{Real wedding inspiration} Beach bliss with a French twist

24 Feb

I was thrilled when MM Photos sent me this beautiful wedding – it exudes warmth, familiarity and beauty. I love how they captures the natural beauty in each moment of the day, this is one of the reasons he was chosen by the couple.

After a whole week of rain, Sydney got some relief with a sparkling sunny day… a day where a Chloe said ‘I do’ to marrying the love of her life, Brendan. The couple couldn’t have been happier celebrating with their close family and friends, some of who flew out from France, on the beautiful Balmoral beach.

Bride wearing Amanda Garrett gownWedding flowers - white and accessoriesWedding invitation - modernVintage wedding accessoriesGroomsmen arriving to Sydney CeremonyGuests at Waterside weddingBalmoral Beach wedding

The ceremony was held on Rocky Point Island at Balmoral Beach Sydney. “This is where I grew up and went to school. Both Brendan and I live in Mosman and spend a lot of time at Balmoral beach so the location held a special lure for both of us,” says Chloe.Wedding Ceremony on cliffWedding kissWedding on cliffBalmoral Beach Pavilion wedding

The reception was at the beautiful Bather’s Pavilion which overlooks their familiar playground, Balmoral beach. Chloe tells us there is another reason they chose this elegant venue for their wedding reception: “the head chef Serge Dansereau is French and his cuisine is always exciting – My family is of French heritage and it was fun to design a menu with a chef who understands both French and Australian ingredients with such profundity. The sommelier is also excellent and the wines recommended were some of the nicest we’ve had!”

Beach wedding shootBeach wedding shootBeach weddingBrideWedding reception decoratingWedding croquemboucheWedding table centre

Chloe tells us that their reception was very much about the cuisine experience, “We wanted guests to have a ‘restaurant quality’ experience instead of the standard ‘chicken or beef’ wedding fare. We worked closely with Serge to design the menu and even more closely with the sommelier to select the wines – there were 2 selections of red and white for both entrée and main, we also served French champagne and my family rosé (Domaine Faverôt) at the ceremony.”

French Wedding Cuisine

Wedding details:
Photography: MM Photos - Located in Sydney and have just opened up a studio in Melbourne (46 Rose Street, Fitzroy) 1300 602 991.
Wedding location: Balmoral Beach, Bather’s Pavilion
Bride’s Gown: Amanda Garrett
Bridesmaid’s Gowns: Review
Cake: Le Breton Patisserie

Congratulations to Chloe and Brendan on your marriage and thank you for sharing with Modern Wedding brides.

Make sure you have entered our BIggest Ever competition where you could WIN a a bridal gown, wedding rings, a honeymoon or your photographer!!!
Only 3 WEEKS LEFT!

Kate x

For more real wedding inspiration check out our previous stories:
Wine, wedding and wellies – Alicia & Will say ‘I do’
Watson’s Bay wedding – waterside retro
Bride paints her day red…
A Study in Pink: Simple Cocktail Wedding 

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{Real wedding inspiration} A 1920′s Hollywood affair

23 Feb

Their story began in a court room, luckily they were observing law students! Their ‘study date’ quickly turned into romance as they sat down to a fancy Italian dinner and discussed their next rendezvous, and their next and next…

Their proposal story is definitely one they will tell their grandchildren about. Dressed as Cleopatra, Dina celebrated turning 30 with an Arabian Nights birthday party. Philip was dressed as Marc Antony and in front of 120 family and friends, he put on a play entitled ‘Dinapatra’. He showered Dinapatra with rose petals, gold coins and compliments. “The cresendo left me almost speechless when Philip knelt down on one knee and said “Who will provide you with the diamonds… My Dinapatra, will you marry me?” I said yes!!!”

Their wedding was just as spectacular as their proposal and was inspired by that fateful night – old Hollywood mixed with the colours of a peacock feather. Their vision of this theme was one of warmth, character and wonderful memories.

