CARISSA X BRENDAN

GOLD COAST WEDDING INTERCONTINENTAL SANCTUARY COVE MALLORY SPARKLES PHOTOGRAPHY
images by Mallory Sparkles Photography

"Marriage to me means a lifelong commitment to my husband. It means I’ve got a team mate for life who inspires me every day to be the best person I can be."

Like any modern day love story – Carissa and Brendan met online, Tinder to be more specific and were together for just under two years before getting engaged. These two loved up human beings married at The Wedding Chapel at Intercontinental, Sanctuary Cove and held their reception at Links Golf Club, Hope Island with 70 of their favourite people.

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the proposal: Brendan had told me that we were going away for the weekend, which wasn’t unusual because at the time he was doing fly in fly out work and we would normally go away somewhere on his weekend home. I had no idea where we were going. We then drove inland from the Gold Coast and then hopped on a shuttle bus that took us to a field where Hot Air Balloons were being set up. We then got in the hot air balloon and as we were watching the sunrise over the Gold Coast Hinterland, Brendan got down on one knee and popped the question. After this, we went to a winery for a champagne breakfast and stayed the weekend at a rainforest retreat in a beautiful chalet.

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venue.
 The choice of where I wanted to have my Wedding was made pretty easily as the venue, the Wedding Chapel at Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove, is so stunningly beautiful. I didn’t have to alter the venue or add anything at all. The venue features a floor to ceiling glass window with white tiled floor and white silk flowers throughout. I wanted my wedding to be elegant and pure. The theme was all white with greenery and hints of gold.

favourite moment. A couple of my favourite moments of the day were walking down the aisle with my dad, that was really special to me, seeing my soon-to-be husband standing at the end of the aisle and also sitting at the bridal table with my husband at the reception and looking out at all our friends and family who had all come together to celebrate this special day with us.

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favourite detail.
 I honestly got really lucky with picking the best vendors and suppliers. All details of the day were so amazing. The cake, the styling, the bridesmaids and my bouquets, the table set up, it was all amazing.

shopping experience. I flew to Melbourne to have my dress made however when I got there, I didn’t feel 100% about the business I had chosen to make the dress and I had a feeling in my stomach that I shouldn’t go through with it. Because I had flown to Melbourne just for this appointment, I didn’t want to go home without deciding on a dress. So feeling stressed, I spent the morning researching Wedding dress shops around and I found one called “Zhanel Couture”. I caught a taxi to the place and fell in love with this one dress. That dress became my Wedding dress.

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what does marriage mean to you? Marriage to me means a lifelong commitment to my husband. It means I’ve got a team mate for life who inspires me every day to be the best person I can be. It means an everlasting love, growing old with one another and experiencing life together, through good and bad.

any stories you want to share from the day? My husband and I were out on the marina getting photos done when it started POURING down rain, we both got so wet and I was a little heartbroken that it had to rain on our Wedding day, despite everyone telling us it was good luck. Brendan and I were then standing undercover with the bridal party trying to think of a plan when this stranger approached Brendan and I and explained that she lives in a unit on the top floor of the apartments directly above and her husband and she were having drinks on their balcony when they saw Brendan and I get drenched from the rain, so she had come down to invite Brendan and I up to her apartment to take photos on their balcony which overlooked the marina because she felt so bad for us. 

We thought why not, if anything else, it will be a funny story to tell. So we, alongside our photographer and videographer followed this woman to these apartments and up an elevator where she led us into her apartment. IT WAS AMAZING. It had amazing panoramic views of the marina and harbour. We had just met this woman and her husband however they were so kind to us. We actually got some really great shots and footage in this apartment!

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advice. Time goes so so fast on your wedding day so make sure you write a list of what you want to do on the wedding day and give it to the relevant people, e.g. songs you want played, photos you want taken and anything else you want to include on the big day because it’s over so quickly and your so busy that you just don’t remember things. Also, I’ve said this already numerous times, spend the extra money and hire a videographer! It’s so good to be transported back to the day by watching a video.

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stand out vendors. To be honest, all of the vendors that I chose were amazing! But if I had to choose, Mallory Sparkles and Fable House Films exceeded my expectations and some more with photography and videography. They are truly both the best at what they do and I’m so glad I chose them to capture our big day!

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Mallory Sparkles Photography
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Wedding songs:
Aisle song – Sam Smith, Latch
Recessional – Jimmy Barnes, Signed, sealed, delivered I’m yours
First Dance – Ellie Goulding, How long will I love you

Ceremony - The Wedding Chapel at Intercontinental, Sanctuary Cove – Ceremony
Reception - Links Golf Club, Hope Island 
Videographer - Fable House Films
Celebrant - Butterfly Ceremonies
Wedding cake: Cakes Alouisa
Wedding gown - Zhanel Couture
Hairstylist - Trendz
Transport - Buggy Business
Florals including bouquet – Style onQ
Styling – Style onQ
DJ & MC - WeRDJ’s
Getting Ready Robes - LeRose Online @lerose_online



CARISSA X BRENDAN
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