
24 Feb REAL (RAD) WEDDING: Abbey + Byron
ABBEY + BYRON’s REAL (RAD) WEDDING
It’s technically not a ‘destination wedding’ when the bride and groom live barely more than a 30min commute from the wedding venue, but when the guest-list comprises a a hundred or so of the Apple Isle’s finest, holiday vibes are definitely present.
Janda Events wedding celebrant Jake Newell was called upon to bring his patented blend of cool, calm, connected ceremonial good times. Classic and sophisticated was the vision, and we have to say that Abbey + Byron’s Best Day Ever was exactly that. From the very beginning the scene was well and truly set for a glorious September day at the stunning Gold Coast wedding venue The Bower Estate.
All images: Figtree Pictures


What was the vibe and style vision for your wedding day?
“We were going for a classic and timeless style with a warm and open vibe (which I think we nailed).”
Is there a highlight or standout memory/moment? Share your flashback feels:
“For Abbey: Sitting at the head of the table and overlooking both the vision that we had spent months creating (a lot of it by hand), and every single person I love in once place, without being distracted by the hustle and bustle of the day. It was the first time I really got to see the fruits of my endless weekends of labour, and have everyone from all over the world under one roof.
For Byron: For me it was the buildup and the moment of Abbey walking down the aisle. It was the most unknown part of a day I had spent months planning and was the part I was most nervous about, so as it was happening it felt like one of those ‘once in a lifetime’ moments.”
If you had to boil your day down and describe it in one sentence, how would you?
“A whirlwind of laughter, love, good food, dancing and being surrounded by the people who mean to the most to us.”
Did you do anything in particular to ensure your true personalities sone through?
“We took the time to answer Jake’s (our Celebrant from Janda Events) questionnaire in a way that was true to who we are as people; sarcastic and witty but ultimately very present and there for each other. We both wrote speeches which we felt allowed us to inject our personalities further, and I think our choice of venue and the entire weekend we had planned for all of our guests, most of whom travelled from Tasmania, was a good reflection of our personalities and our lives (organised AF).”
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in your wedding planning?
“There wasn’t much we would have done differently as the day was fantastic, but if we were to do it over again we would make sure we had time in the schedule to just be with each other and soak it all in. The day went by in a flash, and because we had been so meticulous with the schedule we were always thinking about what came next, and we didn’t give ourselves the time to be present. We got a brief moment of this just after the meals came out but it would have been great to have had more moments like this, and potentially someone telling us to go and have that moment to make sure that they happened.”
What advice would you give to couples currently planning their wedding?
“You need to be as specific as you can possibly be with each of your vendors, including the venue, when engaging them for your wedding. We thought we had given a very detailed schedule of events and our requirements to each vendor, but found that some things that we though were obvious weren’t done or weren’t done in the way we wanted them to be. Its easy to think ‘oh they’ll surely know to do that’ but without your targeted vision and the steps to make it happen you’ll find things aren’t quite what you hoped. P.S. if you’re planning to DIY some of the things for the wedding yourself, just buy the damn Cricut.”
Is there a nug of advice you received that was absolute gold to you (or that you now wish you had listened to)?
“Spend money on the things that will add positive impact, particularly things that will impact your guests practically. We found that making sure our guests were comfortable and that we had viewed the day from their perspective gave them a much better experience. This allowed us to avoid spending money on things that didn’t really make a difference in the end e.g. excessive flowers and greenery. If you’ve got the cash go crazy but weddings are expensive and surprisingly only last a day, whereas your guests memories last forever; how many times have you heard someone say ‘that wedding was great but how annoying was it when x. Try to avoid the ‘x’ by putting yourself in the guests shoes.”
How did having the Janda Fam involved contribute to making your day special?
“Jake was an absolute pleasure to deal with from the get-go. From our first meeting it felt like we were chatting with one of our best mates, and the laidback but detailed style was right up our alley. The questionnaire we completed was by far the longest questionnaire we have ever answered and we’ve both been to uni, but it allowed us to give Jake everything he needed to weave a beautiful tapestry of us for the ceremony which it made the day feel very personalised and genuine. In the lead-up Jake was always available to answer our questions, paid great attention to detail to make sure everything was completed on time and that we had all the resources we needed, and on the day Jake was so calm and warm which made us feel very at ease. Couldn’t recommend Janda highly enough.”
Is there a particular moment involving the Janda Fam that stood out to you?
“For us the whole ceremony was the standout moment of the whole wedding. Jake had been able to curate a beautiful and hilarious story of us that everyone at our wedding loved. Almost all of our guests remarked how good the celebrant was and how funny the ceremony was, which I think is testament to the time and effort Jake & the Janda fam went to for us.”
Apart from Janda Events which wedding vendor deserves a shoutout, and why?
“Ridgeway Catering were simply incredible, the food was possibly the best food we have ever eaten, definitely the best wedding food we had ever had. Our guests reflected, and continue to reflect, how good the catering was as every time our wedding is brought up someone says ‘geez the food was good there’.”























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