This week I sat down to catch up with Jasmine, one of my previous brides who shares how her & her hubby approached their wedding planning in a way that gave them zero stress or anxiety, leaving them feeling completely satisfied with how everything turned out.
Here’s the video. Hope you find it useful.
Transcript
Meggan Brummer 0:21
Hi, guys, welcome to this wonderful evening. I am really excited to be here with you all tonight. If you’re watching on the replay, please type ‘R’ in the chatbox so that I know that you are catching up later. And if you’re an engaged couple out there, leave a ‘Y’ in the chatbox, for Yes, let me know that you’re an engaged couple. And of all those couples out there, if you’re one of those couples who’ve had to postpone your wedding, leave a ‘P’ in the comment section and let me know if you’re one of them. Also, if you are one of those couples who’ve had to postpone your wedding, I’m going to start this evening with a really, really useful tip for you. And I’m sure that this will be useful for many of you. This tip is especially useful to those couples who are planning weddings, where you’re using a lot of different vendors. For example, if you’ve had to book a venue, a celebrant, a florist, live singers, DJ stylist, hairdresser, makeup artists, photographers, all those different vendors. And this is it right? This is the tip, if your wedding is on hold, then when you are ready to reschedule your wedding date, do consider having your ceremony on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. And the reason why I’m suggesting this is that most if not all of your vendors are likely to be available for your wedding day. And if you’re wondering about how your guests might take that thing, consider this right? With all the trips, the birthday gatherings, et cetera, et cetera, that we’ve had to cancel or reduce the size of due to COVID. Most people promise you, most people would be only too happy to take a day off work to have some fun and be part of your wedding celebrations. Now wherever you’re joining from you’re joining me from let me know in the comments section if you’re in Sydney or overseas. Where are you do say hi, leave a little heart emoji in the comment section below. And for those of you who don’t know me, my name is Meggan Brummer and I am a Sydney marriage celebrant. I also have 20 years experience as a professional writer, which is really handy when it comes to writing ceremonies. I love, love, love, love, love weaving my couples love story into their ceremony. And I’ve married hundreds of couples mostly in Sydney and around Mosman and the Northern Beaches because that’s where I live. And tonight I have the lovely Jasmine with me. Jasmine is one of my gorgeous brides. She got married in March this year. And she and her hubby met on Tinder over three years ago. Their first date was in Brizzy. And when their paths crossed, she was a girl from the north heading south. And he was a bloke from the south heading north. And they got married in Sydney this March in Morning Bay such a heavenly spot. And Jasmine is one of those brides who really loved all the choices that they made for their wedding. And that’s why I invited her to come and share with us tonight so that you can get some great ideas, some tips, some inspiration from her. Welcome, Jasmine. Let me add her to welcome Jasmine, how are you? Good. Thank you for having me. Fantastic. Pleasure. So lovely to be with you today. Sorry, go ahead. That was a beautiful introduction. Thank you, Jasmine, what’s the first thing that you would like to share with all those lovely couples out there who are currently planning their wedding? What’s one of those things that worked really, really well for you?
Jasmine 4:09
I think being stress-free about it. So you don’t need to plan every single element. Obviously you have to have a plan but know things are going to change. things are going to happen. I don’t think any weddings go exactly to time exactly to plan and having a loose feeling about that will ease a lot of anxiety especially for us. We just had a lite plan and just went with it and ended up being the best day ever. And I think that will appease a lot of anxiety if you can have that little bit of flexibility built into your mindset, rather than I can imagine a lot of brides get very stressed have everything planned to the minute I can guarantee you planning it to the minute will never work. It will always go out by something miraculously that you can’t control.
Meggan Brummer 5:01
I have to say that so often the case Jasmine and can you tell our viewers just a little bit more about the choices that you make? So for example, you chose a beautiful venue in the middle of, you know, the finest of nature in Sydney, on the water, a little cabin. And you chose to have a wedding where there were no more than eight people, including the celebrant, myself, the photographer videographer, your hubby’s mum and two friends. Why did you choose to have such a small wedding?
Jasmine 5:38
Well, there was a couple of reasons. One was COVID. We were going to go to the states and do Muir Woods and hike the John Muir Trail. COVID hit, and we knew we weren’t gonna be able to do it very soon. So we’re gonna have to wait until it happens. So what was the next best thing? So my partner and I, we wanted to go somewhere that meant something to us. And that was something we either wanted to do was really special. And when I had moved to Sydney, and Hans was all the way up in a little town called Charters Towers in Queensland, and we were doing long distance, he came to visit me. And he booked this beautiful long weekend. It was an Easter long weekend at this little boat shed. And you can only get there by boat. And it was the weekend that we went this long-distance thing that we’ve been dating for five months via phone really, and we really want to be together shining shooting stars and all of that lovey-dovey beautiful stuff. And so I suggested like why don’t we go location, because that means the most to us. And in the end, as much as you want to please other people and you want it to be a happy moment you want to share it. We made it more about ours and our love and a celebration of who we are, rather than worrying about all the other elements that come into play. And so we picked this little boat shed and booked it on Airbnb. We rang the owners and they were just so accommodating. We had the most beautiful picturesque place that I could’ve have asked for. Honestly.