Black and white hyde park wedding

Groom getting ready - old hollywood

In traditional 1920′s style Philip and his groomsmen donned their suspenders, bow-ties, hats and cigars and walked the streets of Newtown stopping in at a local eatery on King Street for breaky. The morning was topped off with a hair cut and face shave (in a traditional way of course) at Hawleywood’s Barber Shop and Shaving Parlour.
Hollywood wedding - boys parlourOld hollywood bride getting ready for wedding

Dina describes her morning before walking across Sydney’s Hyde Park to St Mary’s Cathedral to marry Philip as a buzzing excitement, “I am a singer! So I woke up that morning singing at the top of my lungs – ‘I’M GETTING MARRIED TODAY!’ I think everyone at the Sheraton on the Park heard me getting up out of bed that morning.” Peacock themed weddingGroom waiting at the chapelFather Brendan, who married Dina and Philip, provided the guests with an insight to what the peacock symbolised. There is an ancient legend that states that the flesh of a peacock never decays and that their love would be eternal. 
Bride and groom at St Mary's CathedralBride putting makeup onBride and Groom in wedding carbride and groom with wedding carWedding party at Hyde ParkBride and groom - hollywood styleBride and groom - hollywood styleBride and groom under harbour bridge

Philip and Dina presented themselves to their guests with microphones in hand singing their favourite song ‘always on my mind, always in my heart.’ They were then picked up by their groomsmen in true Assyrian style and waved above the dance floor to the sound of applause from all their friends and family. Dina later serenaded Philip with ‘Ava Maria’.

Wedding dance

The couple included music from both their cultures and guests enjoyed ripping up the dance floor to Samoan, Assyrian, Persian and Greek music, just to mention a few!

Wedding painting and treasure chest

“We wanted to do something special as a display on the day so we commissioned artist, Tanya Loviz to paint a portrait of us in the essence of the Arabian Nights party, where Philip proposed. The painting is titled “Hit the Jackpot!” The artwork was also featured in the wedding invitations, menu stands and message book.
Our wishing well was a gold treasure chest that was much like the treasure chests featured in our painting,” Dina says.Wedding tableswedding cake - red royal

Wedding table decoration - red

Dina: “The magic of our day lived on as we hired a photographer in Santorini and Paris for another photoshoot with our wedding gear. My wedding dress has travelled to Europe and back”.

To see their wedding video – go to http://vimeo.com/30832477
Videography by Playtime Video - Frank Manno.

 

Wedding details:

Photography: Nadine Saacks Photography
Ceremony Venue – St Mary’s Cathedral
Reception Venue: Dockside, Darling Harbour
Gown: Maggie Sottero from Abbey Bridal
Bridal Shoes: Cinderella Bella
Bridesmaid gowns: Jean Fox Couture – Spurling
Men’s Suits: Spurling
Hair: Jean Haddad
Florist: Uptown Florist
Cake: Thea Cubis Something Special Cakes
Transport: Silver Cloud

Many thanks to Dina and Philip for sharing their amazing wedding with us and a big congratulations on your marriage!

Hope this inspired your inner-wedding planner!

Make sure you have entered our BIggest Ever competition where you could WIN a a bridal gown, wedding rings, a honeymoon or your photographer!!!
Only 3 WEEKS LEFT!

Kate x

 

 

{Engagement Portraits}

22 Feb

I am a huge fan of engagement portraits. I have always loved seeing the photos of a couple in their casual clothes before the big day, reflecting the time and style in a relaxed way. I had my own engagement shoot last week and I am even more convinced of their value. This week I thought we’d hear from some photographers to explain in more detail about the engagement shoot process.

‘There are two main reasons that couples do an engagement shoot,’ says David Stowe of SOCIETY [Photography]. ‘They (couples) want some beautiful images of themselves as a couple in a more timeless sense. Wedding photographs are an obvious point in time with wedding dress, suit etc. An engagement portrait is about images that celebrate their love in a more ‘everyday’ way. It’s also a great opportunity for a more artistic image on your wall at home.’

Secondly, ‘most people haven’t had professional photos taken and are often a bit unsure of being in front of a camera. Having a portrait sitting before the wedding can be a great way to feel more comfortable about it and a chance to get to know their photographer better. Everyone that does an engagement portrait with us remarks on how much easier and more fun it was than they thought it might be!’

David recently shot this fabulous engagement shoot and we’ve been dying to share it with you!

