Sarah + Dom - Banksia Orange

Dom and Sarah wanted a wedding venue where incredible food and service were guaranteed. Banksia Orange - a premium event space and hotspot for food enthusiasts - was their golden ticket. On top of that, they executed some decadent, larger-than-life styling that took the venue to a whole other level. "We wanted to transform the space to something that hadn't been done", said Sarah who spent weekends travelling to Sydney in search of a fabric store that could supply three kilometres of white satin.

It was certainly impressive and we're so glad Wedshed fave Kirsten Cunningham was there to capture it all.

How did you and Dom meet? We both worked in hospitality in Sydney - Dom was a chef and I was a waitress at Rockpool in Sydney.

The venue: It was a no-brainer - our premium wedding venue, Banksia was absolutely perfect - a large, flexible space and the most incredible food.

The vibe: Luxe, classic 50's cinematic style look and a grand party atmosphere.

Best wedding planning resources? Pinterest and the in-house Banksia wedding co-ordinator, who let me run with my wild ideas.

Best thing you did? The best thing was to choose a venue that took care of everything from staffing, styling and planning, it was all wrapped up in one package. It meant that every detail was considered, and we could sleep at night in the lead-up to the big day.

Expectations vs. reality? With big ideas comes a need for a skilled team to pull it all off. We wanted to transform the space to something that hadn't been done before and it took so much work, but it was absolutely worth it.

If we had our time again (i.e what you'd change in retrospect)... I found herself stressing over the small things the morning of the wedding, and in the big picture, none of it mattered so much, but it meant I didn't soak up the special morning.

Hit (or near) miss: Golf buggy incident - during the post-ceremony photos, Sarah’s dress got caught in the wheel of the golf buggy and was completely torn. Thankfully a family friend saved the day, by racing out to the venue and sewing the dress back together so she could wear it for the father/daughter dance before changing into a racy, sequinned outfit for the end-of-night celebrations.

Rapid Fire Questions

Wedding splurge?

The decadent styling, and bougee canapés to kick things off.

Wedding save?

Sarah spent weekends travelling to the western suburbs of Sydney in search of a wholesale fabric store that could supply 3km of white satin that she transported back to Orange.

First look?

No

Best thing you ate or drank on the day?

So hard to choose - the best drink was the shot of tequila I drank after I ripped my dress. HA! The best food was the caviar we served after the ceremony.

Aisle song?

"Time After Time", by Eva Cassidy

Party starter track?

"Ya Habibi", by Mohamed Ramadan and Gims

Ceremony or reception (which won)?

Ceremony.

On-budget or over-budget?

Over-budget.

Honeymoon destination?

Home on the couch.

CREDITS: Photos Kirsten Cunningham Photography // Video Truly Madli Deeply // Florist Botanical Art Club // Venue and catering Banksia Orange // Bridal gown Rain Bridal // Bridesmaid dresses Aje and Sonja Moda // Suits Hartfords Menswear // Rings Nique Jewellery // Hair Parlour O // Makeup Haley Jean Makeup Artist // Transport Orange Golf Cart Hire // Sound and production CCT Productions.