Meggan Brummer 7:13
It was it was absolutely stunning. Absolutely stunning. And Jasmine, you know you were you are and Hans, are one of those few couples who have said to me as their celebrant, Meggs – just write our ceremony as a surprise for us. And you know, we’ll be hearing that for the first time on our wedding day. Now most of my couples like to read exactly what I’ve written before the ceremony. Why did you choose to do it that way? And did that work for you?
Jasmine 7:42
Well, when you have a journalist on hand, as a celebrant, I think it’s wise to use their skill. Secondly, is that it’s really lovely to hear your own story through somebody else’s eyes, you always hear your story or your love story through yourself or your husband’s eyes. And so to get that perspective and hear someone else interpret it was really romantic for us. And, and the way that you did it for us. And we wrote those questions separately, and you took it and put it together to make this beautiful story for us was just awesome. And it was so nice to have not everything planned for my wedding day, it was an element of surprise, even though the vows you don’t usually… well we didn’t share our vows with each other prior. So I had that. But that was a really nice extra surprise. And it was so beautiful to be sitting along the water that next day and even that night, and we read through the book, and we re-read the story. And it was just beautiful for us and we have it forever, that we can pass down to that’s a real capture of who we are. And that time in our lives. And I think if you’re willing to put that little bit of trust, I think it can give you a lot back. And I think that’s really important sometimes when people are planning weddings is that you get so caught up in that it’s sometimes nice just to let things be and enjoy it.
Meggan Brummer 9:10
I have to say with all the weddings that I’ve done, it’s those weddings where a couple are open to sharing their love story, that that really has that ceremony come to life. You know, it really has everybody there leaning in and really listening. And getting to it has them get to know and love you. Even that little bit, if not much more, you know, because you’re letting them in. you’re sharing with them quite personally, around the journey that the two of you have shared. It’s incredibly special. And if done well if done elegantly, then it can really have an amazing effect on the rest of that day. On that evening celebration or that afternoon celebration whatever follows because it sets the scene doesn’t it? For the rest of the day, would you agree with that?
Jasmine 10:03
100% agree with that. And it was really nice because a part of that love story is the place that we got married. So we’re sitting at that end of that jetty tying the knot. And you’re telling us the story of, you know, the shooting star, and you know, this weekend and Jasmine’s at peace in the water and all this beautiful stuff. And so it just really set the scene and bought it back. Even for me personally, all those, you know, endorphins you get and those butterflies when you first start dating someone and it brings all that back. So even before, you know saying I do and hearing those vows already had all of that going, which was just really sweet for us, that we really valued that.
Meggan Brummer 10:43
So beautiful. I always say to my couples as well that that keepsake. album becomes a book that if you are going to have children one day, it belongs on the bookshelf next to Winnie the Pooh. Because, you know, it’s just a great bedtime story, Mom and Dad’s love story, how you met your first impressions of each other how the engagement happened, whether there was a proposal or not. And it’s just such a beautiful thing to look back on over the years. And the other thing that I have to just add there is that, you know, with that gorgeous venue that you chose, just in the middle of nowhere, a venue meaningful to the two of you. What’s really nice about that, especially that is also an Airbnb is that you will be able to go back to that venue, assuming it still continues, right? Because everything changes, who knows what will change, but there’s a strong likelihood that you’ll be able to keep revisiting that place. And having gorgeous getaway weekends there where you can be at the place where you got married, you know, such a special thing to be able to do. Yeah, it was awesome. What would you say actually, before you before you share with us a little bit more, I just want to let everybody know that I have an amazing free guide that I’ve put together, which is just give some really useful information on fantastic wedding venues to get married at in Sydney. You know, I know that this is one of the things that so many couples struggle with is where should we hold our wedding? So I’m just putting a link to that free guide in the chatbox below. And if you’d like that, just click on the link and you can download that free guide. Jasmine, what else would you say were the choices that you made that really really worked for you.
