We’ve always had a soft spot for Tasmanian weddings, particularly since stumbling upon Willie Smith’s Apple Shed – a unique wedding venue that was the ideal ceremony and reception space for Laura and Steve’s laid back celebration.

“We chose ‘The Apple Shed’ as it reflects Steve’s love of country music, whisky and his laid back personality”, says Laura who added her own DIY touches.

Our biggest takeaway from this wedding though, is the advice Laura and Steve offer to other engaged couples – like not letting Pinterest control your life and knowing that if you have an epic band, nothing else matters much.

Tell us about how you met and the proposal?

Steve and I had been friends for quite some time before we started dating. It was such a quick dating period (one date!) before we officially were together and then we were in a relationship for 3.5 years before we got engaged. Steve proposed to me on our Bali holiday in our little hut on the Ubud rice fields – it was absolutely magical and I will never forget it. He was very sneaky and had the ring hiding at home for four months before popping the big question!

What DIY projects did you do accomplish for the wedding?

We decided to do all our own styling for the wedding, both to save money and because I  love putting my creative bent to work. It was important to us that our wedding prep and day was as stress free and laid back as possible; that is why we picked ‘The Apple Shed’ as it already had all the furniture and so much stuff that we barely needed to provide or make anything!

My favourite DIY piece was definitely our beautiful arbour and macramé feature at the end of the aisle which my amazing sister and brother-in-law created for us. We got so many compliments about it!

What sort of vibe were you hoping to create for the day?

Our vibe was laid back with a modern edge/twist. We chose ‘The Apple Shed’ as it reflects Steve’s love of country music, whisky and his laid back personality. I love modern design and big parties so we chose to add a feminine and modern touch through our deco and extensive use of flowers, candles etc. All our deco was concrete, gold and white.

We really wanted our guests to come away feeling like they’d been to a giant party – great food, amazing music and less on the traditional formalities. Our aim was to have maximum time for dancing (our dance floor ran for over three hours)! Our band were AMAZING-  they were a Spanish/Latin influenced band and we had so many people who said it was the highlight of our wedding

What advice would you give to other couples leading up to their big day?

Don’t spend so much time planning your wedding that you forget what is beyond that day – marriage is so much more than one day, so don’t forget to spend time talking and communicating about what you want your marriage and future to look like, as opposed to just choosing flowers and outfits etc.

Also, you could pick any one of a thousand themes and your day would be equally as amazing. Don’t overload your mind by over researching and over-Pinterest-ing! There are SO many options and it can become overwhelming picking what you want. Write down exactly what you want before you start planning and stick to that plan. Don’t allow a magazine or Pinterest to tell you what you ‘need’ to make your day special – make it reflect who you are!

What was your favourite moment on your wedding day?

Steve and I chose to do all our photos before the ceremony which meant we saw each other before I walked down the aisle. It was really special as Cassie [their photographer] got us to do a ‘first look’ photo amidst the beautiful pine forest with just the two of us – it was a really special and magical moment and the look on Steve’s face when he turned and saw me was something I will never forget.

It also took a huge amount of pressure and nerves out of the ceremony and meant we had all the formalities out of the way and could roll straight from our ceremony onto our reception without ducking off for photos!

Tell us any funny stories that surrounded your wedding?

All of my siblings and cousins had planned a ‘flash mob’ type moment and performed a dance for us following our speeches which was absolutely hilarious and one of the highlights of our day. It was to Megan Trainor’s song, “Me Too”, we had no idea it was coming!

How about the venue?

We loved our venue! The team there were amazing and such a wonderful support. Ellie (wedding coordinator) was so organised and relaxed and accommodated us on so many levels. We would definitely recommend this venue for other couples!

Ceremony song?

We walked in to ‘Amazing Grace’ by Sufjan Stevens which is a very special song to us – our Christian faith is really important to us both so it was crucial that this was represented on our big day. On top of this, this version of Amazing Grace is on Sufjan Steven’s Christmas album. Steve and I both LOVE Christmas and this is one of our most favourite Christmas albums so now every December when this comes on we will be able to remember our day!

First dance song?

Steve and I chose not to have a first dance because he much prefers being at the back of the room then the centre of attention, and is not at all a fan of dancing!

However, in the middle of our huge dance floor with our amazing band Chupacabra, Steve jumped in and suddenly started dancing, much to the surprise of everyone in the room (including me!) It will be forever etched in my mind as being the first and last time I will ever see him dance and was such a fun moment!

Keen to check out more Tasmanian wedding venues? No problem, simply click here.

CREDITS: Photos Cassie Sullivan // Ceremony and reception Willie Smith’s Apple Shed // Catering Wattle Banks Catering // Flowers Just Flowers Tasmania // Stationery Vistaprint // Videographer Jayden Von Blanckensee // Bridal gown Ellery via David Jones // Jumpsuit Stone Cold Fox via Desordre // Brides shoes Ego Official and Senso // Accessories Sportsgirl // Bridesmaid dresses Shona Joy, Finders Keepers, Seed, Sheike and Keepsake The Label // Bridesmaid gifts Etsy // Grooms suit Politix via The Iconic  // Groomsmen suits and ties asos // Rings Metal Urges and Lee Brennan Design // Hair Renee Frost // Makeup Maleah Skipper and Tory Glover // Music Chupacabra // Celebrant The Abundant Church // Balloons Balloons Hobart