A WEDDING FEATURE WITH
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SPRING ’14
58 KEEPING IT REAL Chris and Belinda Hubon share how they put their distinctive stamp on their wedding day. 64 FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE Graham and June Ashton’s love was born at the Maroochydore Surf Club more than 50 years ago. 66 TO HAVE AND TO HOLD Fashionable, must-have products for the loved up. 68 HE SAID, SHE SAID A bride and groom share their perspectives on their special day. 70 LOOK OF LOVE A wedding fashion spread, done salt style.
ALICE & JEREMY IMAGE COURTESY OF JAMES DAY, DAYLIGHT.COM.AU
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KEEPING IT REAL
dance SLOW BURN, BOLD
WORDS LUCY EMLYN-JONES
Belinda Rac & Chris Hubon 8 June 2014
HY.COM.AU IMAGES COURTESY OF BOOTS PHOTOGRAPHY BOOTSPHOTOGRAP
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BEFORE ENTRÉES had been served, Chris and Belinda Hubon’s wedding reception was in full swing. In a break from tradition, the newlyweds started the evening with the big, brassy notes of Benny Goodman’s Sing Sing Sing as they took to the floor for their first dance as husband and wife. “WE HAD LESSONS,” Chris says. “It didn’t all go to plan but I think we still pulled it off.” From the design of the bride’s gown, a showstopping dance move was conceived. “I wanted a dress with a detachable skirt so it could be long for the ceremony and short for the reception,” Belinda says. “When the music started, I turned into Chris so we were facing each other. He then grabbed where the skirt was attached at the back and flung it off to the side.” “The whole dance went downhill from there,” Chris laughs. On June 8 the Brisbane-based couple was wed at AnnaBella the Wedding Chapel, their affirmation of love shining through the greycloaked Sunshine Coast horizon. >
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WEDDING DAY ROLL CALL RECEPTION, CATERING & TABLE DECORATION The Lakehouse Sunshine Coast, 15 Freshwater Street, Mountain Creek. 0400 642 339 or thelakehousesunshinecoast.com.au EVENT STYLIST by bride DRESS Keooula keooula.com.au
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Upon being pronounced Mr and Mrs Hubon, the pair’s nearest and dearest showered them with love and petals. And while the ceremony was kept short and sweet, the beaming bride explains that theirs was not a whirlwind romance. “It took seven years for him to propose,” she says. “Chris wanted to buy the house first.” “I wanted to make sure I was earning enough to give Belinda the ring and wedding that she wanted,” says Chris. After picking the stunning brilliant cut diamond together, the ring box burned a hole in Chris’s pocket for months while he tried to plan a proposal to catch his knowing partner off guard. “I was waiting and waiting,” says Belinda. “Every time I came home I thought, maybe it will be today but nothing ever happened.” Despite his best attempts, woman’s intuition foiled Chris’s attempt at surprise. “Every year Chris goes away for a weekend with his friends,” Belinda says. “I just knew he was going to come home early. I woke up on Saturday and thought to myself, I am getting engaged today.” After a romantic dinner at the restaurant where they shared their first date atop Mt Coot-tha in >
Fraser, the perfect Island to say “I do” Fraser Island’s pristine surrounds and Kingfisher Bay Resort’s wedding know-how combine to provide a postcard-perfect location for beach, bush, island and resort weddings. And now there are even more reasons to say “I do” on Fraser.
SPECIAL OFFER Hold your wedding on any day other than a Saturday and you’ll receive $1000 off the cost and a further 15% discount on hotel accommodation for your guests.
It just takes one ring from you. 07 4120 3311 or email weddings_sales@kingfisherbay.com
Photography by Bambi
Conditions apply: Subject to availability. Minimum spend $5000 excluding accommodation, for weddings held in venues other than resort restaurants. Deposit of $750 is non-refundable, can be transferred to alternate date if change made within three months of original booking.
