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your day

secret gardenPhiliPPa morris & tim macKinnon

31 december, 2010margaret river’s secret garden, margaret river & chandeliers on abbey, yallinguP, Wa

After eloping in Gibraltar, Philippa, 28 and Tim, 34, returned home to throw a New Year’s Eve reception in the Margaret River. The bride’s mother, Joy, owns Pallas Couture – one of the Australia’s most respected wedding dress businesses – so it was no surprise Philippa turned heads in a spectacular one-off design.

SUMMER NIGHT The couple celebrated their marriage with a garden reception for 150 guests. ‘I wanted it to be reminiscent of A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Philippa explains. ‘It felt a little bohemian and eclectic, with Persian rugs on the grass, chandeliers in the trees and velvet lounges. It was a little bit like sitting in an eccentric gran’s living room!’

GAME PLAY A Scrabble piece message encouraged guests to help themselves to the dessert table. ‘Tim and I bonded over scrabble when we first met, so we thought it would be nice to incorporate it into the wedding,’ says Philippa.

stylist’s tip...Use scrabble pieces to create messages for

your guests – these can be rearranged later

in the night!

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philippa & tim

GOLD TRIM The bride chose childhood friends, Lauren Bennett and Sarah MacKellar, to be her bridesmaids on her special day. Their dusty pink, strapless dresses were designed by Pallas Couture and featured silk tulle and a hand-painted gold lace trim to match Philippa’s wedding gown. ‘We designed the dresses with the same soft, garden-inspired feel as my gown,’ the bride explains.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS Philippa’s most memorable moments of the couple’s ceremony were when Tim recited his handwritten vows, and her good friend Heather sang an acoustic version of Hysteric by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, while she and Tim held their baby son Charlie. ‘At the reception our MC Chris read out a “telegram” from our seven-month-old baby, which was hilarious,’ she adds. At midnight, the couple surprised their guests by providing wigs and dress-up clothing. ‘It was so fun and festive to be on the dance floor among a sea of crazy costumes and hair!’ recalls the bride.

ECLECTIC MIX The couple used a mix of teacups, old jars and jugs for vases. ‘We wanted the table centres to be eclectic so we weren’t too discerning – we used anything pretty that could hold water!’ Philippa explains. ‘The flowers were arranged by Kerri from Chandelabra, my mother-in-law Jacqui and her good friend Penny Thompson. We also made the tablecloths ourselves, with lush fabrics including crushed velvet.’

GASTRONOMIC GOODNESS The couple’s single-tier fruitcake was made by Tim’s mother, Jacqui, and decorated with bright sugar flowers and two kewpie dolls sourced from a vintage store in San Francisco. Their cocktail reception followed a ‘gastro-pub’ theme with dishes such as snapper with duck fat chips and pea puree, Yorkshire puddings with rare beef and caramelised onions, and Eton Mess for dessert, says the bride. ‘Jacqui also made sausage rolls to come out in the early hours of the morning.’

NOTABLE INSPIRATIONS The couple opted for a festive outdoor reception at Chandeliers on Abbey to celebrate their vows and bring in the New Year. ‘I was inspired by the spaces and interiors I love in real life, which are a little bohemian, cluttered and kitsch, yet polished,’ says Philippa. Specifically, she credits the Rose Bowl flea markets in Los Angeles and interior stylists, Sibella Court and Victoria Smith, for stimulating her creativity.

sources listBLUMENTHAL PHOTOGRAPHY (PHoToS) blumenthalphotography.com.auCHANDELIERS ON ABBEY (RECEPTIoN) chandeliersonabbey.com.auCHANDELABRA (EVENT STYLINg) chandelabra.com.au KATSUCO AUSTRALIA (HAIR & MAKE-UP) katsuco.com.auMR. BODDINGTON’S STUDIO (STATIoNERY) mrboddington.comNATURAL ART BY REBECCA GRACE (FLoWERS) naturalartflowers.com.auPALLAS COUTURE (goWN & BRIdESMAId dRESSES) pallascouture.comTHE SECRET GARDEN (CEREMoNY) (08) 9755 6390THE 3D MARKET (BoMBoNIERE) the3dmarket.myshopify.com

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fLORAL MASTERPIECE The bride designed her Pallas Couture gown with mum, Joy, using lace adorned with laser-cut silk flowers to give it a three-dimensional feel. The sheer skirt detached to reveal a mini dress for the reception. ‘I wanted the dress to have a whimsical, secret garden feel,’ says Philippa. ‘I only got to see the finished product about a week before the wedding!’

LOVE HEARTS The couple gave all of their guests boxes of nougat and holographic glasses, which transformed all the fairy lights at the reception into love hearts. ‘As it was a second wedding and on New Year’s Eve, I wanted the reception to have a fun, festive vibe and so we provided guests with the glasses after midnight,’ the bride explains.

stylist’s tip...Make candle holders

out of interesting receptacles, such as pretty vintage

teacups.

stylist’s tip...Create a glimmering

ambience using silver bowls, candle holders and mirrors to reflect

the light.