‘Chren and Aerock were a couple that I hit it off with from day one, so to be able to spend some time with them shooting the engagement portrait was really lovely,’ says David.

‘They loved the rocks and shells so we started to incorporate them into a series of images telling the story of their engagement and that sense of giving of each other. I knew they appreciated a more artistic interpretation of themselves as a couple which inspired me too.’

David suggests choosing a photographer whose style you love and who you get along with. ‘If you love the style of the photographer you have chosen then you will automatically have a degree of confidence in their ability as a professional.’ He also points out that some of the best images have a degree of ‘orchestration’ in order to get the couple into the right position with the right background and right light. ‘A good photographer will be able to do this and still create a natural image that celebrates you as a couple.’

When it comes to theme, props and location, Sarah Harris of MM photos recommends ‘a couple of changes of clothes as standard and special locations such as where the proposal took place. We try to ensure that the couples personalities shine through so think about hobbies, passions, likes, pasttimes – for example if you love kayaking lets shoot on the water! Accessories such as hats, scarves and pretty umbrellas work really well.’

This stunning engagement shoot from MM photos features Priscovia from Melbourne and Andrew from Uganda. They met at university when they were both doing their masters. He moved over here in 2008 to study and they fell in love!

Sarah has these tips to help couples relax:

-        Have a glass of wine! But not too much of course…

-       Be yourselves and pretend the camera is not even there.

-       Don’t try a new hairstyle for the shoot; go with something you are comfortable with already!

An engagement shoot also provides couples with a collection of beautiful images that can be used at the wedding ceremony, reception, for the guest book and stationary. ‘One husband recently organised a proposal shoot and used one of the photos on canvas as a wedding gift for his partner,’ says Sarah.

Thank you to David Stowe of SOCIETY [Photography] and Sarah Harris of MM Photos.

Stay tuned next week as I share my engagement shoot experience with you…

Isabel :)

P.S Do you have a wedding challenge? Ask us for help and you could feature in the next Brides Made edition of Modern Wedding magazine!

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{Real Wedding} French Lavender

21 Feb

Sydney’s dreary, half-hearted attempt at Summer has me dreaming of all things bright, sunny and beautiful today. So when this sun-soaked, flower-laden wedding in Marseille hit my inbox and I could practically feel the French sun shining on my face, I knew it was time to share. Jill King and John Whitehead were married in the breathtaking Monastère St Paul du Mausolé: an ancient monastery in the South of France where Van Gogh lived and painted for over a year. They chose Mas de la Rose in Orgon as their reception venue and internationally renowned Sydney wedding photographer Daniel Griffiths to capture their big day.


They playfully strolled through the abundant lavender fields, soaking up the sunshine and revelling in one another’s company. The happy couple then partied late into the balmy evening in celebration of their union.

Now don’t we all feel a little bit warmer and brighter now? Congratulations John and Jill! We wish you every happiness.

Photography: Daniel Griffiths
Ceremony: Monastère St Paul du Mausolé, St Rémy De Provence
Reception Venue: Mas de la Rose, Route d’Eygalière, Orgon
Bride’s Gown: Caroline Castigliano

Are you considering a wedding overseas? Where would you like to get married? Let us know. Leave a comment, stop by Facebook or tweet us @ModernWeddingOz.

And don’t forget to enter our BIGGEST wedding giveaway EVER!

Enjoy!
Rosemary xox

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Wedding dress inspiration from talented designers.

20 Feb Romantic wedding gown

It is so nice to start the week of inspiration off with some classic, divine and fine gowns!  These inspiring videos show off the beautiful work from some great designers.

Rhonda Hemmingway Couture‘s collection is for the feminine, pretty, classical and elegant bride. Her first gown flaunts soft floral touches in the bodice right through to the full skirt, creating an ultra feminine and garden princess appeal. Her second design uses lace and drapery for a romantic, old-English classic style, think Downtown Abbey. The final dress we see in this video is a classic shape and style using clean and simple lines – an elegant shape that will never tire.

