Blue skies, a beautiful harbour front venue and a cracking setting for a ceremony, things sure did look swell at Sara and Stuart’s wedding at Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel. 

Check out their day captured by This Day Forward.

In a nutshell, how would you describe your wedding day?

It was simply a special day, from beginning to end. We had both received advice from other married couples to try to absorb all the little moments, and we made sure to take pauses throughout the day to simply take it all in – so that the day didn’t just rush us by.

There were an incredible number of wonderful highlights. From taking our vows (the ones we wrote together, saying these alternating in Swedish and English), hearing our family and friends laugh as one of the giant balloons knocked the celebrant in the head, looking out across the venue to see all of the people we love gathered in one place, the wonderful performance of our MC throughout the night (treating us to lots of laughs), heartfelt speeches from our closest, Sara’s brother playing guitar and singing our first dance song, and dancing the night away as if on clouds (the balloons obviously made their way to the dancefloor).

What did you expect was going to be your favourite part in the lead-up? What did it end up being?

Although the entire day felt like a dream from beginning to end, and everything flowed effortlessly and planned, the most amazing thing about the day was to celebrate not just our 8 years together, but all of our friends and family members who have supported us throughout our journey. They’ve seen us grow up together and have helped us create the life we have. The love, happiness, and genuine support were unmistakable throughout the day and evening. We had a blast. 

Did you write your own vows? If so, what made you decide to do that?

We wanted the vows to be truly personal to us, so we did write our own vows. In fact, we wrote the vows together and decided to write our commitments in both Swedish and English. There were a few fun things in there as well! During the ceremony, we took our vows together, alternating each commitment in the two languages. Sara spoke Swedish and Stuart spoke English. We decided to stand united, saying our vows as equal partners. 

This was a way for us to highlight the unique cultural blend of our relationship. It meant a lot to our Swedish family members present. In particular, one grandparent who made it all the way from Sweden to Australia for the first time! 

What was it about Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel that made you book it?

We fell in love with the Sunset Room at Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel as soon as we walked in. The light streaming through with the ocean in the background, the fresh and clean sophistication combined with a casual and fun vibe. It just felt like us. A place we could have a lot of fun with our closest people.

What’s your best piece of wedding-related advice?

Each relationship is unique, and you need to make sure to do you. Your wedding is yours to shape. We’ve been together a long time and for us, the wedding day itself was a moment of celebration, but we were truly excited to commit to each other, in our own way. Each aspect of the day stayed true to the relationship we have. We’re really realistic with the ups and downs of a relationship and made sure to authentically reflect this in the readings, the vows, the speeches, and celebrations. It was an incredible day. But, we were both mostly just excited to be married to each other!

CREDITS: Photography This Day Forward // Videographer Ripple Weddings // Flowers A Little Character // Venue Watsons Bay Hotel // Catering Watsons Bay Hotel // Cake Black Star Bakery // Styling and Stationery A Little Character // Bridal Gown Karen Willis Holmes // Brides Shoes Shoes of Prey // Accessories The Luxe Bride // Bridesmaids Dresses Zimmerman // Bridesmaids Gifts Etsy // Grooms Suit Peppers Formal Wear // Groomsmen Gifts Peter’s of Kensington // Ties Peppers Formal Wear // Rings Moi Moi Jewellery // Hair and Makeup Gemma Nichols Makeup Artistry // Music: Red Soda Band and Impression DJs // Celebrant Melissa Soncini.