Kate and Rhys wanted a wedding that was timeless but by no means traditional. They designed their off-site celebration in Hamilton Island, where guests enjoyed ocean views, golf cart rides, and gourmet food. Kate is a bridal stylist, which means this wedding had an extra special, extra stylish touch. We talked to Kate to find out all the details of her unique celebration.
Tell us a little about yourselves.
I am a fashion and bridal stylist, and Rhys is an electrician. Owning our own businesses means downtime can be tricky, but we love good food and good company, so dinner parties at home are one of our favourite ways to spend time with loved ones.
What was the concept behind your wedding and how did you find your inspiration?
We wanted a classic, elegant and stylish wedding that truly reflected who we are as a couple. A black-tie, destination wedding with good food, drinks, and music was the best representation of us.
Where was your wedding? Why did you choose this venue?
Hamilton Island. We chose a destination wedding because we wanted more than one day with our guests. We ferried our guests over to Dent Island for our ceremony, which has incredible 360-degree ocean views, and we all returned to Hamilton Island for the reception on Catseye Beach. We love the ocean and wanted to be outdoors but didn’t want to be on the sand. So we needed a reception venue that catered to this and could be our wet weather back-up – which we ended up needing!
How many guests did you have?
We had 55 guests.
Tell us about your outfits.
There are always so many eyes on the bride, everyone wants to see her dress, and being a stylist there was even more hype around what I would wear. I wanted Rhys to have his moment, too. His jacket was custom Montagio Tailoring and was nearly the same color as my engagement ring, a deep emerald green, but it had a gorgeous paisley print. While we chose the fabric together, we agreed that I wouldn’t see the final product until the wedding day. I reached the top of the aisle and cried. He was so handsome, and his suit was so perfect for him! As for my look, I never wanted to wear white. I never wanted a veil, nude shoes, or even a bouquet. My look was Cannes red carpet inspired, something Old Hollywood with a modern edge. I found my heels first, Aquazzura Chocolate snakeskin, followed by Christie Nicolaides’ ‘Bambina Chocolate’ earrings. My gown was bespoke KYHA and slightly changed at each of my three fittings. It was the most gorgeous champagne pearl which shimmered ever so softly in the light. I opted for a gold clutch which complemented my earrings and loved it! The whole concept was to shake up a traditional bridal look and allowed me to create something that really that reflected my personal style.
What was your first dance song?
“Your Song” by Taron Egerton (from the movie Rocketman). We slow dance in the kitchen and Rhys sings it to me, so it just made sense.
What was your wedding cake like? And where did you order it?
We didn’t have cake, we opted for an ice cream bar with mix-ins instead.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We are lucky enough to have a lot of creative friends around us, which meant everything was just so easy. Katie Wade Studio was our photographer, The Boys Studio were my hair and make-up artists, and Sam from Silent Shout Entertainment was our DJ.
Bride: @_katekohler
Photo: @katiewadestudio
Gown: @kyhastudios, @k.y.h.a
Jacket: @montagiocustomtailoring
Muah: @theboysstudio
Location: @hamiltonisland
