Shannon + Brad

real life wedding inspo

photos Studio SW19 phone (07) 3269 1938 mobile 0400 274 325 email smile@studiosw19.com.au web www.studiosw19.com.au

When Brad bent down on one knee on the beach at Lennox Heads and proposed to Shannon, she admits she was in complete shock! The ring, which had taken him many months of shopping around to fid, was fially presented to her. And it was perfect - “the most gorgeous ring,” she says.

Shannon and Brad fist met each other when they were in year 10, while working at Hungry Jacks in Surfers Paradise. And now, here they were, 30 years later, excited to fially start planning their wedding. Planning wasn’t so straightforward though, thanks to the pandemic. They had to change their date a number of times, before fially settling on the 18th of September 2021 for their special day. With plenty of time between their engagement in January 2020 to their wedding date in September 2021, Shannon was able to try on lots – and lots of dresses!

“I tried on so many! Dozens! The style kept changing too,” she remembers. Having envisioned herself in a casual boho/beach style to fit in with their wedding at Miami Beach, she soon came to realise that Brad wanted a more traditional style wedding. Wanting it to be right for herself, for Brad, and for the photos, she invested a lot of time on her dress. Thankfully, the effort to fid the perfect gown proved to be a success, and she received so many lovely compliments on the day, and lots of gorgeous wedding photos captured by Studio SW19, who she says were very professional and lovely to work with. Both Shannon and Brad were relieved they escaped a snap lockdown, but with the Queensland border closures, their family and friends from NSW and Victoria were sadly locked out and unable to attend. One of Brad’s longest friends, their manager from back in their Hungry Jacks days, was also their MC and luckily was able to travel from South Australia to be with them.

With their son as their ring bearer, one of Shannon’s oldest friends as their celebrant, their mutual friend of over 20 years doing a reading for them, and their nieces also performing a reading; their special day was filed with love. “Our wedding day was truly amazing. Everything ran perfectly. It was a perfect day,” recalls Shannon.

Following their beach ceremony, they held their reception at the Miami Surf Club. It was the perfect size for their 60 guests, with space to enjoy the stand up canapes while listening to their talented solo artist, Richard Neill, who entertained them throughout the evening. “He was wonderful in that he specially learnt to play our procession song, ‘I Choose You’ by Ryann Darling, and one of my favourite songs, ‘These Days’ by Powderfiner,” says Shannon. They also had a photo booth to provide a bit of fun and keep guests entertained throughout the night. “Everyone that gave us feedback said that they had a great time,” Shannon remembers, “they said it was a beautiful wedding, yet fun and laid back.” “We couldn’t have asked for a better day. It was a stressful lead up, due to borders being closed, potential lockdowns, and even the chance it wouldn’t go ahead – but everything turned out perfect. It was meant to be, and we are meant to be,” she says. Like most couples, they couldn’t believe how quickly the day went by. Shannon remembers wanting to try to make the day go slower so that they could absorb all the love and enjoy the event that so much time and effort had gone into - but before long, they were departing to Horizons Holiday Apartment for their fist night as a married couple.

We couldn’t have asked for a better day

They then went on to the beautiful destination of Hamilton Island for their honeymoon, where they marvelled at the beauty of the water, the wildlife, and the gardens, and enjoyed the restaurants with their attentive and helpful staff. “You can do as much or as little as you like on any given day. The island is so clean and so relaxed,” says Shannon, “it was the perfect place for our honeymoon.”

Shannon’s wedding advice: “Try not to sweat the small stuff. Most people don’t realise or notice all the tiny details and are just there to celebrate your special day. Also, weddings don’t have to cost a fortune. Try to be clever with purchases – hire, buy second hand, borrow, etc. But if you want something that is going to mean a lot to you and your future husband, then just do it.”

Wedding Date: 18th September 2021 • Theme: Beach • Number of Guests: 60 • Ceremony Song: I Choose You by Ryann Darling – played acoustically on the beach by solo artist, Richard Neill • Photographer: Studio SW19 • Bridal Gown: Paloma Blanca • Bridesmaid’s Dress: Bariano • Rings: My Jewellery Shop (Nobby Beach) • Hair & Makeup: MakeUp Palace • Groom & Groomsman’s Suit: Bruno Suits • Wedding Stylist: Down The Aisle • Ceremony: On the beach at Miami Beach • Celebrant: A Joyful Celebration • Reception: Miami Surf Club • Entertainment: Solo artist, Richard Neill Music • Florist: Lenore Strydom • Cake: Cake Up Catering • Unique Extras: Photo booth by Timeless Photobooths • Transport: 1983 Commodore Wagon (couples own car)