Get your Reception LIT

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

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.

A Darling Affair Official Campaign Reveal

We are so excited to share with you our biggest shoot yet! We worked hard as a team to pull off one of our most vendor filled shoots in the history of A Darling Affair… and boy did everyone pull out all the stops.

The concept was to produce a shoot that would give couples a taste of what a day at A Darling Affair would look like. We are all about bold, bright, friendly, stylish, feminine and fun weddings…  so together we worked to create a shoot that would showcase that.

Thank you so much to everyone who was a part of this shoot. It really was a team effort! For full credits (it was a big team!) scroll down to see the full list.

If this shoot is anything to go by, A Darling Affair November is going to be the greatest day ever! Don’t forget we have Early Bird tickets available for a short time only, grab yours here. Scroll on to see this beautiful shoot for yourselves.

 

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/

Josie Gown By Jennifer Gifford

We’re always on the look out for beautiful wedding gowns to feature, so when we stopped mid scroll because of this beautiful wedding gown we came across, we knew we needed to feature it here on the blog for all our beautiful brides.

Designed by Jennifer Gifford, this stunning dress comprises of floral detail and silk overlay fabric. This dress, named Josie is so unique with its delicate petal embroidered French tulle, scoop neckline, feminine flutter sleeves and a four layered 1/2 circle tulle skirt with a train. Designed as an overlay she can be worn over the a slip or strapless gown.

We can’t wait to see some of Jennifer’s beautiful gowns hit the A Darling Affair fashion parade runway again. The count down is on!

 

 

Amazing Event Hire

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

Blooming Lovely Style

The Sunshine Coast Wedding Fair has come and gone for another year! We had such an awesome line up of vendors, it’s hard to put our excitement and love for them all into words…but we’ll try! First off we have some big love to share for all of the talented florists and stylists. These guys brought their A game!
In an industry where trends are constantly changing, Nat from Heavenly Blooms is a florist that evolves with the times. Her unique style inspires her to take risks and think outside of the box, designing floral creations that are wild and organic. Nat is such a talent and Heavenly Blooms creations beautifully mimic nature while also reflecting the vision drawn from the world around us.
Gloriosa Florals brought some magic to the fair with an array of beautiful blooms and an absolutely fabulous floral arbour that wowed all of our guests. Florist, Sarah, is a genius at creating breathtaking arrangements and is known for her bouquets, reception florals and showstopping hanging chandeliers. Based in Brisbane, Gloriosa is a full-service florist specialising in weddings and their team travel to the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Toowomba, Tweed Coast, Byron Bay and many other amazing venues in between to bring some magic to your special day.
Cloud Nine Weddings is a multi-award winning business and an absolute must for anyone planning a wedding or celebration on the Sunshine Coast. This awesome business has everything you could ever need to create your dream wedding. Cloud Nine Weddings can organise decorations, help with finding the perfect ceremony location, assist with council permits and just about anything else you can think of to help make your celebration seamless. They also supplied A Darling Affair with some stunning signs on the day of the fair, we couldn’t have loved them more!
Is there anything better than working with your BFF? With backgrounds in Visual Merchandising and PR/Marketing, besties Demi and Emily decided to put their heads together and start Harper Arrow, a bespoke events business that could cater to any number of guests.
Based in Brisbane, Harper Arrow offer a range of styling packages that can be individually tailored to create your dream celebration. Whether you’re after a DIY hire or someone to handle all of the nitty-gritty details for you, Harper Arrow brings a little bit of magic to any event.
A big shoutout to Boho Sisters! These girls know how to turn heads! Their team created a chic and relaxed oasis on our Picnic Lawn, making it the perfect spot for couples to unwind in between cruising the fair. We still get googly eyes just thinking about this beautiful space.
Boho Sisters are known for their unique styling talents.  Based on the beautiful Sunshine Coast, their fresh take on wedding and event styling is refined with a personalised, relaxed approach. The girls have made a name for their romantic and intimate affairs and the gorgeous spaces that they create have made them in-demand in and around this beautiful part of the country.
Photo credit: Daisy Chain Weddings

Fairylight Curtains

 

Fairylight Curtains is a Sunshine Coast business that knows how to bring the magic!

An established business in Sydney for 14 years, 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.

Their fantastic service and client-focused attitude have made Fairylight Curtains a popular choice for weddings and parties. Their small dedicated team are passionate about offering couples a stress-free service and they can handle all the finer details like liaising with venues or wedding planners directly so that you can focus on other parts of your special day.

The countdown is one for the Sunshine Coast Wedding Fair this weekend and we’re so happy to have Fairylight Curtains as part of our vendor line up! Be sure to come and meet them on the day and visit their website or Facebook page for more info on their products and services.

 

Hello May Exclusive

 

It’s no secret how much we love our amazing sponsor Hello May, so when they asked us to create some exclusive images just for them it was a no-brainer.

We are so lucky to be surrounded by so many incredible talents, making it easy to put together the ultimate crew to help bring to life a dreamy photo shoot fit for the pages of the Hello May Blog.

Daisy Chain WeddingsHeavenly BloomsThe Beauty CaseIvie White Bridal, Him & Her EventsHodge Podge Hire,  Wil ValorWildChild CakesThe Supper Club and September Creative worked their magic and we have to say that it turned out even better than we had imagined! This amazing team of vendors and suppliers make working in the wedding industry a joy and we love having so many great Sunshine Coast movers and shakers to recommend to our couples.

Not long now until the Sunshine Coast Wedding Fair, have you got your tickets yet?!  Head over to Hello May for more gorgeous wedding inspo to get you through until this weekend. See you at the fair!

 

 

The Frankie Collective

 

Get ready to meet one talented lady!  Jane Hill is the owner, creative designer and calligrapher behind The Frankie Collective Design Studio. With a broad appreciation for all things aesthetically pleasing, along with a passion to help make events and spaces more beautiful, Jane’s work has become a favourite for couples on the coast.

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.

Jane knows that first impressions count, and so does your style. She believes in creating stationery that truly represents you and your event. The Frankie Collective offer a huge range of luxe stationery options including custom or pre-existing designs, using gold foiling, letterpress, white ink printing and calligraphy on a variety of card stock and envelope options. On top of paper stationery, custom or hire options of signage for your wedding or event are also on offer, as well as stunning wall prints and beautiful little bits and pieces to make your house a home.

We’re so pumped that Jane is a part of our awesome lineup for the next Sunshine Coast Wedding Fair! We love her work and we know that you will too! Until then, you can find more from The Frankie Collective on Facebook or their website.

 

Maribelle’s Street Food

 

It’s hard to say no to a food truck and Maribelle’s Street Food is a Sunshine Coast classic.

Originating from Italy, new owners Fran and Simon are seasoned professionals in the hospitality industry, with Simon a trained chef and Fran an experienced restaurant manager. These two are making waves on the coast with their authentic menu and amazing service.

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.

Fran and Simon will be bringing their awesome food truck to the Sunshine Coast Wedding Festival to feed all of our hungry brides and grooms to be. Come and try their mouthwatering food for yourself and have a chat with them about how they can create a one of a kind menu just for you.

Head to their website or find them on Facebook to see more of what Maribelle’s Street Food has on offer.