Old World Charm Wedding: Brigitta & James

The historic setting amongst sandstone buildings at the Gunners Barracks in Mosman set the scene for the old world charm wedding of Bree & James.

Old World Charm Wedding

Bree and James were married on 24th March 2018 at St Peter Chanel Church in Hunters Hill with a reception afterwards at the Gunners Barracks in Mosman. Both venues created that old world charm the couple were looking for with historic sandstone building materials and a rich history, captured perfectly by their photographer Mitchell Ferris of With Heart. Bree chose a beautiful a-line wedding dress from the Peter Trends collection with a daisy lace bodice and soft tulle skirt. She was looked after by the team at our head office boutique in Sydney and shares some insights here.

Peter Trends: How did you meet your husband? Bree: I had been friends with James’ brother Tom for several years and one day he showed me a family photo from their sister’s wedding. I spotted James in the line-up and was immediately interested in the handsome older brother! Shortly afterwards, I was visiting Tom at his family home when James walked down the stairs…the rest, as they say, is history!

Peter Trends: How did your partner propose to you? Bree: James took me to one of my favourite places in the world: the Curl Curl to Freshwater beach boardwalk. Driving there, ‘our song’ came on the radio – surely a sign?! (Can’t Take my Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli….also our first dance song!) Against a backdrop of the ocean, James got down on one knee and proposed. I couldn’t say yes quick enough!

Peter Trends: How did you find the experience of shopping for a wedding gown? Bree: I went to several wedding dress stores but felt myself drawn to Peter Trends Bridal at Roseville. As a little girl, we often drove past the store and I always dreamed that one day, when I was grown up and had fallen in love, I would get my wedding dress from there. The staff were so friendly and caring, and always took their time with me as I browsed and tried on gowns. It was so lovely getting to know them over the course of 15 months: from engagement to wedding day.

Peter Trends: What did you love about your wedding gown? Bree: I loved how comfortable my dress was! The lace and beading in the bodice was so pretty; I loved how it gathered at the waist and dropped into a soft tulle skirt. I chose to keep the length at the back of my gown as a train. It truly was the perfect dress for me!

Peter Trends: What was your favourite part of your wedding day? Bree: There were so many memorable aspects to the day; having my four sisters as my bridesmaids, being surrounded by family, friends and love, and marrying a true gentleman. I loved walking down the aisle with James at the end of the ceremony and seeing a sea of faces smiling back at us. I also loved having a boogie on the dance floor at the reception (which included a surprise choreographed dance featuring my sisters and mum!)

Peter Trends: Did you have a theme or concept for your wedding day? What was your inspiration? Bree: Our aim was ‘old world charm,’ evident in the gorgeous sandstone at both our ceremony and reception locations. We had a motif of silver and white that tied the elements of our wedding day together. Our flowers featured silvery green tones (polygum eucalyptus and dusty miller leaves) mingled with roses and baby’s breath – a sentimental link to the baby’s breath bush that grew in the back yard of my family home.

Peter Trends: Is there anything special you would like to share with us about your wedding day? Bree: The day was even more than I dreamed it would be; the weather forecast was changing every day in the lead up, but we ended up having beautiful sunshine for the ceremony, only a spot of rain in between which then broke out into rainbows right in time for the arrival of guests at the reception -making for some gorgeous photos of the harbour.

What many people might not have known though, is that driving to the Church, the wedding car that was carrying my sisters (bridesmaids), dad and I….. broke down. We pulled into a side street in Chatswood, where the poor, flustered driver confirmed that there was something wrong with the engine that couldn’t be fixed. We piled out onto the sidewalk; a flurry of flowers and tulle. I sent a message ahead to not let my soon-to-be husband know, in case he’d get anxious. I pulled out my phone to order an Uber, and a man approached us. We were standing out the front of his house. He was in gardening gear and told us to give him a moment to change into more appropriate attire and that he would drive us to the Church in his car. The kindness of strangers! We ended up getting to St Peter Chanel with 10 minutes to spare (I’m a planner so always allow more time than needed…..thank goodness!)…and that’s the story of how a hiccup turned into a random act of kindness from a stranger, that got us all to the church so that I could marry my husband. The man’s name was ‘Amor’…..so fitting, as it means ‘love.’

Peter Trends: Any words of wisdom for future brides? Bree: Enjoy the process and especially the day! Don’t lose sight of what is important – that you are marrying someone you love deeply and it is not just about the wedding day but the life you will be making for yourselves beyond that. Try to take some time on the day where you stop and truly commit all the little, special moments to memory! It is a whirlwind but a wonderful one.