Romantic wedding gown

Lora Eliss shows us her beautiful, elegant and modern gowns, some for the more daring brides, some for brides who adore detail. The first gown in this collection uses lace to cover those more private areas but still allows the dress to elegantly show off the female figure’s lines. The second gown, with blues and silvers also celebrates the beauty of lace and features dropped and beaded shoulder straps, this gown is the epitome of elegance with it’s flowing fishtail skirt. There are two more white gowns we see in the collection, both using lace to create quite a modern and beautiful style.

Lace wedding gowns - Lora Eliss

Brides of Beecroft show us a few stunning gowns in their collection. All being very classic in their shape, each with a signature detail making all the designs unique.  The first gown is a beautiful white gown with a black belt below a ruched  bodice, the dress also features a full white skirt for a dramatic look. This dress is followed by an A-line gown with a satin and diamonté bodice with a dropped waist and a flowing chiffon-style skirt. The final gown from this collection is a v-neck classic, another beautiful and simple A-line gown that will never go out of fashion.

Wedding gown with belt

Videos by Simon Roptell Films

Have a great Monday and don’t forget to enter our photo competition on Facebook! Massive prizes to be won and time is ticking!

Kate x

Ps – are you a Modern Wedding Bride yet? If not Register now to receive your free planning tools.

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{Expert Advice} What to look for when choosing your wedding rings

17 Feb

What an amazing week of inspiration we have had this Valentine’s week. We saw a record number of new men dropping to their knees to pop the question to their unexpecting  girlfriends who of course said ‘yes’. It’s an exciting time of the year and one where we need a little advice on what to look for and some tips on choosing your engagement ring and wedding bands.

The lovely Temelli Jewellers offer us some great tips on buying your rings.

  • Rings can be custom designed and made, to ensure the ring you receive is exactly what you envisage.
  • Trying on different settings will give you an idea of what suits you best and what you prefer.
emerald cut Temelli engagement rings
  • Before deciding on your ring, think about your wedding band – as these two rings will be worn side by side and need to complement each other. Finding wedding bands can be a dilemma if the engagement ring is a unique size or shape, however manufacturing jewellers offer a customised service where they create a band that fits and enhances the ring. It is no more expensive to have a ring made than to buy an existing ring.
Engagement and wedding diamond ringsfloral wedding bands
  • Rings should be made with a solid band, not hollowed out, and stones should be set into individual settings. Cast or cheap machine made, poorly alloyed gold and poorly set rings will not last over time.
  • Couples should also look at after-sales service and enquire about how to maintain the rings for their lifetime.
princess wedding ring set
  • Enquire with your jeweller what type of insurance they can offer you on your rings, as the premiums are usually better than generic insurance companies and tailored to cover loss and damage worldwide.

TOP TIP: An extended lay-by payment system for wedding rings, does allow couples to secure a price. This is particularly important at present considering that gold and other metals are constantly increasing in price. Mens rings can be made in 9ct, 14ct, 18ct gold and a variety of other metals including titanium, palladium and platinum.  Today, many couples spend between two to three thousand dollars on their wedding bands – a suitable budget for a diamond set ladies wedder and a solid mens wedder

Temelli Jewellery ignites customers’ passions highlighting a search for quality that is reflected in the jewellery. Temelli Jewellery is synonymous with style, and in the past prominent celebrities such as Jennifer Hawkins, Rachael Finch, Jesinta Campbell, Tracey Grimshaw, Kelly Landry & Livinia Nixon have donned exclusive Temelli creations.
Ph: 259 Collins Street, Melbourne: 03 9639 5556

Kate x

 

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Electric blue wedding with a splash of Vodka

16 Feb

The wonderful and talented Milton Gan sent me this amazing wedding he shot in Sydney. I’m in love with the electric blue & Vodka theme. This wedding mixes Aussie and Polish nationalities and creates a fun, exciting and beautiful wedding.

This couple met  over a few pints of Guiness in Ireland, where they both had moved from different parts of the world to work. One day Marc (Sydney boy) surprised Jastyna (Polish girl) by parking his huge truck outside her office with “Justyna Krupczak I love you! Will you marry me?” plastered on the side. Of course she said yes!

