Real Wedding // James & Shannon’s Fig Tree Wedding

James & Shannon’s autumn Fig Tree wedding; one gorgeous sunny day met by lots of smiling faces and a whole lot of love! From getting ready together in Fig Tree’s on-site accommodation, The Dairy, to basking in the company of their friends and family. Good juju was radiating everywhere, and we were so stoked to help them curate this special celebration. We loved working with Beautiflora and The Wedding Shed to deliver them the most beautiful set-up where lush, tropical styling met neutral shades and earthy textures. Thank you to the magnificent eye of Nina Claire for capturing their wedding so perfectly!

Tell us your story, how did you both meet?
We met the old fashioned way nearly five years ago on the dance floor at a nightclub in Melbourne. As cheesy as it sounds, we locked eyes across the dance floor and chatted for a while, swapped numbers and have been inseparable ever since!

How did the proposal happen?
It was a very chilly Victorian winter weekend away last year. We were staying at a winery in the Macedon Ranges. The proposal itself was very casual. James and I had been talking about getting married long before the marriage equality vote. Over dinner, we talked about starting to plan the wedding day (we had already drafted a guest list!) before we went back to our room. Right before we went to sleep, James asked the question and I, of course, said yes!

What were the reasons for choosing Fig Tree as the venue for your special day?
We have family in the Byron Hinterland so we spend a lot of time in and around Byron. We love the area so much that the Byron region was on the top of our list. The day we saw the Fig Tree we had five or six other venues booked to inspect. The Fig Tree was the first venue we visited. We fell in love the moment we walked in and met Che and the team that we cancelled the rest of our bookings for the day. There is something so special about the property from the moment you pull into the driveway to the views out to the cape. 

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 didn’t have a particular style in mind though we knew we wanted lots of local and tropical foliage instead of florals. Lhasa and the team at Beautiflora and our wedding planner, Aoife, helped us translate this loose brief into a casual tropical feel that was complemented so well by the surroundings at the Fig Tree. Our favourite piece was the suspended arbour. It was something really special. 

Were there any vendors that you particularly loved working with and why?
We planned the wedding in six months so we crammed a lot into a relatively short amount of time. All of our vendors were amazing, though if I had to put together a shortlist, it would have to be:

Aoife from Byron Bay Weddings – attention to detail, accountability and communication were beyond what we were expecting. The day wouldn’t have been the same without her. Giver her a promotion, stat!

Nina Claire Photography – Our photos are spectacular though even more impressive was the feedback we had from friends and family complimenting Nina’s style. We would absolutely work with Nina again. 

Sonia Steiner Celebrant – We connected with Sonia instantly as she became registered following the marriage equality vote. We cannot thank her enough for how well she engaged with us and our guests. 

Beautiflora – Lhasa and the team totally got our very brief style request. They constructed the most incredible arbour and suspended installs inside that we still can’t quite get over!

Overall, what was your most favourite part of your wedding day and why?
We really wanted to be present from the time our guests arrived until the time they left so we decided to have all of our photos (family included) taken in the hours before guests arrived. We greeted our friends and family as they arrived with a glass of champagne in hand and were with them until the dancing finished later in the night. It was very special to be able to spend so much time with our loved ones who had travelled far and wide to help us celebrate. 

Shannon & James xo

Suppliers
Venue: Fig Tree Restaurant // Celebrant: Sonia Steiner Celebrant // Photographer: Nina Claire // Florist: Beautiflora  // Music: McGee Entertainment // Catering: Fig Tree Catering // Drinks: The Cellar // Transport: Steve’s Ballina Byron Transport // Lighting:  Byron Audio // Furniture & Styling: The Wedding Shed // Planning & Coordination: Byron Bay Weddings