Real Wedding // Bianca & Craig’s Fig Tree Wedding

Bianca & Craig celebrated their magical wedding day in style at the ever so stunning Fig Tree Restaurant. This beautiful couple’s love story began back when they were 16 years old — and they’ve been inseparable ever since! Opting for a palette of soft hues; whites, neutrals and florals featuring pops of blush, peach and terracotta, Bianca & Craig achieved the perfect combination of relaxed elegance and beauty throughout their day. Read on to relive their gorgeous wedding.

Tell us about your story, how did you meet and where did the proposal happen?
Our story began in 2009 when we were 16 years old and met at a mutual friend’s house party. Before long we were inseparable and have been by each other’s side ever since.  

After 10 years together, we were holidaying in our favourite spot – Hamilton Island.  In Craig’s usual style (a serial procrastinator) he waited until our last day on the island. We hired a little Hobie Cat and while sailing along Catseye Beach he proposed. We shared a celebratory pool-side cocktail before rushing off to the airport!  

What were the reasons for choosing the Fig Tree Restaurant as the venue for your special day? 
We visited the Fig Tree Restaurant very soon after the original restaurant had been removed after the tragic fire. Despite there being no reception venue at the time to walk through, in fact, there was just some freshly laid turf in its place, we knew it was the spot we wanted to choose for our wedding. Che showed us around the grounds, and we instantly fell in love with it – the perfect blend of relaxed, elevated, beautiful and lush. Che was so welcoming, and we knew that Fig Tree’s food was amazing after they had catered my sister and brother-in-law’s wedding.  When we saw the newly- rebuilt Fig Tree Restaurant two months before our day, we were even happier with our choice!  

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?
We wanted a wedding that represented both of us and our personal style – we are both pretty easy-going and minimalistic. As a generally creative person, I loved the process of choosing all the little elements that make the styling and feel come together. We wanted the day to feel relaxed, warm and genuine and I think with the help of all our vendors, we accomplished just that!   

Were there any wedding suppliers that you particularly loved working with and why?
We so appreciated the effort and care taken by all our wedding suppliers to make our day so special. Our Videographer Michael Kelly and Photographer Matthew Gillam went to school with Craig and are just such lovely, calm and positive people to be around so it was lovely to work with their friendly faces for our wedding and they have given us the most beautifully documented memories for us to treasure! Our families, friends and ourselves are in awe of their work and highly recommend them!  

I really enjoyed the process of choosing and everything that followed with the creation of my wedding dress with Sphere Collective (and designer,  J Andreatta). The owner, Sarah, is incredible and has such a warm personality that was so comforting during the intimidating process!  

Planning a wedding can be a daunting experience where you don’t know where to start but with our regular check-ins with Sihanie from Byron Bay Weddings, the process was really simplified and allowed everything to be carefully planned over an extended period which completely avoided any panic or last-minute stress! Also, the fact that Byron Bay Weddings check-in and coordinate everything with all the suppliers to make it all run so smoothly on the day is so amazing and I felt like I didn’t need to worry about all the small things in the lead up!   

What were your favourite parts of the wedding planning process with Byron Bay Weddings?
We really enjoyed the process of wedding planning and found it so easy with the guidance of Sihanie (Wedding Planner). She ensured we were on track with all vendors locked in and decisions made as they needed to be. She was really great for recommendations and just to bounce ideas off along the way! Katie (Restuarant Manager) was also wonderful to deal with from our initial tour of Byron Bay venues to the last-minute details like wet-weather options in the lead up to our day – just such a great team to work with.   

The menu selection was one of our favourite parts – looking at the many different options that all sounded so great! We changed our minds a few times on the final menu because we just couldn’t decide.  

Tell us what were the most important aspects of your wedding day and which moments really stood out to you?
Good food and drinks plus the best company were essential!   

Also so important to us was the feel of the day. From the venue to the musicians and décor, we wanted it to feel laid-back and understated but beautiful. 

For Craig and me, our favourite parts of the day were our ceremony/personalised vows and the speeches from some of our loved ones. These are memories that stick out to us as the most meaningful and love-filled moments of our day.  

What would be your biggest advice to other couples currently planning their wedding?
Try not to obsess or stress over the little details and be flexible with changes! There will always be unforeseen changes and challenges – from crappy weather to Covid restrictions so don’t lose sight of what the day is about and what’s important!   

Bianca & Craig xo

Suppliers
Venue: Fig Tree Restaurant // Hair: Foxs Lane Styling // Makeup: Gemma Elaine // Celebrant: Married by Jake // Photographer: Matthew Gillam Photography // Videographer: Michael Kelly Films // Florals: The Electric Rose // Musician: JANDA Events // Cake: Rebellyous Cakes // Guest Transport: Byron Bay Double Deckers // Bridal Transport: Byron Luxury Tours // Catering: Fig Tree Catering // Lighting:  Byron Audio // Furniture & Styling: The Wedding Shed // Planning & Coordination: Byron Bay Weddings