Have you ever seen a ceremony set up more stunning than this? Perched atop a hill in the Byron Bay hinterland, Emma and Matt exchanged vows against a backdrop of lush rolling hills and vast open skies.
Rather than a traditional arbour, their ‘I do’ spot was marked by a half-circle pampas grass installation and a trail of blush-toned florals spilling towards the aisle.
Emma is a Sydney-based stylist who works across both fashion and events—so it’s no surprise that her and Matt’s wedding is styled so beautifully. Drawing styling inspiration from The Parker Hotel in Palm Springs, where the couple spent their 10-year anniversary together, the couple created a fun, vibrant atmosphere for guests to enjoy.
Emma explains, ‘We tried to recreate elements of the hotel throughout our reception, incorporating Pampass grass, a lemonade stand bar with a yellow striped awning, butterfly chairs, cow hides and lush greenery.’
‘We created multiple areas for guest to use each with a different purpose—the large Sperry tent was filled with bamboo lounge vignettes, palm trees and buttery chairs for guests to chill out in. The home centre was set with a band and bar for guests to dance away the night, with glass doors leading out to a festoon lit timber deck; while the poolside was set with high bar seating and a lemon stand serving drinks under festoon lights and candles in hurricane vases.’
And the couple’s advice for those planning their nuptials? Emma says, ‘Do your research, source images and decide what you want. Once you have landed on your choice, try not to get distracted by other images and pretty visuals. It’s very easy to want everything and you end up confusing the look and feel of the day with too many conflicting styles.’
She adds, ‘Most importantly, don’t take it too seriously. Enjoy the day. If things you have planned don’t work out or changes need to be made, just roll with it. It always works out. Our wedding was hit with the tail end of Cyclone Debbie, there was a great deal of uncertainty about whether our venue could go ahead, and we had to change a lot of suppliers the day before. Although it was stressful, the Byron Bay weddings team was fantastic and it all went off without a hitch!’
Enjoy all the images from Emma + Matt’s Byron Bay wedding below!
Credits
Photography: Ivy Road Photography | Videography: Rabbit and The Bear Videography | Event Planning: Byron Bay Weddings | Event Styling: Bride (Event Stylist) + The Wedding Shed | Hire items: Hampton Event Hire + The Wedding Shed | Floral Styling: Bower Botanicals | Location: Byron Bay, Australia | Venue: Horizon, Byron Bay | Catering + Drinks: Fig Tree Restaurant | Cake: Let Them Eat Cake | Stationery: Design Studio X | Entertainment: White Tree | Bridal gown: Cappellazzo Couture | Accessories: Paspaley Pearls | Suits: MJ Bale | Celebrant: Trent Baldock (‘Trent The Celebrant’) | Hair: Budi Juspandi | Make up: Luciana Rose | Transport: Byron Bay Magic Bus
Use of Pampas Grass in Byron Bay
‘Cortaderia Selloana’ aka ‘Pampas Grass’ is prohibited to be used in the North Coast region, with heavy fines applying for both the supply and use of. Over 20 years ago, the North Coast was successful in eradicating Pampas Grass. It is an extremely aggressive and invasive introduced species of grass that causes major damage to our eco system. The only exception in use is ‘Fake Pampas Grass’ or Pampas Grass that has been imported and passed through quarantine and has an ‘irradiation certificate.’ This process stops the seeds from germinating. Your florist will be able to arrange this for you if desired (much like Bower Botanicals did for Emma and Matt!). If you have any questions, please consult your wedding planner, florist, the Weed Wise app or Rous County Council Weed Bio Security.
Emma + Matt
