Real Wedding // Jessica & Joel’s Fig Tree Restaurant Wedding

Jessica & Joel celebrated their wedding day on a magical Autumn’s day at the ever-so-dreamy, Fig Tree Restaurant. From the very moment this gorgeous couple laid eyes on the venue, they knew they knew it was the one for them. Jess & Joel’s intimate ceremony was held under the iconic fig tree and was followed by an afternoon of fabulous cocktails & canapés poolside. With a clear vision to let the beauty of The Fig Tree shine, Jess & Joel chose a classic yet fresh Aegean-inspired palette of white and green, with beautifully curated blue hues and scattered citrus throughout. Read on to relive this stunning day!

Tell us about your story, how did you meet and where did the proposal happen?

Joel and I met 9 years ago, unintentionally we ended up bringing a lot of love, support and joy into each other’s lives at just the right time. Joel took on myself, my Pomeranian and became a qualified Thursday night spray tanner. We travelled and enjoyed each other’s company for some time before deciding we would get serious and build our first home 4 years later. 

Joel and I had a trip planned to America where he intended to propose, however, covid had other plans and he completely caught me off guard at a Gold Coast getaway weekend. We were on the beach and when I realised he was up to something and acting out of character, I joked asking him “why are you behaving so strange.. are you going to purpose?” to my shock, he said, “well yes, I am!”. Poor Joel, I’d ruined his surprise. We had the most wonderful afternoon celebrating at the apartment and dinner. It was super simple but the memories of that afternoon bring me so much happiness. 

What were the reasons for choosing Fig Tree Restaurant as the wedding venue for your special day? 

We were engaged a year before starting to plan our wedding, this allowed us to enjoy the engaged love bubble before any planning started. The beach and Byron bay have a relaxed feel to it and we had a few fun weekends together perusing through the beautiful venues the region has to offer. We will never forget entering Fig Tree Restaurant for the first time! We both felt at home, our eyes lit up and we knew this was our venue. The staff were so welcoming and accommodating. We wanted an outdoor ceremony and the 150-year-old fig we were married under is so special. The accommodation on site is spacious, and beautiful and has everything we could possibly need for getting ready the morning of our wedding. Fig Tree Restaurant has an intimate, modern, sunlit feel to it, with Che and his team delivering the most mouthwatering feasts you can imagine. 

Was there a certain look or vibe that you wanted to create for your wedding at the Fig Tree Restaurant?

Fig Tree Restaurant has so much beauty on its own! We wanted to work with its blue and white down-to-earth theme and let the venue shine. Working with Emilia from Bloodwood Botanica, we decided to add hues of blue throughout our white and greenery. Lemons and limes for a fresh spring feel, linen tablecloths, napkins and welcome sign. Marina Machado made a suggestion with our cake to incorporate small flower designs inspired by the flower on my gown.

We gave our guests a relaxed dress code of “Dress fabulous”. We wanted it to be as light and fun as possible. Makeup is a hard one for me, I wanted to feel myself on the day. Alex Ouston created light, natural makeup for my bridesmaids and I, focusing on hydrated fresh, dewy skin. I can be very indecisive – I only found my dress 4 months out from the wedding. My Tal Kedum design was the perfect combination of classic and modern that I was after. I loved how the Podange fabric fell with deep pockets and an exaggerated flowing skirt. I am the first bride in Australia to wear this gown; this made me feel pretty special. 

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

We loved all our vendors! I think if you pick them on their aesthetic and do not try to change that, you’re safe. My highlight of the morning was meeting all of the vendors that we had worked with so tightly throughout the year. Our hairstylist, Chantell Maree, not only did an amazing job on our hair, but she was also the bridesmaid I never knew I had. From putting me in my gown to seeing me down the aisle, she was with me every step of the way. We had the amazing team of Shelley and Sarah from Ivy Road Photography, which we had based our venue date on her September availability. The beautiful Natalie from Aubourn Hour flew in from Perth for our day; she came into the room a ball of energy and got around like the talented wizard she is. Our celebrant Andrew Michael has the most chilled-out and collected personality that really helped during the lead-up to the day. He reminds you that it’s your day, to come back centre and to do it your way, not to follow suit.

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

Maddie was our [BBW] planner from start to finish. She would liaise with all our vendors in the background and nothing we asked for was ever too hard. She gave us so much guidance as we had no idea where to start. We also loved the tasting evening, we came as guests to Fig Tree Restaurant. It started as an afternoon of canapés around the pool followed by a delicious sit-down meal. The night before our wedding day we planned a catch-up with anyone who was in town. It hyped us up before our day and also allowed us to spend more time with the people we love. 

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

The most important aspect was that we spent time together, we knew it was going to go fast. We wanted to be as present as possible in every moment. The emotions are wild. Seeing all the people you love in one space celebrating how happy you are.  The day you have been envisioning for so long all coming together. The moments that stood out were being with our friends all morning getting ready. We loved the ceremony, photos — because Joel and I basically took that moment to laugh and hang out, and speeches! And that moment after it’s all finished being overwhelmed with happiness and contentment.  I also loved seeing how surprised Joel was on the day. Although he tried his best to keep up with everything and have his input, styling just isn’t his forte. I wanted us both to feel calm and confident as we would never again get this moment back. After all, it’s not every day you get to marry your best friend. 

Jess & Joel xo

Suppliers
Venue: The Fig Tree // Makeup: Alex Ouston // Hair: Chantell Maree // Celebrant: Andrew Michael // Photographer: Ivy Road Photography // Videographer: Auburn Hour Films // Florals: Bloodwood Botanica // Musician: Upon A Moment Music // DJ: Coastal Beats DJ // Cake: Marina Machado // Transport: Byron Bay Transport // Catering: Fig Tree Catering // Pool Balloons: Bang Bang Balloons // Childcare: Little Wild Things // Lighting:  Byron Audio // Furniture & Styling: The Wedding Shed // Planning & Coordination: Byron Bay Weddings

Interested in a wedding at the beautiful Byron View Farm, get in touch for an information pack