Real wedding: Emily and Michael’s DIY Barn wedding

Emily and Michael were married by Barbara Beames in the Barn at The Briars on Saturday 21st December 2013, and the Barn was then transformed into the reception venue.

Many hours were spent by Emily and her mother in law making 80 metres of gorgeous bunting!

The wedding cake, which was layered on the inside in different shades of purple, the cup cakes and many of the desserts were made by Ellen’s Bakery.

After having wood fired pizza for mains, the dessert buffet and lolly bar meant guests were in sweets heaven!

So many personal touches made this a truly magic wedding, including the rustic signs made by Michael. The guests had fun with lawn games and Mr Whippy made an appearance!

Emily looked absolutely stunning and Michael looked a treat in his purple suit.

The time and effort that Emily and Michael put into designing, planning and creating their wedding was evident to everyone, and it was a truly wonderful experience helping coordinate their wedding day. 

Real Wedding: Beth and Cam’s cliff side wedding

Beth and Cam were married by Danielle Binaisse at All Smiles Sorrento on Friday 6th December 2013, and somehow managed to pick the perfect time inbetween some very tumultuous weather! We were so lucky to have the sun shining on the Sorrento cliffside, which has the most stunning view on the peninsula.

Beth’s elegant wedding dress was absolutely gorgeous and the bridesmaid’s dresses were a beautiful grey and orange print.

Flowergirls provided a lovely mixture of flowers, including Peonies and David Austins, and the jars were provided by Beth.

The citrus flavoured wedding cake was made by Cherrytree Bakehouse and it was simply elegant.

The service provided by the staff at All Smiles Sorrento was outstanding. It is a wonderful venue for both wedding ceremonies and receptions.

It was an absolute pleasure coordinating Beth and Cam’s special day.

Real Wedding: Three weddings in one year for the same bride!

Three weeks ago Sparkle contacted me to arrange her third wedding to Dan this year! This gorgeous couple from California initially eloped in June and followed that with a traditional wedding with their friends and family. On both these occasions they didn’t have their wedding rings, so after finally getting their rings, they decided to hold their third wedding while visiting Australia this week, where they could exchange their rings and personal vows to each other.

Not many brides have the opportunity to wear their wedding dress three times, and Sparkle’s dress was absolutely stunning (not to mention her shoes)!
At Sparkle’s request they wanted an intimate, low key, beach themed ceremony, and the Quest Frankston on the Bay (where they were staying) was the perfect location. The ceremony was held on the balcony, overlooking the bay, and Gail Cremen conducted the renewing of their vows. The roped beach jars were provided by Event Perfection.

The bride and groom followed the ceremony with some photos taken at the beach.
On their return Sparkle and Dan enjoyed a picnic in their room, which also had lovely bay views. They were initially having their picnic on the balcony where their ceremony was held, but in true Melbourne weather form, it was very chilly so they enjoyed their picnic indoors instead. The food was provided by Coffee Head and Sparkle and Dan thoroughly enjoyed it.
It was an absolute pleasure to organise Sparkle and Dan’s wedding, which was lovely and intimate. I’m sure their memories of their wedding in Australia will be everlasting.

Wedding Expo 16th June 2013

A Wedding Expo is being held at the Mornington Racing club on Racecourse Road in Mornington on Sunday the 16th of June 2013 from 10am to 3pm.

Attending a wedding expo is an excellent opportunity to meet and chat with all the different types of suppliers you are going to need for your wedding. It’s much easier than having to travel around to meet them all!

The best element of this particular expo is that the venues and suppliers exhibiting are mainly locals. So if you are getting married on the Mornington Peninsula, this is the ideal expo for you to visit.

Functioning Together is excited to be exhibiting at this expo and a special discount will be available for all brides and grooms who call in for a chat on the day.

*Don’t forget to bring along anyone who is helping you plan your wedding.

When should I start planning my event?

As soon as you become aware that you need to organise an event, whether it be a corporate dinner, a birthday milestone, your wedding, or any other special occasion, take the time to work out when you will need to commence planning. Take into account how important it is for you to have a particular venue and/or suppliers, how busy you will be with other commitments during your planning stage, and how much notice your guests will require.

Getting started early is preferable where possible, but an event can also be organised in a short space of time, although choices are then often limited due to availability.

Generally, if you are planning a wedding, 12 months is an ideal time to start planning, particularly if you have a specific venue in mind. Having some flexibility on your wedding date can also help with your planning. Some couples are even choosing to hold their wedding mid-week, which makes selecting the date much easier!

If you are having a destination wedding (ie overseas), giving your guests more than 12 months’ notice is courteous, as it gives them the option to plan an extended holiday when attending your wedding.

Ideally, planning other types of events, such as birthdays, conferences, and corporate dinners, should commence about 6 months before the event, depending on the size and type of event (some larger events may require 12 months or more of planning). It’s a good idea to lock in your venue as soon as you know about the event, particularly if it is being held during the busy season.

No matter when you commence your planning, it is very important to work out a checklist of all your requirements and a timeline for when all your arrangements need to be made. It is worthwhile spending some time working through these details, to ensure nothing is missed. The more time spent during the planning process, the more successful your event will be!

How much is planning your wedding costing you?

Have you ever stopped to think how many hours it takes to plan your wedding? On average, it can take around 200 hours! Most of us these days are time poor, so using a wedding planner takes away the stress, and it reduces the countless hours of researching and organising involved with the planning process. Afterall, this is one of the most important days in your life, and you want to enjoy every moment – from when you first become engaged, all the way through until your honeymoon.

The cost of a wedding planner is minimal when you factor in the time you are saving yourself, and the knowledge and experience of your planner. For example, if you decide to have your whole wedding planned for you, Functioning Together can provide you with a Deluxe package that costs $2000 – if you break this amount down, you will see that it is very affordable at approximately $38 per week (over a 12 month period).

Many brides say after they were married that if they did it again they would definitely use a wedding planner! So don’t leave it until it is too late and let Functioning Together work with you to create a memorable occasion that you and your guests will all cherish forever.

Mornington Peninsula Weddings

Functioning Together is a proud new member of Mornington Peninsula Weddings www.peninsulaweddings.com.au.

Mornington Peninsula Weddings is a group of quality wedding suppliers located on the peninsula, specialising in creating beautiful weddings on Victoria’s gorgeous Mornington Peninsula.

I am looking forward to working closely with these businesses.