Weddings

Emily & Andy’s Industrial Chic Wedding

Words by Tom
May 16, 2014

The moment Emily and Andy saw the dramatic chimney and ornate brickwork of the Walka Water Works, they knew it was the venue for them. The old water pumping station provided the perfect backdrop to their industrial chic wedding, which was packed full of personal touches and DIY details.

The couple shared their own vows on the lawn outside the station, in a ceremony that was so emotional, even the celebrant teared up! The reception took place in the impressive space of the industrial annex, which was decorated by the bride and groom and their team of helpers. Emily tells me “We did all the decorations ourselves, from the cut wine bottles we used for vases to the flower arrangements they held.”

In the lead-up to the wedding, Emily researched seasonal flowers and tutorials for floral arrangements. At 5am the day before, she and a friend sourced all the blooms from the Sydney Flower Markets and spent the day preparing the venue arrangements, bouquets and boutonnieres. A major feat, but well worth it, according to the bride “It was such a great feeling of achievement doing it all ourselves!”

Emily’s stunning sequin gown was purchased from Rachel Gilbert’s flagship store in Sydney. She admits “It was nothing like I imagined when I first started looking, but it was the perfect mix of tradition and my own style.” After a few disappointing makeup trials, the DIY bride opted to do it herself, armed with some new skills gained from a cosmetic-counter makeup tutorial. Her relaxed updo was done by good friend and completed her modern, elegant look.

Emily and Andy chose Harvard Wang to capture their day because they loved the pure emotion of his images. “Harvard has an incredible eye, chooses the right moment and creates photographs that are beautiful and timeless. It also helps that he’s just a great guy, super relaxed and quite funny!”