CTCW Wedding Suppliers:
Wedding Planner: Pilbara Weddings
Ceremony location: On the lawn at the Broome Anglican Church
Wedding Reception Venue: Private residence, Broome
Flowers: Silk flowers - Pilbara Weddings
Pastor: Reverend Tim Mildenhall, Broome Anglican Church
Stationery: Pilbara Weddings
Wedding Decorator: Pilbara Weddings
Hire Services: coordinated by Pilbara Weddings
Unique Services: Leanne at Pilbara Weddings helped us to design personalised wine labels for the wine we served at the wedding. We were also able to give them as gifts to the people who gave us special help in the lead up to the big day.
Do you live in Broome and if not why did you choose to get married here?
We don't live in Broome, but decided to get married there for a couple of reasons - first and foremost, Broome is where we met, so it is a special place for both of us. As Port Hedland residents, Broome is a great getaway spot and with friends and family travelling from around the country to be with us, we knew Broome would make for a great holiday for everyone.
Why did you choose this time of year to get married?
We wanted to sneak in before peak tourist season, and as my parents are farmers, we also had to work around seeding time on the farm!
How did your wedding represent your and Andrews personality?
Our wedding was elegant and sophisticated but also relaxed and fun we wanted all of the special people in our lives to have a ball together and everyone enjoyed themselves and felt totally comfortable in each other's company.
What was the theme and colour scheme for your wedding?
We let the natural beauty of our ceremony and reception locations speak for themselves and kept everything else quite simple. Champagne was an elegant colour for bridesmaid's dresses and our stationery, while magenta orchids and bougainvillea provided a fun shock of colour and a touch of North West style.
Where did you get inspiration for ideas for your wedding?
We were quite clear about the style of wedding we both wanted, but we filled in some of the gaps looking at magazines and websites. We also imagined the kind of event we wanted to throw for our friends and family and ourselves and then set about creating it.
What was the hardest part to plan for your wedding?
Holding our wedding at a private residence rather than a function centre was a challenge, though persistence paid off in the end.
Was it hard to find wedding suppliers in Broome for your wedding day?
Broome is an increasingly popular wedding location, so the suppliers are there. And having one or two suppliers to choose from rather than 20 or 30 made for much easier decision making.
What parts of organising your wedding did you have to outsource from Broome or the Northwest?
There was a limited choice of fresh flowers available in Broome in May, which is why we opted for silk flowers. The silk flowers were made in Adelaide. That aside, the majority of our suppliers were based in the North West.
What was the one thing you weren’t going to comprise on for your wedding?
The location! Holding our wedding at a private residence came with a number of challenges that we simply wouldn't have faced if we went to a function centre, but I knew it would make our day absolutely perfect... I'm so glad we stuck with it.
How many guests did you have at your wedding?
We had just over 110 guests who travelled from all over to be with us. Many came and spent a whole week with us in Broome - it was an incredibly special time.
Did you do any pre-wedding activities with your guests?
Over the course of the week, we had our Hen's and Buck's Nights, plus a bbq on Cable Beach for my 30th birthday, a golf day for the boys, fishing charter, day spay visits.... we had a ball! The day after the wedding we came together again for a BBQ - one last opportunity to have everyone together before people started to depart.
When did you start looking for your wedding dress and where did you go?
I'd had an idea for my dress in mind for a long time and initially I planned to have it made. I thought I should experiment before making a final decision though, so I went along to Hobnob in Highgate and tried on a number of dresses... imagine my surprise when they had exactly the dress I'd always pictured in my head! I bought it a couple days later, and it was perfect.
How did it feel wearing your dress for the whole day was it comfortable?
I was so excited that I didn't notice whether I was comfortable or not! Towards the end of the night people kept asking me if I was cold (apparently it was very chilly!)... but I didn't feel a thing. Though I couldn't eat very much - it was fairly fitted in the bodice.
What flowers did you carry?
I carried silk phalaenopsis orchids - my bouquet was white, and my bridesmaids carried magenta.
What did Andrew and the groomsman do before the wedding?
On the day of the wedding, the boys started things off with a hearty breakfast, before heading to the church to set up the chairs and stock eskies with ice and cold water for our guests. They did have some time to relax and have a couple of drinks together before heading to the church though.
Tell me about the running of the day what time did you start preparing etc?
The girls and I started off with breakfast overlooking Cable Beach and then from 9am the Chahoya Spa at Cable Beach Club Resort worked their way through hair and make-up for the bridal party. We had a room at the resort and we all got ready there. The ceremony was at two and depsite the fact that we started early, we still ran out of time - I was twenty minutes late to the church, even though I swore I wouldn't be.
Describe what happened at your ceremony and what time was your ceremony?
The girls and I arrived at the church in multi-coloured mini mokes - we had to drive very slowly so our hair wasn't destroyed! Our guests were ready and waiting on the lawn at the front of the church, and my favourite moment of the whole day was walking down to aisle towards Locky, with Van Morrison's Days Like This playing.
We were married on the steps of the church, with our guests seated on on the lawn under the shade of the palms and frangipani trees.
My elderly grandmother was not able to be with us on the day, so my aunty gave a reading which my grandmother had chosen. A good friend read a favourite poem and before we knew it, we were married. It was a great moment when the minister announced us as Mr and Mrs Andrew and Lisa Lock, to the strains of Starlight by Muse.
