Porch party: Anna and Darren head home for DIY vintage wedding

Anna Williams and Darren Long were determined to hold the best party ever for their vintage wedding.

Keeping things at home meant the focus was creating the perfect atmosphere, and using DIY was a great way to keep it simple and personal for the pair, aged 27 and 28 respectively. “I wanted something that felt casual and fun, and we didn’t want to go overboard on our budget — the honeymoon was way more exciting,” explains Anna. “We were so lucky to have access to a beautiful old Queenslander-style building my parents owned to create an outdoor under-the-stars feel.”

The couple married on the home’s porch on June 27, 2015 and then celebrated with guests under the gum tree as the sun set. They had photographs beforehand so the party could begin as soon as possible. “My bridesmaids and I put together all our flowers and the arch we got married in front of,” says Anna. “Rather than a formal cake, we opted for a dessert bar, asking special people in our lives to bake us their signature dish.”

Anna and Darren say their day was everything they hoped for, with only a few minor hiccups! “Most of our guests arrived earlier than expected, so I ended up sitting on an esky in the garden shed so nobody could see me,” laughs the bride.

Photos courtesy of Photography by Naomi Lee.

Recalling Darren’s proposal whilst travelling in Rome, Anna says, “He gave me a vintage style 3D Viewfinder with photos of us inside, and when I looked away from the photos, there he was on one knee, kneeling in the mud!”

The couple sourced and made all their own decorations for the special day.

 

“Since Darren works in a bank, he already had some nice suits so he chose his favourite grey one for the wedding,” says Anna.

“We loved the vintage feel of the full blush pink skirts,” Anna says of the bridesmaids’ dresses.

“Instead of a standard favour, we made each guest a ceramic Christmas ornament with the wedding date,” says the bride referring to a travel tradition she and Darren started, collecting ornaments from every country they visit.