Marc and Justyna couldn’t decide between Poland and Sydney for their wedding destination so chose to have two weddings enjoying the best of both worlds. The Sydney wedding was their first celebration and, as they were both still working in Ireland, they had the wonderful Girl Friday Weddings organise the day for them. They did a marvellous job choosing the venue, photographer and more…

Their wedding was held at the beautiful Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour, a prime position for their Polish guests, many of them in Sydney for their first time, to enjoy the spectacular CBD and city skyline.

Sydney weddingGroom getting readyBlue bouquetWedding and engagement ringsWedding shoesJustyna and Marc 008Polish Bride getting readyGroom waiting at Sydney WeddingBride walking down aisle - blueBride and groom at ceremonySydney Wedding ceremonyBridal couple on Sydney dockBride and groom dancing in the nightBlue and vodka themed weddingVodka shots at blue themed weddingprawns at wedding dinnerlighthouse in Sydneynavy ship in SydneyWedding fun traditionFun wedding traditionCutting the cake - blue themeTruck proposalWedding danceSydney fireworks at weddingVodka bottle after wedding

Congratulations to the couple and thanks for sharing your stunning wedding with us.

Milton Gan shot this beautiful wedding and describes the day’s atmosphere perfectly:

“The reception took place inside the museum’s brand new Terrace Room and was heavily geared towards the Polish contingent. Think bottles of vodka on every table, shots every ten minutes and traditional Polish wedding games involving groping of flesh and a bit of messy dress up! And that was just a taste of things to come for the couple who would be doing it all again in Justyna’s home town a couple of weeks later!”

For more of Marc and Justyna’s wedding pop over to Milton’s site.

Milton Gan is one of our major sponsors of the Bride’s MADE Edition competition we are running on Facebook and has offered his services to shoot one lucky winner’s wedding in Australia for free!  So make sure you enter the comp and get your friends to vote for your photo! Good luck!

Have a great Thursday,

Kate x

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Inspiration: Wedding Table Decorations

15 Feb

It feels like the clocks are ticking faster and the days are getting shorter … especially when your wedding is just around the corner! March and April are two of the busiest wedding months and I’m sure many Modettes are feeling the pressure of the home run! I always felt that brides were exaggerating when they said they were just sooo busy in the lead up to their wedding, but now I can definitely see where they were coming from! The weekends seem to fill quickly with dress fittings, appointments and desperate shopping trips to find bits and pieces like shoes, belts and matching ribbon.

As my wedding invitations go to print this week (collating the addresses and correct name spelling of 180 guests is a very dreary job!), I face my latest wedding challenge – the table decorations. There are just so many variables. Firstly there are the flowers – what sort? How many? Will they be in vases? Are the vases glass or ceramic? Round or square? Are there going to be candles? Small tea lights or large votives? White linen or a splash of colour? The more I think about it the more overwhelmed I feel!

My fiancee and I met with our wonderful stylist at Sweet Art on Saturday and I felt inspired to clarify my table decoration ideas. As always I’d like to share my discoveries with you…

Photography: Jose Villa Styling: Canvas & Canopy

Photography: Jeanna Hayes Styling: Suzanne of She Paperie

Sourced from 'A Design Story'

Sourced from tinywhiteroses

Photography: Tyler Branch Styling: Ribbons & Rust

Mark Brooke Photography

via pinterest

When deciding on table decorations think about your reception venue decor. Although you may love a setting that you’ve seen in a magazine it may not necessarily fit with the style of your venue. The best idea is to take different elements you like  and shape them around the reception venue and theme so that the tables compliment your wedding. Think about texture, space, and colour – sometimes it’s the little details that can really make a table setting beautiful.

Share your table setting ideas with us on facebook OR upload a photo of your spectacular wedding table to inspire other brides!

Good luck Modettes!

Isabel :)

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Reader article submissions

14 Feb

We are so excited about our upcoming Bride’s MADE edition of Modern Wedding, where the content of the mag will be driven by what you want and what you tell us.

So far we have asked what to call the magazine – the result:  The Bride’s MADE edition; we are asking you to post in our facebook competition pictures of yourselves reading the magazine to WIN great prizes; and we have asked you to enter our Greatest Wedding Challenges question tab. And there is a lot more to come.

We now want to read about your experiences, your advice, a funny article or what you have learned along the way and information you have collected… We are opening our doors to reader article submissions. There are a couple of guidelines we need to set so all our writer or would be writer brides/grooms/bridesmaids/MOBs can send us their articles.