KBRV1137
www.fraserislandweddings.com.au
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL YOU NEW SALON
ABOUT THE VENUE
WEDDING SPECIALISTs Bree Billin - Senior Stylist ~ Experienced Stylists & Colourists ~ ~ Luxury Hair Care ~ Shop 4 Da’Vos 3-7 Thomas St Noosaville Ph. 5440 5209 bellaboutiquehair.com.au
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The Lakehouse Sunshine Coast is a fresh and stylish new wedding venue situated in Brightwater Estate, overlooking Brightwater Lake. Adorned throughout with contemporary interiors, The Lakehouse is the elegant new backdrop for the modern-loving bride and groom. Located next to Brightwater Hotel, the venue caters for up to 150 seated guests and can cater for cocktail style functions for up 250.
HAIR & MAKEUP Twidale twidale.com.au SHOES Designed by bride Shoes of Prey shoesofprey.com FLORIST Adore Event Floral Design facebook.com/pages/Adore-EventFloral-Design
PLAYLISTS
Ceremony Lakme Flower Duet Instrumental A Thousand Years Clair De Lune First Dance Sing Sing Sing by Benny Goodman
Brisbane, Chris asked Belinda the question she’d been waiting to hear. An intimate wedding by today’s standards, 60 guests were treated to a rustic affair at The Lakehouse Sunshine Coast. Soft light, distressed timber furniture, old oars and antler chandeliers – the Mountain Creek venue’s country chic decor aligned with the bride’s vision for their perfect day. “I loved that there was a theme you could work with,” she says. On the day, family and friends enjoyed the finer details. From stationery to favours, table numbers, gold-tipped feathers in jars and a suitcase wishing well, every element was stamped (literally) with the Hubon’s unique brand of old-world charm infused with contemporary elegance. “For bombonieres I did bottles of rosemaryinfused olive oil for the girls and a little olive tree for the guys,” she says. “I also did a cookie buffet. It took me two days to make hundreds and hundreds of cookies for guests to take home.” With plans for a European adventure down the track, the newlyweds enjoyed a weeklong “mini moon” in Melbourne and are now comfortably, albeit slightly reluctantly, settling back into their normal routine and married life. “We took our time and everything worked out perfectly,” says Chris. For more information on The Lakehouse Sunshine Coast, visit thelakehousesunshinecoast.com.au
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FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE
Sun-kissed love through sands of time WORDS LUCY EMLYN-JONES PORTRAIT PHOTO ANASTASIA KARIOFYLLIDIS
If walls could talk, the Maroochydore Surf Club would tell the story of Graham and June Ashton. THEIR HISTORY IS ingrained there, etched in the sand that kisses the doorway.
him to make it official, moving to Brisbane three weeks later and marrying June in 1962 at St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Holland Park a year after they met. “It was a happy day,” June says. “Graham gave me this big smile as I walked down the aisle. We had our honeymoon at Noosa and brought a surfboard each.”
“It has been a part of my life since 1951 and a part of our lives since 1962,” Graham says.
While it was on Brisbane’s northside that the Ashtons raised their two children, an invisible thread was always pulling them north, back to the sand and the surf where love was found.
You could say it was love at second sight, or love after a quick shower and shave, for June Ashton. On her 24th birthday, the fresh-faced Brisbane stenographer received an unexpected gift from a scruffy lifesaver.
“The Sunshine Coast was home to us,” Graham says. “We never really left. I was a member of the Maroochydore Surf Club, still am, and we would come up on weekends during summer and even in the winter the whole time we were living in Brisbane.”
“We were invited to water-ski at Maroochydore. I had hardly been there before,” June recalls. “Graham turned up to the party that night. He was unshaven and dressed in an old tracksuit. He came up and gave me a kiss for my birthday.”
Graham is being modest. At the surf club, his face is well known, his words respected and his achievements remembered.
The brazen act left June pleasantly surprised but it wasn’t until Graham ducked into the surf club to shower off the salt water and run a comb through his hair that her stomach did a full flip. “He came out looking really schmick,” June says. “All the other girls started looking at him.” She caught up to where Graham had already gone. It was love in a clubhouse. A lifetime later and Graham still manages to look pleased. And why wouldn’t you? He got the girl and it didn’t take long for 66
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“I was boat captain for a long time. Our crew won the Australian title in 1974,” Graham says. “I’ve been president and treasurer. Presently, I am secretary and on the board of the supporters’ club. I’m also a life member.” In their home there is a wall with row after row of shiny plaques. The lifetime of dedication and accolades are not only from the Maroochydore Surf Club but also the Sportsmen Association, Australian Surfer Rowers League and Rotary International. However, it is a framed, yellowing photograph sitting preciously on the shelf in another room that Graham smiles at with the most pride. A handsome young man in a dark suit and tie and a radiant bride in a satin and lace gown smile back.
