Sheila and Dom // Palm Bay Resort
Whitsunday Wedding Suppliers
Ceremony: Palm Bay Resort
Reception: Palm Bay Resort
Celebrant: Your Seaside Celebrant
Wedding Coordinator: Palm Bay Resort
Decorator: Azure Wedding and Events Whitsundays
Hair: Whitsunday Platinum Hair Design
Make-up: Airlie Beach Makeup and Beauty
Flowers: Floriffic Flowers
Cake: Airlie Cake Artistry
Accommodation: Palm Bay Resort
Transport: Island Transfers
Photography: Timeless Images
Videography: Tanya D’Herville
Music: Rebelquin
Catering: Peach & Pear Events Catering and Fishi
Jewellery: Aurealis Creative Jewellery Design
Your Love Story
Dom and I met for the first time through friends when after months of trying to set us up, I was made to get out of the car and introduce myself to Dom (our mutual friends land lord). Dom was busy working on his boat trailer and gave a short abrupt hi back and went back to work.
He was later unbeknown to him at the time offered to put a few pictures up on my walls. We have been inseparable since. We went on a date and finally the date before I was due to move in with Dom at my request, he put my mirror and frame up on the wall.
The Proposal
Dom proposed to me at the base of the waterfall late in the night at my favorite spot in Australia Paronella Park (second favorite as Palm Bay Resort just trumps it now).
Honeymoon Heaven
No honeymoon as such yet, though we had the 2 nights on the island in the breathtaking hibiscus suite and pre and post island Airlie Beach Hotel with family. We took a 3 day break to Undara Lava Tubes a couple of weeks after the wedding and stayed in the railway carriages accommodation (another amazing Qld Must see) and we are planning a honeymoon early next year to Fiji just the 2 of us when the business quietens down a little.
Hens and Bucks
Dom and his Stags all went out to Dingo Beach pub for a daytime drink or 5 and then back to Sorrento’s (he was home asleep by 9pm).
The Hens and I made beautiful flower crowns, then a sunset cruise on the tall ship Providence with 2 topless waiters who ended up becoming the entertainment for the whole sail.
It was so much fun and truly a perfect sail.
We then headed up to the perfect anchor bar for dinner and the view and a couple of us went on into Airlie for laughter and dancing until 4am-ish…
Splurge Vs Save
We didn’t really have a budget as such but didn’t want to go crazy either… our wedding all up including all the accommodation, day trips, the venue for the wedding and all attire for the wedding was around $50,000 however the wedding package itself was around $20’000 which included a fantastic selection of costs.
We splurged on the Whitehaven trip by helicopter a little, but it was so worth seeing Dom’s face when the helicopter came in. Staying at the Airlie Beach hotel before and after was also a splurge as we live here but as we live in Bowen, we wanted everyone to be in the centre of town and we wanted to be with them.
We saved by doing some of the décor ourselves (I had a plan in my head and wanted it all that way, Azure seemed to read my mind and were amazing from the very start, they even set up all our own décor)
We also saved by buying my dresses off the rack when I went back to the UK for a very quick unplanned visit. This saved us money when we bought them off the rack but also meant I was lucky enough to share this special time with my Mum and sisters.
Whitsunday Wedding Venue
For us we are lucky enough to live in the Whitsundays, but as we are both water and sea lovers we wanted somewhere that was in keeping with all that we love, and somewhere all of our guests coming from overseas and out of town (UK, USA, Germany, Chili, Victoria, South Australia and Northern Territory) we wanted them all to experience the magical Whitsundays in all its beauty.
Many of our guests had never visited the Whitsundays before, and everyone loved every aspect of it. By holding our wedding on Palm Bay Resort, we were able to share rainforest, beach, wildlife and the tropical Whitsundays whilst chilling out with family and friends and as many cocktails by the pool as we could.
As well as all the local guests to be able to sit back and relax. (we all live here but don’t often get to explore our own backyards). We wanted a chilled picnic on the beach with amazing atmosphere, food, music and laughter with family and friends, it was exactly what we got.
We spent the whole weekend of the wedding on Palm Bay Resort (Friday-Sunday) with all of the rooms booked out by family and friends and the 3 days/nights prior to this at the Airlie Beach Hotel, we all then stayed at the Airlie Beach Hotel for a further 3/6 nights after the wedding weekend. The first night back on the Mainland The Pub/Airlie Beach Hotel had an 80’s band playing which was a fantastic end to a fun weekend.
Dom and I went on a helicopter and breakfast photoshoot to Whitehaven with our photographer Vanessa the morning after the wedding where we trashed the suit/dress, whilst the seagulls attempted to eat the amazing breakfast picnic that was made by The Prickly Pineapple in Cannonvale. It was amazing.
