credit: Daisy Chain Weddings

Stationery Love

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The Sunshine Coast Wedding Fair sparkled with old world charm thanks to our darling stationery vendors. These talented ladies got us all inspired with their dreamy calligraphy skills and gorgeous paper goods.

Artist Danielle is the talented creator of Lindqvist Ink. Specialising in fine art stationery suites for weddings and events, her range includes invitations, save the dates and RSVP’s, plus on-the-day items such as place cards, menus and seating charts. Danielle’s skills have seen her published multiple times in publications across the globe, it was a treat to see her work for ourselves!
 The Frankie Collective partner with brides, mums-to-be or event planners to create luxe paper stationery. From the first mention of ‘save-the-date’,  all the way through to individually hand-lettered place cards and thank-you’s, stationery has the ability to leave a lasting impression. On top of paper stationery, designer Jane Hill also offers custom or hire options of signage for your wedding or event, as well as stunning wall prints and beautiful little bits and pieces to make your house a home.
 Little Duck Calligraphy
Designer Tess is the brains behind the oh-so-gorgeous Little Duck Calligraphy. Tess is highly sought after for creative collaboration both in Australia and internationally and has been featured in magazines worldwide.  Tess works together in a partnership with each and every client she has to create the wedding stationery of their dreams, from save the dates to thank you notes and everything in between.
Photo credit: Daisy Chain Weddings

Lindqvist Ink

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Get ready for some old world charm.

Artist Danielle is the talented creator behind Lindqvist Ink. Art runs through this talented girls veins, with her working as a designer in theatre and film and also in the corporate world as a visual merchandiser before turning her talents to calligraphy and illustration.

Launching in 2016, Lindqvist Ink has since taken off and been published multiple times in various publications in Australia and overseas. It’s not hard to see why. Danielle’s beautiful fine art stationery perfectly compliments the romance of a wedding and not only makes a beautiful keepsake, her invitations and designs create a unique way to get your guests as excited as you are.

Specialising in fine art stationery suites for weddings and events, her range includes invitations, save the dates and RSVP’s, plus on-the-day items such as place cards, menus and seating charts.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Danielle’s talents, so be sure to visit the Lindqvist Ink website or Facebook page and come and have a peek for yourself at this Saturday’s Sunshine Coast Wedding Fair!

 

In the Booth

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Introducing In the Booth! The ultimate party starter, their iconic booths are a favourite across the country for all types of celebrations.

This award-winning business has recently been taken over by newlyweds Dave and Katie. With loads of experience working in the event industry, they knew that In the booth was the perfect fit. These two are tried and true believers in the magic that’s created behind the curtain. An enclosed booth provides privacy for your more reserved guests to get a little silly and offers what may be the only place at your event where you can steal a moment for yourself and your sweetheart. Even your most camera shy guests will produce amazing and creative photos as they loosen up in the privacy of these comfy photo booths.

With convenient locations across Australia, every booth in their network is identical, keeping it easy with no confusing options, colours or styles. Just striking, classically styled booths that command attention in any venue. The fab retro look of their booths is only rivalled by the quality of images that are produced. With their dash of vintage style, they retain that classic photo booth feel which is seamlessly combined with industry leading software and imaging equipment.

We’re so excited for you to try out their awesome booths for yourself at this week’s Sunshine Coast Wedding Fair! To find out more from In the Booth, visit their website or find them on Facebook.