Typewriter for wedding

Calli B Photography

We can’t wait to read your submission!

Guidelines:

Submitted stories must have an engagement or wedding theme. Feel free to write about whatever you like and if you’re a little stuck, consider these story suggestions:

“How I found my perfect wedding dress.”
“I chose my wedding theme because I was inspired by…”
“A good wedding photographer was important to me because…”
“When he put my dream engagement ring on my finger I…”
“The most important thing about our wedding is…”

Articles must be a maximum of 600 words and narrated in the first-person.

Please include full name for by-line and a contact number.

All submisisons must be emailed to kate@modernwedding.com.au by 7th March 2012.

If you have any questions just leave them in the comments below and I will respond asap.

Kate x

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{Real Wedding} Eat, Drink + Be Merry: Yeemun + Ian’s Celebration

14 Feb

Yeemun and Ian met while attending the same university in the UK. They spent the first year of their relationship apart, commuting on weekends to see one another. It was the day after Yeemun’s birthday, whist on holiday in Maui that Ian decided they should climb to the summit of Haleakala National Park and watch the sunrise. And it was there, 10,000 feet above sea level during the dawn of a new day, that he proposed. From the outset, they wanted a small wedding.  “The venue was important as we wanted a location which could hold a ceremony and a reception so our guests didn’t have to travel to and fro!” said Yeemun. “We wanted them to get there and relax for the evening. As half of the guest list was travelling from HK and UK to attend, we wanted the venue to have a great view…  something special like The Tearoom at Gunner’s Barracks, Sydney.”


They wanted their wedding to be simple. “We didn’t choose any particular theme,” said Yeemun. “It was more about the food and drinks and the people. As I’m Chinese …eating and drinking is a big part of our culture. The ceremony was a mixture of East and West. We did the traditional bride walking down the aisle, and also a mini chinese tea ceremony to acknowledge and pay respect to my culture and heritage.”


“By Chinese traditions I should have worn red… but I didn’t!” says Yeemun. She instead opted for a beautiful full-length satin and chiffon nude apricot gown. “I brought the dress at a local shop in Cremorne called Chic Collection. I remember it was raining heavily and I decided to pop into the shop to get some inspiration but I ended up seeing a dress I liked and which suited me perfectly… they made it especially in my size in the colour of my choice.” For her bouquet, Yeemun chose her favourite flower: white ranunculus, mixed with freesia for the gorgeous fragrance.  The couple chose to forego complex table decorations in favour of simplicity. “We wanted our decorations to fit with the old English feel of the venue, so we chose a mix of red ranunculus with lilac sweetpea… I needed to incorporate red into the wedding as this is a good luck colour in Chinese. Then simple clear candles surrounding the centre piece.” After pre-dinner drinks on the terrace, guests dined on a sumptuous three course meal, followed by individual wedding cakes. The couple also indulged their guests in a cigar/cognac lounge area. “We wanted somewhere so that people could mingle after dinner.” said Yeemun. “This was set up on a Harbour terrace with stunning evening view of the Sydney Harbour and City lights.”


Yeemun and Ian spent their wedding night at the Hilton, Sydney. They haven’t spent their Honeymoon anywhere yet, but they’d like to go back to Hawaii or visit Brazil. Their plans for the future are to “Live life and Be Happy”.

Congratulations Yee & Ian! We wish you all the very best that life has too offer.

The wonderful people and places that made this wedding special:
Photographer: Tim Coulson
Ceremony + Reception: The Tearoom Gunners Barracks
Celebrant: Elise Thompson
Harpist: Karen Hickmott
Bride’s Gown: Chic Collections
Groom’s Suit: Pepper’s Formal Hire
Flowers: Hills Flower Market
Cake: Churrasco
Table Decorations: The Styling Company
Favours: Kawaka Chocolates

How’s your planning going so far Modettes? Will you be incorporating any special traditional elements into your wedding? Let us know. And don’t forget to congratulate Yee & Ian while you’re at it! Leave a comment, stop by Facebook or tweet us @ModernWeddingOz

Enjoy!
Rosemary xoxox

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