“One day you feel young when you go to bed, and then you wake up and go, ‘I’m really old now’,” June says with a laugh. In 2012 the golden pair reached a milestone, celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary at where else but the Maroochydore Surf Club. “We had a celebration in the big function room with all our family and friends,” says June. “I think it’s an important part of being happy together, sharing your life with friends. “It was such a lovely night. One of our friends presented me with a purple heart.” “She deserved it!” Graham chimes in. When the time came to pick a spot to retire, there was only ever one place where these two souls of the sea would settle. For 23 years, their apartment in Alexandra Headland has overlooked a landscape where their memories as a couple and as a family are stored, a landscape that has changed before their eyes. Graham, who spent his teenage years on the Sunshine Coast, remembers when there was not a building in sight. “It was scrub … nothing,” he says. “Back in the old days the bitumen stopped at Cotton Tree. It was a dirt road through to Mooloolaba and people camped along the beach front from Maroochydore Surf Club to the Mooloolaba Surf Club.” “I don’t think there is a good spot left,” June says. You get the feeling that this couple could happily spend the rest of their days in a tent by the beach, as long as they were side-by-side, feeling the sun on their faces and the sea breeze in their hair.
“Like any marriage we have had our ups and downs but it is about not giving in and talking things through. Don’t run away from your problems,” June says. “Be kind to each other. And the love has to be there from the start.”
And the secret to a lasting, happy marriage? One word. Communication.
“You have got to be mates,” Graham says. “And we are best friends – most of the time.”
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TO HAVE AND TO HOLD
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD Here’s our pick of fashionable, must-have products for that loved up occasion.
photo by melaniemcnivenweddings.com
WORDS BRISEIS ONFRAY
A LOVELY SHADE
Oh, the sweetest shade of all. A pretty parasol will complement your bridal party theme in such a charming manner, as well as providing fashionable sun protection. It’s a great prop to inspire magical moments with your photographer too. This sweet flower girl carries a vintage-style parasol made of pure cotton and Battenburg lace. Parasols with Love have a gorgeous selection of parasols with various fabrics and colours to choose from. There are sizes to suit the little ones and the grown-ups. They are absolutely perfect shade solutions for an outdoor garden, beach or country style wedding. Vintage lace parasol, child size costs $19.50. Adult size costs $39.90 parasolswithlove.com.au
ROCK SOLID ARRANGEMENT The sentiment and significance of a beautifully-set engagement ring needs to sparkle its lucky-love charm for … well … forever. It’s a rock solid arrangement, so choosing ‘the one’ as a symbol of ‘I do’, will always be a close-to-the-heart investment. Timeless quality and beauty will be the biggest benefactor for such a significant decision. This dazzling ring, designed by Sunny Coast jewellers NY2K, has a total diamond weight of 1.32ct, with the centre marquise diamond rating with a pure (D) colour on the diamond colour scale. This little beauty is $10,500rrp. Custom designs are also available. ny2k.com.au 68
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SCENTS OF
HONOUR
The bridal gown should really be the element of surprise. But the spellbinding allure of bride and groom perfume to fill the room in romantic harmony would be a sublime touch. The House of Amouage is devoted to creating finely blended perfumes with the highest quality of rare and luxurious ingredients, sourced from around the world. Amouage ‘Honour’ is the perfect fragrance for such a loved-up occasion, with a bottle for him and a bottle for her. It’s a mix of earthy-spice, floral and evocative undertones. This blend is for the sophisticated, confident and well-travelled lovers who appreciate haute perfumery like a fine art. Honour Woman is a white, floral masterpiece. Honour Man is a spicy allusion of truth and beauty. Amouage, Honour Woman, Eau de Parfum, 100ml, $371 and Amouage, Honour Man, Eau de Parfum, 100ml, $348. agencedeparfum.com.au
photo Jodi McDonald
amazing grace
