This evening, we are transported to the magical streets of Amsterdam, where we get to take a peek inside the stunning elopement of Perth couple Katrina and Scott. Captured by the talented Marije van der Leeuw of Madame Poppy and expertly put together by the lovely Nailia of Best Day Ever Events this elopement left us captivated, smiling and mesmerised!
Speaking to Katrina we learn that, she was living in Londono when they met, and was on holiday staying in a hostel in Amsterdam when she met Scott one night right outside. They hung out for the night, but didn't exchange numbers. As fate would have it, she found out that one of her friends knew someone, that knew Scott and she as able to get his number. Having gone back to London, Katrina was able to catch up with Scott again while he was in visiting London. Wanting to spend more time with her, Scott changed his flight back home to Australia just so he could spend an extra week with Katrina. A few months later Katrina to moved back to Australia and the couple have been together ever since.
When it came time to propose Scott planned an elaborate surprise for his bride to be with the help of some friends. The couples friend Tom, an electrician called to tell Katrina that he had been working at a rooftop venue in Perth called The Aviary, where he had fixed their fridges and saved their food from spoiling. Katrina was told that as a gesture of their thanks, The Aviary had offered Tom a bar tab to use on Friday night and was inviting her and Scott. Scott being a career Firefighter, was regretful that he couldn't go but encourage Katrina to go and spend time out with their friends. On the Friday night in question, Tom, his wife Laura and our friend Nerisa came to pick me up and they headed off to The Aviary to enjoy some free food and drinks. Katrina tell us that they were at the venue for a couple of hours when all of a sudden she saw a Firefighter coming off of a ladder on the back of a fire truck up onto the rooftop bar and started to look around trying to work out what was going on. With everyone in the bar watching, the Firefighter came over and removed his gear to reveal it was actually Scott! Getting down on one knee in front of everyone he proposed to Katrina. Recalling the evening Katrina knew that something was going on but never for one second thought it would be a proposal.
The couple chose to get married on same date they met six years earlier and it only made sense to head back to the country where it all happened, Amsterdam. When it came to what they wanted for their special day Katrina tells us that "I knew I wanted something different from all the other traditional weddings I had seen. I had seen a friend's wedding with a bohemian style and completely fell in love with the romantic and relaxed vibe. I also knew that I wanted my main colours to be the rich burgundy and plums that I loved, but I wanted it to be a surprise for us on the day."
Researching different options, the couple came across Nailia of Best Day Ever Events, and set up a Skype meeting to chat about their upcoming elopement. Katrina says they knew they had found the right person to help them right away and was excited about starting the planning process while giving complete creative control over to Nailia.
Finding a venue was the only thing the couple chose to know about their elopement and after receiving images from Nailia of The Waldorf Astoria, the couple fell in love with the outdoor area. Knowing that an outdoor wedding in Amsterdam was risky with the unpredictability of the weather they decided to risk it as they had fallen in love with the space and the tea house at the venue.
Located a short twenty minute dive from the major international airport at Schiphol, The Waldorf Astoria is an exceptional retreat in the heart of a storied and absolutely remarkable destination. Comprised of a collection of six, seventeenth century canal palaces on the Herengracht in Amsterdam, The Waldorf Astoria enables you to discover Dutch heritage at its finest. Only a short walk from luxury shops, museums and theaters, this architectural masterpiece boasts breathtaking views of the canal and boasts a stunning courtyard garden and world-class dining at hotels restaurant Spectrum. Combing legendary service and timeless elegance it is easy to see how the Hotel is ranked in the top 25 Hotels in Europe having received TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Award for the Luxury consecutively in 2017 and 2018. This stunning venue truly makes for an unforgettable experience.
Katrina was effortless styled in a stunning 3/4 sleeved v-necked laced gown by Kite and Butterfly with hair and makeup created by Natalia of Visage Guru her bridal look was completed with a spectacular floral crown created by the talented Danielle of Meesterlijk Groen. Not to be outdone, Scott was the picture of a dapper groom with a modern suit pairing of fawn slacks, tan dress shoes and a rich burgundy dinner jacket paired with a matching tie and rust coloured pocket square.
Katrina tells us that the couples favourite moment of the day, was hearing the beautiful story put together by our celebrant Georgette Wekking. Having gathered information from both Scott and Katrina as well as their two best friends who were also present at the elopement. Katrina says it was so nice to hear it all put together and be able to have a great laugh together. Katrina's absolute favourite detail from their elopement was discovering the beautiful flower backdrop that was put together by their event designer Nalia and created by their florist Danielle. She tells us that "having the whole setup as a surprise on the day it was very emotional seeing it for the first time and I was completely blown away! It was so much more than I ever could have expected!"
Katrina and Scott's advice to others in the process of planning their special days is to "Do what you want to do. Don't let others opinions influence your decisions." and we couldn't agree with them more! We invite you to sit back and relax as you enjoy the images from this incredible elopement and let us know what your favourite moment was, and don't forget to check out the list of vendors below and follow the links to discover some serious talent and inspiration for your big day!
MEET THE TEAM:
Photography: Madame Poppy
Event Planning & Design: Best Day Ever Events
Officiant: Georgette Wekking
Floral Design: Meesterlijk Groen
Bridal Gown: Kite and Butterfly Bridal
Hair & Makeup Artist: Visage Guru