This was part of Dom’s wedding gift from me and was a complete surprise.
We filled the whole time with all our guests with a reef trip in Cruise Whitsundays, Bredls Whildlife Farm, Croc Safari and eating out at every local restaurant and café we could take them all to.
When we were originally starting to look at venues my Boss and Friend had mentioned ç and we had spent the afternoon looking at the website.
When I told Dom about it, it was clear that he had set his sights on Palm Bay Resort as I had. We looked at a couple other venues, because we felt that we should at least look, but both had already fallen in love with the magic of Palm Bay Resort .
Even more so when we took our boat there for a visit and had a beer and a chat with the staff, Mariella and Caroline the Manager. Their friendliness and professionalism as well as the island itself were what sealed it for us on that day.
Dom picked the weekend based on the best tides for the beach and more so the fact that if it was good fishing weather, he may head to the reef instead of getting married (he thought that he had kept me guessing right up until I walked down the aisle, little did he know but I could see him and everyone else from the balcony of our suite and I made sure he wasn’t going anywhere).
We are lucky enough to not only live in the most breathtaking places in the world, but also to of been able to pick from a whole industry of amazing resorts, vendors, musicians and industry specialists.
It would of been the hardest decision to choose knowing that every single industry professional would have been a perfect choice, which ever ones we chose. For instance, even though we had set our hearts on Palm Bay Resort we knew that every other venue within the Whitsundays could have been our dream venue.
The same goes for each vendor, decorators, florist, cake artist, and caterer. Though as anyone that knows Sheila (more than Dom) will tell you she searched everywhere for the perfect flowers and of course the perfect cake. With photos of both as well as many others at the touch of a button on her phone, it was a case of don’t stop until we got what we wanted.
In truth though, we had an idea exactly who, what, where and how for most of the wedding as we had been to enough weddings and been a part of enough local events to have a plan of the style and design of our own special day. This made our plans much easier.
With Dom being in business locally himself we know how important it is to choose to use local for as much as we possibly could right down to choosing Henry the local engraver, to engrave Dom’s wedding gift watch, the bridesmaid gifts and the cake server.
Getting Married in the beautiful Whitsundays and being able to share all of this with so many family and friends from near and far is a dream come true.
We really are lucky and every single day we are thankful for such a supportive and professional wedding industry, from those up close to those behind the scenes. A Whitsunday’s Wedding – is there anywhere better?
Wedding Day Vision
Our theme for the wedding was Picnic on the beach with friends. We wanted every table to feel like they were having an intermate gathering but all part of a celebration. We had high tables and low tables with cushions, light blue and greys for the table chiffons, and candles and throws all similar but slightly different.
As the sun was shining much of the celebrations were in the shade with the music and speeches and toasts (coronas for the men and pink Moscato with fairy floss for the ladies) being made in the cool of the shade in the pavilion.
We danced on the beach under the fairy lights and celebrated between the beach and the open fire and bar area until late into the night.
DIY Details
Our engagement ring and wedding ring were designed and created with our ideas by the amazing Sonja from Aurealis Creative Jewellery Design in Airlie. The wedding ring wraps around the top of the engagement ring main stone. With the center opal being locally sourced and is a blue Qld opal because we met and live in Qld.
The 4 outer stones are Royal Blue Topaz, because I’m English (royal) and blue the colour of the water and Topaz is Dom’s birth stone. Its just perfect. Dom is an electrician so can’t wear his ring to often but has a stunning black metal and rose gold band.
Also my copper engagement ring that Dom made for me as my engagement ring (its still a joint favourite). As so many people had commented as to where the engagement ring was when Sonja was making ours. Dom decided to whip one up in the most romantic ways haha.
As he is an electrician he has lots of copper wire lying around, especially in his work ute. One day as we were driving to work Dom pulled over and made a perfect small rose on the top and a band for an engagement ring out of the copper. I wear this ring just as much as my other engagement ring and love them both the same. it is special all because its perfect as Dom made it.
Sit Down or Cocktail?
We had approximately 80 guests with 58 staying on Palm Bay Resort for the weekend and the remainder coming for the wedding, we used Island Transfers for all the water taxi services. Phil was amazing and so accommodating with all our transport requirements and getting all of our food/catering/suppliers and guests back and forth was never any trouble at all.
The wedding itself was a cocktail theme, with a relaxed beach picnic style. With Grazing Tables for both platters, and an amazing sweet and dessert grazing table.
We also had a Hawaiian theme pre wedding celebration for all the family and friends to get to know each other. Everyone had to wear Hawaiian style, with the décor and cocktails all to help everyone get into the tropical island laid back vibe.