It’s a day filled with enchanting moments, so flowing down the aisle like a heavenly vision of feminine grace will surely leave your groom (and your guests) feeling breathless. Brisbanebased bridal gown designer Jennifer Gifford has just released her spring/summer collection. Her designs are a silhouette of beautifully crafted finesse. The gowns are wedlocked in layers of blush coloured tulles and ivory lace. Jennifer’s labour of love has a unique class of its own. Collections or couture designs are available in standard dress sizes or gowns can also be made to measure. Design lead times can vary between four to six months, so it is recommended that you book as soon as you know you’re going to be a bride. Gown prices start from $2500. (Couture designs start at $3500.) jennifergifforddesigns.com
photo Chesterton Smith Photography
ISLAND GETAWAY Escape to your very own island paradise and enjoy the beauty and exclusivity of Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island. They’re experts at making unique receptions a reality from Kingfisher’s own bush chapel to cocktails alongside open fire-pits and sit-down affairs for up to 200 guests. And for perfect wedding photos you can’t go past the backdrop of Fraser Island’s iconic coloured sands, forest canopies and azure-blue lakes or the romance of sunsets over the Great Sandy Strait. Mecure Kingfisher Bay Resort Fraser Island. 07 4120 3311 or fraserislandweddings.com.au
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HE SAID, SHE SAID
he said, she said
BRIDE MELISSA SMITH GROOM MATT CAIRNEY MARRIED OCTOBER 5 2013, TOWN BUDERIM IMAGES COURTESY OF KIRK AND TREENS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY, KIRKANDTREENS.COM
OPE NI N G H O U R S LUN C H W E D - SU N
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D I N N E R W E D - SAT
AVA I L A B L E FOR W E D D I N G S & F UN C T I O N S
Family owned and operated by Anthony and Aletta Lauriston 11 H A R RY ’ S L A NE BUD E R I M ( O F F L I N D SAY ROA D)
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www.harrysonbuderim.com
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TWO PRECIOUS PEOPLE ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF THE DAY THAT FORMALISES THEIR LOVE AND THEY OFTEN SEE THE DAY’S EVENTS FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES. HERE, SALT ASKS A COUPLE TO REFLECT ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF THEIR LIVES. WHEN YOU THINK OF YOUR WEDDING WHAT IMAGE, WHAT MOMENT FIRST ENTERS YOUR MIND? He said: How beautiful she looked. She said: The feeling of excitement walking down the aisle towards Matt. HOW DID YOU REACT WHEN YOU SAW EACH OTHER ON THE DAY FOR THE FIRST TIME? He said: I got a little choked up. She said: It made me so excited for the rest of the day. We had a first look so we could get photos done before the ceremony and it was nice to have a moment with just the two of us before the day started. NOW THAT YOU’VE HAD THE WEDDING, IF YOU COULD DO IT ALL AGAIN WOULD YOU STILL INVITE FRIENDS AND FAMILY OR WOULD YOU PREFER TO ELOPE? He said: Yeah, family and friends for sure. She said: I’d definitely invite family and friends again. That was one of our main goals for the wedding – to spend time celebrating with friends and family. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE ASPECT OF THE CEREMONY? He said: How casual and relaxed it was. She said: We wrote personalised vows. Matt is generally not the emotional type so it was really special to hear him really speak from the heart.
IF YOU HAD TRIPPED UP ON THE WAY DOWN THE AISLE, WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN MORE LIKELY TO LAUGH, CRY, SQUIRM, SHOUT OR RUN? He said: Laugh. She said: Hopefully laugh. I’m pretty clumsy so I would not have been surprised! WHAT WAS THE FUNNIEST MOMENT OF YOUR WEDDING? He said: Probably me dancing at the reception. She said: The driver that came to pick us up was running late and when he finally got there and we were about to leave he got out and started polishing the car. It wasn’t funny at the time – I was so stressed – but looking back now, it makes me laugh. WHAT WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF YOUR WEDDING DAY? He said: Hearing all the speeches. She said: When it was just the two of us afterwards back at the hotel when we got a chance to chat and relax and reflect on the day. It was really nice. WHAT DID YOU LOVE ABOUT GETTING MARRIED AT HARRY’S ON BUDERIM? He said: The food was amazing and Tony and Aletta looked after us really well. She said: The food was incredible, which was one of the main reasons we chose Harry’s – it’s one of our favourite restaurants. Tony and Aletta were so amazing. Leading up to the day everything was just so easy and nothing was too much trouble. On the day we didn’t have to think about anything. Everything was taken care of perfectly.
