sarah & lance

VERANDA THE HIGH RESORT, CHIANG MAI, THAILAND

photos captured by: Ben Yew Photography

Lance proposed to Sarah during a trip in New Zealand. “We were in Auckland for a friend’s wedding and then travelled the North Island. Unbeknownst to me, Lance had organised for a friend to bring a bottle of sparkling wine over from Australia with a prop ring inside. On our last night staying at the Pullman Hotel, Lance casually suggested opening a bottle and drinking to what had been a great holiday. I poured the wine and Lance pointed to something inside the bottle. I was a little confused but kept pouring out the contents to find a ring! Lance got down on one knee and asked if I would be his wife.”

DESTINATION THAILAND | Sarah and Lance hosted a destination wedding in Thailand. “We both had family attending from overseas and felt that Thailand was a central place for everyone to come together.” Their wedding venue was chosen for its location. “It was situated on the edge of a tropical forest and the entire resort was built in complete harmony with the environment. It had a luxurious but also eco-friendly feel.” Holding their ceremony and reception at the highest point of the resort, the couple stood overlooking the surrounding hills as they said ‘I do’. “We loved the feelings of seclusion and open space and felt that little needed to be done to enhance the venue in terms of decoration.”

NO STRESS | Sarah’s wedding planning was a breeze thanks to the assistance of her wedding and events planner in Chiang Mai. “I felt confident that I could trust her with the planning of both the ceremony and reception and my mantra throughout the whole process was to make it as stress-free as possible. I chose the specific details I wanted to focus on and what I wanted to delegate to our planner.”

TROPICAL GETAWAY | “The weather leading up to the wedding had been quite overcast but it was a perfect day. The Thailand sun and heat can be quite unforgiving especially in a tuxedo or suit so we set the dress code as ‘casual resort-style wear’ in black and white.” Like the location, Sarah and Lance’s wedding was relaxed, “It was more a party than a formal wedding. We were all on holiday together so we kept the table settings and seating close knit and intimate. Our ceremony seats weren’t divided into sides either.” Being a destination wedding, the couple organised activities and events for their guests on arrival so there was plenty of time to bond outside of the wedding day. “We enjoyed high tea, rainforest zip lining, cooking classes and a pool party. We wanted our wedding to be about the experience and making memories not just the day alone.”

STYLING | The styling of Sarah and Lance's wedding had a lavish feel with crisp white the hero of their colour scheme. “The natural environment and surroundings were to be the real features of the day.”

Various local and traditional flowers were arranged in vases at the ceremony entrance. The couple’s initials floated in the pool with tea lights and frangipanis. A floral, ceremonial arch was draped in white chiffon and vases overflowing with yet more flowers surrounded the couple at the ceremony. A floral installation of their initials was also set up at the reception entrance for photo opportunities. The table centrepieces featured low foliage and white flowers. “We kept the colour scheme all white with splashes of green foliage. The decorations ran the length of the reception tables. This was a good option to create an inclusive setting where guests didn’t have anything separating them or blocking their vision.”

UNIQUE DETAILS | As part of their RSVPs, Sarah and Lance’s 45 guests were asked to state their favourite colours. “We used these as a base for selecting a wedding favour for each of our guests. We had silk shawls for the women and personalised passport holders, key rings or wallets for the men as a memento of our wedding and Thailand.”

As a graphic designer, the wedding stationery was one of Sarah’s primary focuses in planning the wedding. “I definitely gave our invitations and stationery the most attention.” The invitations and save the date cards were letter pressed and featured silver ink on heavy cotton stock. The stationery suite focused on typography, using Sarah’s favourite typeface Lato and a lotus motif. “I chose the lotus motif as a nod to the tropical destination and flowers we used at both the ceremony and reception.”

DREAMY FLOW | “I wanted a soft and light look and feel to my gown. Considering the wedding was taking place in Thailand, the humidity and heat were a large influence on what I chose. I needed a gown that was breathable, relaxed and moved easily.” Some gowns Sarah tried on were too heavy for the climate but when she came across an evening gown by Jomay Cao she knew it was just right. “The designer was very accommodating in helping me customise the dress to give it a more bridal feel.” The gown had a clean silhouette with a fitted cross back, small train and bustle. Lance wore a white linen shirt with chinos and blue suede loafers. “We jumped into the infinity pool fully clothed at the end of the night!”