Alisha & Luke’s Abundant Elopement

For Alisha & Luke, the vision for their special day was one of intimacy and joy, where stress took a backseat to their most memorable moments. Opting for a small elopement at the picturesque Baie Wines, surrounded by their closest loved ones (including their furry friend, Indi!), they found the perfect setting to say "I do." Alisha & Luke explored elopement packages, landing on Big Love Elopements and discovering firsthand how stress-free eloping could be when working with the right team of vendors. April & Fritz transformed the idyllic Baie Wines into the perfect frame for the beginning of their marriage. Read more on how this partnership led to a seamless and unforgettable wedding experience for Alisha & Luke.

How did you find Baie and select it over other locations as the venue for your big day? What were you looking for in a venue?

The first time we visited Baie Wines was for a ‘Baie Insider’ tasting. We absolutely fell in love with the property itself - stunning views of the water, the full rows of vines and the tree lined driveway - we pretty much decided then and there that we would like to get married at Baie.

Most importantly, we have a small pup who we wanted to be part of our wedding day. The first question we asked was "do you allow dogs on the property for weddings?”, we were very relieved to hear the answer was yes!

We hosted our reception at my (Alisha’s) parent’s home. This was really special because it was the family home so there were so many memories there already, and having our favourite people there to celebrate meant the world to us.

What was your plan of attack for the planning process? Budgets, making decisions, inviting guests?

Knowing that we were keeping it small, and in the spirit of the stress-free and fun wedding we wanted, we didn’t really set a budget. We had some ideas around things that we didn’t want to spend outrageously on, but we didn’t want to compromise on anything either. We made all our decisions together (and a tracking spreadsheet, of course) except for the wedding dress and suit. This made the decision-making process fun and easy.

What was your vision for the day and how did you choose your style? Why was this important to you?

We had talked a bit about eloping and wanting to keep stress to an absolute minimum. We really just wanted to have fun and enjoy the day. That said, we also didn’t want to miss out on sharing the day with our families so we chatted to the crew at Big Love Elopements and landed on a small elopement ceremony which gave us our stress-free and fun day, with our families. It was the perfect day for us and we’re so glad this is the type of wedding we decided on.

Why was including floral arrangements as part of your wedding important to you?

With the stunning views at Baie Wines, we wanted to add pops of colour and vibrancy through our floral arrangement to brighten up where we stood to say ‘I do’.

However, the most important floral arrangement of the day was Indi’s flower collar. It was really special that we could have a flower collar for her that matched the bouquet and buttonhole. It made our day complete (she looked so cute and didn’t want to take it off!).

What led you to choose April & Fritz for your floral design?

Bree, herself. I (Alisha) have known Bree for sometime and had the pleasure of experiencing her kindness, positivity and enthusiasm for all that she does. Having seen the images of the beautiful arrangements she had been creating for April & Fritz, there was not another florist that we wanted for our wedding.

Bree is incredibly talented, and from the moment we reached out, we felt inspired and supported through the whole process, and the end result - amazing.

Bree nailed the brief in the mood board she designed and the colour palette, and seeing our floral arrangements on the day, we were lost for words because they were so perfect.

We’re so very grateful to Bree and so happy that April & Fritz were available for our wedding date.

Could you share some insights into your planning process for the floral design? How did April & Fritz assist you in bringing your vision to life?

There are so many options for wedding flowers and so many arrangements that can add beauty to a wedding, which honestly was a little overwhelming initially. However, having the first consultation with Bree, and the way she asked questions about our vision and what we hoped the day would look and feel like, it felt much less overwhelming.

With the help of a few screenshots of bouquets I’d seen on Instagram as examples of the colours I liked, and some suggestions from Bree on the types of flowers that aligned with seasonal availability, Bree developed a mood board and some examples for our review - and seeing this we didn’t need to make any changes! Bree put together a beautiful visual and colour palette that hit the mark on exactly what we wanted.

In what ways do you feel the floral designs contributed to the overall atmosphere of your day?

Honestly, we were really lost for words when seeing the floral arrangements for the first time on the day. We used the word ‘perfect’ so many times because there was no more appropriate word! And anyone who knows me (Alisha) well, knows just how rare it is that I am lost for words!

We were so excited by the mood board and the discussions we’d had with Bree in the planning stages, but seeing the arrangements on the day - they were even more beautiful than we’d imagined! They added so much colour and beauty to the day, and everyone commented on how beautiful the flowers were!

Were there any specific moments or details related to the floral designs that stood out to you?

Seeing Indi with her flower collar on for the first time was one of our favourite moments of the day. Second to that was seeing the floral arrangements on the arbour when we got out of the car, we were so happy how they’d turned out.

What’s some advice you would give to loved-up couples planning their day?

Choose all of the things that are important to you, create the day that you want, be present and enjoy every minute of it.

Prioritise the elements of your day that will bring you the most joy, and spend your money making those things stand out, you can save money in other areas without sacrificing the things that are most important to you.

Anything else you’d like to share?

We highly recommend April & Fritz! Bree contributed to making our wedding day absolutely perfect with her floral design and set up on the day. Bree was exceptionally organised, transparent and timely in communications and made the whole process so easy and enjoyable. Thank you Bree!

Final Thoughts

As you navigate the intricate details of your wedding day, remember the power of trust and transparency in your collaboration with your floral designer. Alisha & Luke's experience with April & Fritz serves as a testament to the magic that unfolds when you allow creativity to flourish and share your vision openly. By entrusting your floral designer with your dreams and embracing their expertise, the end result can surpass expectations and bring your unique vision to life.

Florals: April & Fritz (@aprilandfritz)
Venue: Baie Wines (@baiewines, @baieweddings)
Elopement Specialists: Big Love Elopements (@bigloveelopements)
Photographer: The Hogans Photography (@thehogansweddings)
Celebrant: Jessie Belle (@jessiebellecelebrant)
Makeup & Hair Stylist: Maddi Nicholls (@maddinicholls_makeup)
Dress Boutique: Bridal House Geelong (@bridalhousegeelong)