What did your guests do after your ceremony while you and Andrew went off and had wedding photos?
Our guests returned to their accommodation after the ceremony (our whole group was staying at the same place) and a bus collected them and took them to our reception venue to enjoy sunset drinks and canapes before we arrived.
Where did you go for wedding photos?
After some photographs at the church, we moved on to Broome's historic Streeter's Jetty and Sun Pictures in Chinatown, before moving to the beach and cliffs at Gantheaume Point and then finally to our reception venue for sunset photographs under the beautiful boab tree.
Why did you choose this Private Property as your wedding venue?
The first moment I saw the property several years ago, I thought to myself, 'what a fantastic place for a party'. I wanted to showcase the beautiful North West to our friends and family who had travelled such a long way and the location was absolutely stunning. The ocean, the sunset and later the stars gave our reception a magical feel. We danced the night away on the grass under the boab tree hung with fairly lights and chinese lanterns.
You had a outside reception what is this like?
I think an outdoor venue provides an atmosphere that no function room can ever replicate... and we were very lucky on the day that the elements were kind to us and it wasn't wet or windy.
What happened at your reception?
We arrived while our guests were enjoying sunset drinks and walked in to The Waifs Take It All In - a special song for us and also a reminder for us to stop, have a look around and enjoy the moment.
We were toasted by our Best Man and Main of Honour and by our parents. Locky and I both spoke - I found the speeches to be more emotional than saying our vows. We had a display of our parents and grandparents wedding photos, plus a polaroid camera and some dress-ups for people to snap a momento of the night - people took two polaroid pics, kept one for themselves and stuck another in an album with a message for Locky and I.
A live local band meant plenty of dancing and a fire pit was a great spot for people to keep warm between sets. Our first dance was to Powderfinger's Burn Your Name and rather than slow dance on our own, we invited everyone to join us right from the start - we wanted our first dance to be shared with all of the important people in our lives.
What food was served at the reception?
After sunset canapes, each table was loaded with platters of spit roasted pork and lamb and delicious salads - we wanted it to feel like a big family meal with everyone sharing, passing around and serving themselves and each other, rather than a buffet or alternate drop. Our 'cake' was served as cheese platters after dinner.
Best moment of your wedding day?
The best moment of the day was walking down the aisle, making my way towards Locky - I'd been quite nervous about having all eyes on me while walking down the aisle, but as soon as I saw him I couldn't keep the smile off my face - it felt like the most natural and relaxed thing ever.
Describe the look and flavour of your cake, plus any other desserts that were served?
We had a 'cheese cake' - three layers of delicious cheese stacked one on top of the other... a vintage cheddar, blue and double brie, served with fresh and dried fruits. Our 'cake' was served after dinner as a cheese platter on each table... and was delicious! We also served macaroons with tea and coffee for those who needed a sweet treat to finish off.
Did you make anything for your wedding?
There were a few 'hands-on' moments in the lead up to the wedding - I designed and printed our Orders of Service, and made a small card for each of my Bridesmaids with a poem by Julie Blume and a pair of beautiful Broome pearl earrings attached for them to wear on the day. After the wedding I designed and printed a thank you card which listed the towns that each of our guests travelled from in the style of a vintage bus or tram roll - we sent the thank you cards to each guest (and to those who couldn't be there but sent their best wishes) along with photographs of the day.
What were the bonbonnieres for your guests?
We didn't have bonbonnieres, but Leanne at Pilbara Weddings helped us to design personalised wine labels for the wine we served at the wedding. We were able to give them as gifts to the people who gave us special help in the lead up to the big day.
Where did you spend your wedding night?
We stayed at the Cable Beach Club Resort, in the same room where my sister (who was also my maid of honour) and I stayed the night before the wedding, and where my bridesmaids and I prepared for the day.
How do you feel now that your wedding is over?
I wish we could do it all over again! It was an absolute ball - without question the most fun and most special day of my life.
Were did you honeymoon?
We had a 'mini-moon' at Eco Beach Resort on our way back from Broome to Port Hedland - we spent two days there unwinding and relaxing. After three months back at work, we took three weeks off and honeymooned in the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Dubai - three totally different but spectacular locations.
Advice for other brides planning a wedding in the Northwest?
Some suppliers shut down during the wet, so you may need to plan things further in advance than you anticipate. Also, the infamous 'Broome-time' did come into play - some things did take a little longer to confirm than I would've liked.
When you look back what would you have done differently on your wedding day?
I don't have a professional photograph with my mum - in the excitement you will forget some of the photographs which seem obvious. Write a list of all the photographs you would like on the day (or refer to the sample lists included in some bridal magazines) and nominate someone to make sure you get all of the shots you want. I'd suggest someone outside of the bridal party - people will be more than happy to help. Also, I wish we had a video of the day - not necessarily by a professional videographer, but it would be great to look back on the home movie.
I would like to thank...
Our families, Brad and Leanne Anderson from Pilbara Weddings, the Fong family, Bali Hai Resort and Spa, Palm Grove Resort, all of our suppliers - and most of all, everyone who travelled to be with us for the day (and in most cases, the week!). | 
Lisa & Andrew's Broome Wedding 
