Matt and Yasmin’s wedding was inspired by a combination of childhood birthday parties and things that make them happy. Wanting to have the “BEST DAY EVER,” their wedding was full of gaudy decorations, jumping castles, a petting zoo and a set up reminiscent of a small music festival.
According to Matt, you either DIY or you die, which meant that this wedding was as DIY as you can possibly get. With the help of some incredible family and friends, everything from the cake to Yasmin’s hair and makeup, the flowers, appetisers and even her bridal gowns were handmade.
And yes, you read that correctly, Yasmin wore two gowns, surprising Matt at their ‘first look’ in a 1950s-inspired tea dress that she designed and her mother made. She then walked down the aisle in her Grandmother’s original 60-year-old wedding dress.
Yasmin and Matt say finding a venue was the trickiest part, spending many a weekend travelling to random country town halls and only stumbling across the ANZAC Memorial Hall in Exeter by chance.
‘This venue instantly ticked all of our boxes. It was surrounded with 100-year-old oak trees (great for picnicking under) the hall had a stage (Matt’s music influence) and it was featured in my favourite childhood film, Babe,’ says Yasmin.
Yasmin describes the styling as a glitter explosion, with a touch of Pinterest.
‘We had two stage areas that were surrounded by giant paper flowers attached to meters of locally-foraged and glitter-encrusted leafy reefs,’ says Yasmin.
‘There were two-layered tinsel curtain backdrops, confetti-filled giant balloons and lots of fresh flowers. Again, we could not have done this without the help of friends and family. It definitely took a few boozy-filled crafternoons to be completed.’
The reception was basically one big picnic, which meant the food needed to be easy and fuss-free.
‘We also wanted something that was freakin’ delish and had the ability to sop up all the beer and wines. So, we chose The Nighthawk Diner as they have the BEST Americana burgers in Sydney,’ explains Matt.
The afternoon of their wedding was filled with speeches, and friends reciting poetry and playing music under the big oak trees. As the sun went down, they turned up the tunes, pumping 80s and 90s classics well into the night.
‘It took 10 years of organising DIY punk music festivals, where everyone does their little part, to teach us how to pull off an event of epic proportions,’ says Matt.
And that’s exactly what they did. Check out this epically awesome DIY wedding below.
Credits
Photography: Fiona + Bobby | Event Planning + Styling: Bride + Groom | Decorations: Family + Friends | Floral Styling: Robin Shafer, Aunty of the Bride | Hire Items: South Coast Party Hire | Venue: Exeter ANZAC Memorial Hall and Grounds | Catering + Drinks: The Nighthawk Diner + Combi Capers | Cake: Wendy Shardlow, Mother of the Bride | Robin Shafer + Christina Cullen | Stationery: Gabrielle Illustrated | Entertainment: Nataluaa Bing, Naif Jamie, Dave Drayton, Jess Locke + DJ Ezza | Petting Zoo + Jumping Castle: Farm Friends | Wedding Gowns: Bride’s and Mother-of-the-bride’s own creation + bride’s Grandmother’s gown | Accessories: Ali Express + New Look | Shoes: Shoes of Prey | Suit: ASOS | Engagement Ring + Wedding Band: Chilton’s Antiques | Celebrant: Reverend Jeremy Tonks | Hair: Kifka Kingan, friend | Makeup: Domnika Tobolov, friend | Accomodation: Morvern Valley Farm
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