Real Wedding // Bakulia & Beau’s Fig Tree Wedding

Bakulia & Beau tied the knot at the spectacular Fig Tree Restaurant on a perfect spring day. From a humble teenage crush to finding happiness after 10 years of ‘crossing paths’, this gorgeous couple embodies the ultimate love story. Working with a dream team of suppliers, Bakulia & Beau’s vision of ‘lush modern romance’ was brought to life using crisp white flowers in varying textures and shapes, linen and subtle accents of black & gold. In Bakulia’s words, “all my [pinterest] pins came to reality, [I was] absolutely blown away.” It was such a pleasure to be part of this gorgeous couple’s magical day; read on to hear more.

Tell us about your story, how did you meet?

We met when I was 17, I had always had a crush on Beau. We kept crossing paths but it was not until 10 years later we chose each other. We’re truly each other’s best friends. Beau makes me laugh like no one else. He is the warmest, kindest person who would make anyone smile. When you meet him you will see why he is such a special human.

We love to travel and have travelled across the globe together. Throw in almost 3 years of a long-distance relationship in between, and we finally moved in together in Sydney. Within months I got pregnant with our first baby. We had planned our Burning Man adventure (prior to that amazing surprise) and followed through. Pregnant at 8 months we had the craziest time and looking back I can’t believe we went! Best decision ever though. We have something to tell our grandchildren about that’s for sure.

Where did the proposal happen?

When our baby girl was two years old, Beau proposed to me during a little family photoshoot. I basically organised it myself without knowing. I always said to Beau if he proposed I would like for it to be captured (toxic trait = obsessed with memory preserving).

One day he suggested a family photo session to commemorate us as a family of 3 since we haven’t had any photos done since our girl was born. She was 1 and a half at the time. The night before, I found out I was pregnant with our baby boy. I thought, what better way to tell him than to surprise him at the shoot to capture his reaction? I put a test in a nice little box to give to him. We dressed up for a family shoot and mid-way through, Beau decided to get on both knees (lol, we were in the sand dunes) and tell our daughter our love story. And then, he pops out a ring!

Our photographer, who knew about my surprise but not the engagement was shocked! Her hands were shaking as she captured the whole proposal on video. We cried happy tears; we were on cloud nine.

I then decided to give him the box. His face said it all; again all captured beautifully for us to cherish for years to come. He laughed as I touchéd him.

It was such an emotional day. Definitely, one we will never forget. A two for one!

What were the reasons for choosing Fig Tree as the venue for your Wedding Day?

Initially, we wanted to get married in the South of France. That’s where my best friend got married and we loved it! She shared her planner and we found the most perfect chateau. Covid then happened, all of our friends including us had babies, and an overseas wedding became too hard.

We wanted to have a wedding somewhere where the staff were reviewed amazingly, the vibe was easy-going, the food was delicious and The Fig Tree had all of the elements. I got over the French theme quick-smart when I saw how stunning and well-manicured The Fig Tree was. After speaking to Che (Venue Owner) on the phone, I booked the same day.

He had a beautiful, welcoming energy. That’s exactly what you want when you’re looking for a wedding venue. The location is perfect and the view is magnificent.

What style were you striving for with your table settings, florals and reception? Was there a certain look or vibe that you wanted to create for your wedding day?

After seeing how stunning the venue is, the perfect white restaurant, well-manicured garden and Jasmin & Gardenia blossoming everywhere, I wanted to go for minimal and modern but not ultra-cold. Because The Fig Tree doesn’t require too much styling, I thought crisp white flowers, white linen, a touch of black elements, and little gold with the crystal coasters.  

When choosing a cake, I was told the style that I wanted is ethereal. I typed it into Pinterest and off I went saving all things ‘ethereal’. If you see my mood board, the wedding couldn’t be closer to it.

My florist called our style ‘Lush Modern Romance’. I really loved that too, I feel it describes our style well. All my pins came to reality. Absolutely blown away.

Were there any wedding vendors that you particularly loved working with and why?

Marry Me Dean (Celebrant & MC) was absolutely wonderful. He really took the time to get to know us and our love story. All our guests loved him, he really set the perfect tone for our day.

Sarah of Florals & Co is a flower fairy. Unstructured en masse Babies Breath was our main floral arrangement style. Sarah did an incredible job at providing inspirational images and really taking on board everything I have provided. Her planning document made envisioning our florals very easy and got me very excited.

Brooke from Brooke Low Make-up is an absolute star, she is so fast and so professional. All my bridesmaids and mum were impressed by how well their make-up stayed on, especially after the sun, wind and all the happy tears. Not to mention she has such great energy, we are so lucky to have our make-up done by her.

Of course, Byron Bay Weddings. Sophie (Wedding Planner), you are fantastic. And even for an organised person, the structured planning modules made the whole process easier and more enjoyable for me. It was lovely to bounce ideas off Sophie, and she truly made sure my vision came to life.

Marina Machado (Cake Designer), is so very talented. I feel like all our vendors were lovely.

What were your favourite parts of the wedding planning process with Byron Bay Weddings?

I was excited to go over the styling module and food selection the most. The way the modules are planned and timed is flawless. Made me feel at ease, I knew you knew what you were doing. Byron Bay Weddings seemed to operate like a well-oiled machine and that made me feel less stressed about the upcoming day. We booked without seeing the venue, Sophie’s recommendation to see it during the wedding fair was a great idea. We got to try the food, meet other couples and see the venue all dressed up. Made it easier to envision our special day. 

Tell us what were the most important aspects of your wedding day and which moments really stood out to you?

I asked that our guests are always well fed and glasses topped up. I loved that The Fig Tree staff really stepped up. The service was impeccable. Even though I was busy chatting to everyone, I could see how professional all the waiters and bartenders were. It makes such a huge difference to the whole feel of the event. I’m really grateful for that, and I think guests noticed that as well. 

The ceremony was also very important to me. The location, the view, the styling and the ceremony itself were absolutely perfect to us. Our guests were involved with us, thanks to Dean.

And, we got so lucky with the weather; the view was breathtaking. 

What would be your biggest advice to other couples currently planning their wedding?

I got stressed with budget keeping, we really blew it out. We have two kids, houses etc. so I felt a little silly having a wedding. Now that it’s done and we have definitely gone over, we don’t regret it. This is one day we got to have all our loved ones under one roof, celebrating our love. It was definitely worth it. So, try not to sweat the small stuff.

Invite people you might regret not inviting. We had to cull lots of people because of capacity, and of course, parents wanted to invite their friends etc. – let them. Parents do so much for us, let them have a friend there. You won’t worry about it after.

Weddings bring out a lot of emotions. I’d say try to be as chill as possible (sometimes easier said than done). Lastly, for a couple to try and stay together throughout the reception. It makes a huge difference as you can look back at it as a shared experience. It will all be over and it will all go way too quickly.

Enjoy the ride. 

Bakulia & Beau xo

Suppliers
Venue: Fig Tree Restaurant // Hair: Brooklyn Hair Artistry // Makeup: Brooke Lowe // Celebrant & Professional MC: Marry Me Dean // Photographer: Lauren Young Weddings // Videographer: Yellow Bull // Florals: Florals & Co // Musician: Sarah Archer & Upon A Moment // DJ: DJ Party Liaison // Cake: Marina Machado Cakes // Transport: Byron Bay Double Deckers // Catering: Fig Tree Catering // Lighting:  Byron Audio // Furniture & Styling: The Wedding Shed // Planning & Coordination: Byron Bay Weddings // Stationery: The Seasalter Co