Tara & Bradley - Zavana Couture 266 Wedding Dress

Tara and Bradley’s love story reminds us that when something is meant to be, it’ll be! They crossed paths multiple times until they fell in love and the rest is history! Now, 9 years later they tied the knot in a gorgeous outdoor ceremony, with the most thoughtful surprise from their loved ones!

#RCREALBRIDE Tara wore the magnificent 266 gown from Zavana Couture. This design showcases a fully beaded silhouette in a design reminiscent of the most striking architecture. The sweetheart neckline is embellished with beaded spaghetti straps that extend onto the low open back. a true modern masterpiece.

Photographed by Adele Elisabeth

THE FIRST SIGHT

Brad and I first met in 2004 through a mutual friend. I hate to say it wasn’t love at first sight as we were both on different life adventures and quite young. We reconnected later in life due to a love of a band and started talking each day. This is when I knew Brad was the one for me; he was everything I had been looking for, everything I had wished for and everything I would ever need for the rest of my life. There was definitely instant attraction when we met up for the first time after speaking for so long. I met Brad at his house and was filled with butterflies of excitement and nerves. As I was leaving, Brad kissed me in his kitchen and I knew at this moment he would forever be a big part of my life.

THE PROPOSAL

Brad’s proposal was perfect. Our anniversary is on Christmas Eve and we were celebrting 8 years together. Brad had organised to take our dog, Stanley, for a walk prior to our Christmas festivites that day. We set out in the morning on our usual route around the forest and Brad asked me to walk ahead to do some training with Stanley. I went ahead 10 or so metres and turned to call Stanley towards me but as I turned around, Brad was down on one knee. I unfortunately had already called our dog, who proceeded to bolt towards me, nearly taking Brad (and the ring) with him. Luckily Brad had a good strong hold of the lead and was able to secure the bouncing dog and asked me to marry him.

THE VENUE

I had always wanted to get married outside in a garden underneath a big, beautiful tree, so this was a vital element in our decision. The choice was easy when we saw the ceremony spot in front of Burnham Beeches; big blooming trees, a luscious green lawn and a stunning Art Deco building. We had previously visited one other venue but as soon as we saw The Piggery, met the staff, sampled the food and walked about the grounds the decision was easy.

FAVORITE MOMENTS

The whole day was amazing and was so special. It is definitely hard to choose a favorite moment but there is one part of our ceremony that stands out. Our celebrant, Gin, had asked us prior if we would be open to our guests being a part of our wedding. We said we wouldn’t mind this at all. We were both unsure what this would look like but knew our family and friends would be involved if they were invited. Prior to our ceremony beginning (be-known to the both of us), Gin spoke to all of our guests and organised the surprise. All of our beautiful family and friends stood up during the ceremony and recited a reading for Brad and I. We were so blown away by this and it bought me to tears. We are so grateful to Gin for the beautiful and thoughtful element to our ceremony.

THE DRESS

Oh my dress! I cannot begin to explain how amazing I felt wearing it. As soon as I tried it on in store, I knew it was the one. I went in with a completely different idea as to what I would wear on my wedding day and never thought I would purchase a beauty such as this. This was the first dress I tried on at RC and I felt so beautiful when I walked out. I instantly fell in love with the beading and the scalloped train, how it fitted my body and the way it shimmered. The details were just perfect. I cannot imagine wearing anything else.

FINDING THE ONE

I cannot fault my bridal shopping experience at RC. My Mum, my sister and I had been to a store prior to heading to RC but did not find THE dress. It was my sisters suggestion to go and have a look at RC as they had a Trunk Show on that morning. We did not have an appointment but were warmly welcomed in store by staff. I was taking notes of some dresses I would like to try on and went to the counter to make an appointment for the following weekend. I was notified that there was a cancellation and I could try on dresses in the next 10 minutes. It was truly meant to be.

ADVICE FOR FUTURE BRIDES

Create and share a Google Folder for everything wedding. The best thing we created was our spreadsheet – it kept us on track with our budget, highlighted who we had paid and needed to pay and items needing to be purchased. Every invoice, screenshot, payment receipt, booking confirmation etc. were all saved in our Google Folder online

Relax and enjoy every moment of planning for your wedding day. It truly goes so quickly, so don’t sweat the small stuff

A happy relationship is built on honesty, good communication and active listening. It is based on respect, love and sincerity. A happy relationship thrives on laughter, smiles and tears. It is when you share the best times and the worst times together and know that you can get through anything if you have each other.