Jasmine 12:33
So a couple of the other choices, Hans and I am more on keepsakes as it’s probably coming out as a bit of a theme as it’s about us, not everybody else. So you know, we didn’t go all fancy on certain things. But things that we really went all out on was our rings. So that was very special to us because that’s something you have forever and it’s something make you pass down and so our investment was obviously having some really nice beautiful rings that we could keep and interlock and cement the starting of our union. I don’t know if that’s a really fun word together. So we went to a jeweller and had some rings made and well Hans actually made the rings with the jeweller. Yes, it was risky. There was some surprise for you as it Yeah, so I knew we had a small ring that I Hans proposed to me with a lovely antique Tasmanian Sapphire. I’m a huge Sapphire fan. And the problem with the ring is that it was so antique that to put a wedding band with it was going to destroy this beautiful ring that I absolutely love. I didn’t want to change the ring. I was adamant I was there down at the jewellers going, you’re all crazy. I’m not having a new ring. I love my little ring. I don’t care how much it costs because it’s mine and it was given to me by Hans. I don’t care. And so they both talked me into the ring. I mean, I changed my mind as soon as the jeweller bought out the box and I got to pick the Sapphire. That was pretty exciting, like pretty girl kind of pretty woman kind of moment with the diamonds. But then I left it to Hans to then design the ring. So he designed the ring to match his wedding band. Yeah, when I first got the ring, I’ll be honest, there was some a few issues. I was quite surprised where he’d taken it. But it comes back to I absolutely love it now and he knows me better than I know myself in the end, so that’s been really special and he’s designed it to a point that he’s even had everything framed with the jeweller. So we’ve got that the original images of like the visions and then he got the jeweller to sign it. And then he also got images of them making the rings. Which is just really beautiful. so
Meggan Brummer 15:07
gorgeous. very sentimental, very sentimental. So woopsy almost lost you for a moment. Jasmine, what was I gonna ask you? Um, what were the How much did you wedding come to in total?
Jasmine 15:29
We spent about $8-$9k Okay, and that included $3.5k on the rings. Okay. So it’s about nine to ten grand. Let’s just round it up to ten.
Meggan Brummer 15:45
And does that include the big party that you had with all your friends about a week later.
Jasmine 15:51
Yep. So we had the little elopement. And then we spent, we had everybody leave at about all we had our three guests after our vendors had left about 9:30. And they got on a little water taxi because this place is only accessed by water taxi. And we spent really three nights reminiscing that long weekend we had all married up. And then Friday, we took a water taxi out. And then we flew to Brisbane because that’s where most of our friends and family are. And we just booked a little cocktail bar and had just a big party and everyone just came we did a croquembouche random. And yeah, everyone just had fun got sloshed. And the other great thing about that party was is that you gave us a little storybook. And so we took that to the party, and everyone was able to go around and read it.
Meggan Brummer 16:45
So you passed it around. You passed it around, and people just had a read of it. Yeah. And was it a good conversation starter? Was there a lot of things that we shared in that love story of yours that, you know, people were hearing for the reading for the first time, you know, did they feel like they learned stuff about you through that? I do?
Jasmine 17:06
I mean, probably because, um, I mean, we were only ever destined for a one-night stand. And that was in the book. So. So yeah, we were meant to just because I was moving and he was moving. So we were just like having like a date and a bit of fun. And yeah, it just didn’t work that way. Obviously, we just couldn’t keep away from each other. So I think that might have been a bit of a surprise. But that’s about the story. So you know, it is what it is. So it was really nice, because then everyone could read it. Everyone felt a part of it. And everyone then got it. Um, and then yeah, we just drank we did speeches, we did a mini reception, I suppose. And then yeah, and we just partied and then that was it. And then we didn’t have to worry about the cleanup or anything I just left and everyone had a good time. There was no hard feelings.
Meggan Brummer 17:57
If you could do that wedding all over again. Is there anything else that you would do differently? Nope. Not one thing. So you’re really happy with your choices?
Jasmine 18:11
Really happy. It’s not one thing I would change at all. It was just the way it was supposed to be. And I think that makes it when you find that someone the rest doesn’t matter. You just it shouldn’t matter. Absolutely.
Meggan Brummer 18:28
Well, Jasmine, thank you so much for coming on this live with me tonight. It’s been so lovely to be with you again. I have to say your wedding as one of my favourite weddings that I’ve been a part of. And I have been part of hundreds of weddings. But really, you know that is a wedding that I will never forget just the most perfect choices, absolutely perfect choices. And I’m just going to take you off the screen now so that you don’t have to be sat there whilst I just wrap up. But thank you so much for joining. And I’ll be in touch with you soon. Thanks, Jasmine. so that was the gorgeous Jasmine.
Just to let you know, coming up in the next few weeks, I’m going to be interviewing various winning vendors past brides and grooms. If you would like to be kept in the loop around those live sessions then I’m just going to share with you now my Insta page in the chatbox below. And all you have to do is just follow me on Instagram. And I will just be posting updates as to the lives that are coming up soon. It’s been wonderful being with you all tonight. I hope you’ve enjoyed that session. I hope you got some lots of useful tips from Jasmine and lovely to be with you or catch up soon and keep well everybody. Lots of love to you all. Bye
So this was my first Facebook Live using my new router. A definite improvement … at least on my half of the screen. 🙂