ABOUT THE VENUE Harry’s on Buderim is nestled in the rainforest at Buderim Forest Park. The historical venue is a 120-year-old homestead that has played host to lunches, dinners, weddings and other special events for more than 20 years. With enough seating for up to 40 guests, the Fire Room is the perfect backdrop for photos and intimate receptions. Outside, a sweeping open lawn is the ideal spot for weddings and the nearby winding rainforest boardwalk a magical photo setting for bride and groom. For more information on Harry’s on Buderim, visit harrysonbuderim.com
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LOOK OF LOVE
into the
woods WORDS BRISEIS ONFRAY
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CREATIVE TEAM PLANNER AND STYLIST CARLY BAUM CL WEDDINGS AND EVENTS CLWEDDINGSANDEVENTS.COM.AU FLORIST DEZLEY HUGHES TWIG AND GRACE TWIGANDGRACE.COM PHOTOGRAPHY KAREN BUCKLE PHOTOGRAPHY KARENBUCKLE.COM.AU STATIONERY BRANDI ROBERTSON INSTAGRAM.COM/LADYBRNDI
If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure to stumble onto one of the Sunshine Coast’s most enchanting backdrops for a picture-perfect wedding day. CARLY BAUM AND DEZLEY HUGHES are the creative makers behind this opulent scene. Set under the majesty of a beautiful maple and atop of its fallen leaves, the vision has hints of intoxicating romance and far-away dreams. Rich with local colours, textures and scents, it is the true essence of a Sunshine Coast hinterland setting. >
This clever collaboration has captured the unexpected, pushing the boundaries of creativity and providing a refreshing contrast to current beach-style trends. “We wanted to create a point of difference, far removed from beach-inspired weddings. To capture the beauty of the Sunshine Coast in a way that people wouldn’t recognise, yet one that is so readily accessible,” Carly says. The landscape is the inspiration behind their moody colour scheme. Smoky greys, charcoal, gold, rust, taupe and rich greens, every little detail – from the spray-painted vintage chair, fine touches of Spanish >
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INTO THE WOODS INSPIRATIONS Vintage, timber chairs; gold (matt) cutlery; crystal decanters; smoky glass tea-light holders; mustard-yellow, velvety cushions; dark coloured candles; brass, old, amber apothecary bottles; a wooden pipe box and rusty urn.
The most private and romantic location for weddings in Noosa. With uninterrupted water views and ceremony and reception locations in the one gorgeous setting.
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142 Gympie Terrace, Noosaville QLD 4566 W: noosawaterfrontrestaurant.com.au M: 0409 607 292 follow us on facebook.com/noosawaterfront *Conditions apply
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BUNCHES OF WOODLAND BEAUTY Cymbidium orchids, dollar eucalyptus foliage, yellow-golden boronias, berries, poppy pods, native wattle, pinecones, Spanish moss, woodland foliage and twigs.
moss on the table and beautifully-illustrated bespoke stationery – has been selected to theme, and then placed to be in perfect harmony with the natural surroundings. “An interesting aspect of this theme was to be able to showcase what can be done with a darker colour palette, as an alternative to more traditional wedding themes,” Dezley says. “Fragrance is an important element. The sense of smell is a memory-based experience. I like to create a scent that will linger into guests’ memories. One to remind everyone of that beautiful day and setting forever.” A collection of true vintage with new pieces mixed with contradictions of regal texture creates old-world class. Wood-scented bouquets of eucalyptus, native wattle, berries and yellow-golden boronias provide visually-scented highlights.