Your entrance is likely to be one of the most emotional highlights of your wedding ceremony. This is why so much time is dedicated in rehearsal to getting it the way you dreamed of.
With a loved one escorting you, feeling a little overwhelmed, you catch a glimpse of your friends and family. All eyes are upon you, you can see their tears welling as they silently cheer you on towards your destination – standing beside the man you want to share the rest of your life with.
You would be hard pressed to find a more dramatic entrance than at the Flaxton Gardens’ courtyard and escarpment, where you pause at the top of the stairs, framed by planters with mini fur trees, wedding gown is fluffed, as you gaze out towards your future husband, and the Sunshine Coast’s spectacular scenery.
Imagine then, it is raining. It is only natural to feel disappointed.
If you were one of the guests ‘dressed to the nines’ in formal wear arriving in the atmospheric alternate Barrel Room, absorbing the ambience whilst The Paper Flowers played from the back of the room, with a magnificent floral arbour the focus for the proceedings, you would have been oblivious to the drama which had unfolded in the hour before….
The skies were grey, the weather was holding, but for how long? Wedding planner Sam and I consulted with the groom. A solid decision at this point would mean everything could be set up before the guests arrived. Understandably, Stuart was reluctant to let go of his dream of a beautiful outdoor wedding on the escarpment, but especially, he did not want to upset his bride. So the chairs were wheeled out and set up, the gorgeous floral arbour was put in place by the Mondo Floral Design girls, and the final touches were almost complete on the escarpment, when the rain came down.
All hands on deck and within minutes, drenched to the bone, the FG team had stacked, and unstacked, carted and wiped off 50 chairs, assisted with the moving of the arbour, lit the tea candles and offered towels to the Mondo team as they tried to dry off the soggy white ribbon.
Everything was in place, but the groom felt for the bride, and expressed his disappointment about the weather, when we looked out together towards the garden terrace and the views beyond. (I treasure these final moments with the groom before the processional) You could see the stress disappear from his face, he realised it was absolutely beautiful, right here, right now, the music started and the first flower girl walked towards him…..
The ceremony was elegant, beautiful and classy, just the way they wanted it, the guests were enraptured, and the sun came out, only for a second, as I pronounced Jacky and Stuart husband and wife. As I walked through the guests upon leaving, one of the guests grabbed my arm, and said, “That was beautiful, just magical!”
It never ceases to amaze me, the lengths that true professionals in the business go to, to facilitate the dreams of the bride and groom. I could write a similar story of how wedding professionals work together as a team for the best outcome for the brides and grooms for every wedding I do. Your wedding unfolds exactly the way it is meant to.
Thanks to the professionalism of the Flaxton Gardens staff, musicians The Paper Flowers, the Mondo Florist team, and Calli B and all the other professionals behind the scene, who worked together to help make Stuart and Jacky’s wedding truly magical. I can’t wait to see the photos Calli B!
Karen Faa, Sunshine Coast Celebrant 0412 242454 Special Days in Special Ways…
- Dream entrance at Flaxton Gardens washed out by rain, but wedding still magical