Urban romance

Who: Simon Smith and Laurelle Ward.
When: November 1, 2008.
Where: A Catholic ceremony at Saint Ignatius Church, Richmond, was followed by a reception at Hawthorn’s Canvas Restaurant. Simon and Laurelle chose the latter venue for its delicious food and modern, inviting atmosphere.
Gown: Laurelle wore a classic A-line dress with lace cap sleeves by Jenny Anne Fashions.
Suit: Simon wore a black pin-stripe, two-button suit with matching vest from Spurling Formalwear.
Invitations: Guests received a red, black and white modern purse-set invitation including reply card and gift registry card from Rock Paper Scissors.
Flowers: Laurelle carried beautiful white Phalaenopsis orchids, which were complemented by her bridesmaids’ red Singapore orchids from Brett Currell.
Cake: Delicious white chocolate mini cakes trimmed with red orchids and roses were created by Cioccolata Bella, which also supplied heart-shaped cookies featuring guests’ names in icing for the bomboniere.
Decorations: A tall vase was placed in the centre of each table featuring red orchids, with a row of red roses in smaller vases on either side and tea light candles in between.
Entertainment: Guests tore up the dance floor to the tunes of six-piece band Heatwave.
Wedding co-ordinator: Chameleon Events was a must for the couple, providing a stress-free day.
Photography: “Ken from Hikari Photography is passionate about what he does,” says Laurelle. “Simon and I chose Ken for his originality and likeability. Ken had an assistant on the day, which meant he could take the formal portraits while his assistant was able to capture moments as they happened. While Ken took portraits of me and my family on the wedding morning, Hang was able to take portraits of Simon and his family. It was these little extras Ken provided that made him a natural choice. Ken’s artistry made the photos look amazing and very natural. Ken made us feel relaxed in front of the camera and let the wedding day be about us, not about the pictures. Thanks to Ken, our photos tell the story of our perfect wedding day.”
Favourite memories: “Simon and I surprised our guests with a beautifully choreographed first dance. The dance included a dip and a lift at the end, which we had rehearsed for months. We finished our first dance as husband and wife to a standing ovation and our hearts pumping with excitement and relief that it was a success."