No Kau a Ka (For Eternity) Polynesian-Inspired Wedding on the Gold Coast, Australia

We make no secret of the fact that we love weddings. We love unique (to Australia!) weddings. We love culture, heritage, and traditions. When we approached Richard (from Sanoia) about a separate shoot, he replied with the concept below. We could not have been more excited. We teamed up with Marisha (from Magnolia Studios) who did the heavy lifting for the planning phase and then styled the shoot alongside Richard. Tyneale (from Tyneale Hahn Makeup Artist) kindly wrote-up the shoot for submission on behalf of the team. We have included Tyneale’s story below. Enjoy!

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Polynesian Wedding Inspiration – luxury and tradition with a modern twist

Shoot Location: Private Property at Springbrook

Theme: Luxury Tropical Styling with Tribal Polynesian accents

Brief: The inspiration for this styled wedding shoot began as a much smaller idea between two vendors - Richard from Sanoia and Marisha from Magnolia Studios, along with some contribution from Poppy and Sage Photography.

The Polynesian aspect was chosen to be the main focus; it needed to be luxurious, tropical and tribal but still modern at heart. From these humble beginnings, genuine connections from one person to the next is how this epic team of vendors was built. The final collection of vendors was either known to one of the three planners or produced work that had been admired from afar.

Our venue - a private property - provided the perfect backdrop for the shoot. The owners kindly let the team take over their property, including a last-minute addition of a Green Tiki Car (Marisha happened to be at a car show with her family and stumbled across the owner).

Our models were dressed impeccably by Urbbana and Pearl Bridal Gold Coast. ‘Jasmine and Taylor’ are Tiara and Josh - a real-life couple. They went with the flow and jokingly hoped to catch a few family members by thinking they had eloped.

Lei, the florist from Lei Luna Leis, was an amazing addition to the team. Her Hawaiian background certainly gifted a real-life aspect to the shoot (it was so important to the entire team that any heritage incorporated be acknowledged appropriately). She created stunning florals that would appear in real-life traditional ceremonies. The green installations created by Big Leaf Boutique were incredible and full of impact!

Our beautiful settings were a team effort with pieces sourced from Exotic Soirees, Arctic Fox Events and Southern Lights Candle Co. All elements were styled beautifully & thoughtfully by Marisha & Richard.

There were mini collaborations formed between stationery/signage and laser engraving vendors. Moser Design Studio really pushed the boundaries by engraving coconuts for this specific project. North Salt Studio created stationery and signage that complemented all elements perfectly.

Chocolate favours were provided by Cravve. A selection of coconut chocolate truffles contributed a luxurious accent. Our feature coconut on the wedding cake (created by Natasha from Simply Divine Occasions) kept our coconut-inspired vibe going strong!

Sharmeen Thomas created the white henna artistry for our bridal muse; this weaved an elegant tribal element into the overall look.

Rings by My Jewellery Shop and celebrant Jo Hurley completed our real-life vision.

Our photographer, Emily of Poppy and Sage Photography, trusted the artistic vision of others and captured it perfectly. Ruri Photo Video was not far from Emily’s shoulder capturing the day on film.

Lastly, Tyneale of Tyneale Hahn Makeup Artist created two beautiful hairstyles, and a makeup look on ‘Jasmine’, our bridal muse.

As with every collaboration, the creation and enjoyment are a full team effort. In the lead up to this day (which was postponed once due to weather), the weather threatened us with a heavy 30-minute downpour just as set up began. Needless to say, the team worked around a few puddles, but everything was still perfect. We have all formed lasting connections and a new network of businesses to love and support!

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Bridal muse: @tiaraa.maree
Groom muse: @josh_robins96