I’m delighted to share these new gowns with you from Karen Willis Holmes today. My favourite? Betsey who takes centre stage in this post. She’s covered in polka dots and we all know that I can’t really ignore anything with such a sweet twist on it!

Karen’s classic English is almost a nod back to her English heritage. Her philosophy of classic, vintage style gowns with a modern edge is reflected in her gowns through fluffy, elegantly draped skirts, a nipped in waist or beautiful lace detailing.

Beautiful. Elegant. Bliss!

Photos from Karen Willis Holmes

Monday mornings are the one time of the week we pay special homage to those that support us and allow Polka Dot Bride to continue every day. Without their support, well it wouldn’t be the site it is today! So please support our vendors whenever you can!

This week’s vendor of the week is Melbourne musicians Baker Boys Band!

The Baker Boys Band may be based in Melbourne but they travel to Sydney and worldwide- not only that but they have a special discount for couples who marry in “exotic places”. They’ve just returned from a glorious wedding in Papua New Guinea where not only did they help a bride who was dying to have a  “Frank Sinatra style band” at her destination wedding at a 5 star resort, but they got to have a fantastic two week trekking holiday afters. So their policy? The guys in the band are guys who love nothing more than the idea of a seeking holiday in a country filled with head-hunting cannibals, surfing, incredible wildlife, and the promise of trouble.  So after playing their hearts our at the brides PNG wedding, the Baker Boys Band plan on hiking into the highlands of PNG for 2 weeks for a holiday.  It is a great deal for everyone!! The newlyweds gets the Baker Boys Band for a fraction of the cost, and the boys in the band get a crazy holiday!”

The Baker Boys band play a mix of Jazz, Swing, Rock, Gypsy music, Afro-celtic, 80s and Top 40 and their musicians are some of Australia’s best- one just recorded with Crowded House on their new CD, another is a key member of amazing Australian band Cat Empire while yet another won an ARIA award for “Best Male Artist”. These guys are the cream of the crop! With combinations ranging from 3-14 band members, you can check them out at their regular Sydney (once a month) & Melbourne (once a fortnight) showing nights.

To learn a little more about the Bakey Boys Band, we asked Baker Boys Band member Michael five questions in five minutes!

What is your favourite after five drink?

Vodka Martini. Yep – I always wanted to be James Bond.

Your favourite weekend getaway?

Weekend?! For a musician?! I don’t know the meaning of the word.

Favourite restaurant?

Spice Market in Melbourne.

What can we find you eating for breakfast on a Sunday morning?

Ummm… Sunday morning? As I said, I’m a musician. I don’t see mornings on a Sunday.

Your favourite wedding story?

That is easy. A huge 1000 person wedding in Melbourne – the bride was a professional dancer. The groom was a professional ice skater. The bridal waltz was performed on roller blades, with full 12 piece band playing high energy swing. This was a complete surprise to EVERYONE at the wedding – they didn’t warn their parents, co-ordinator, band, or bridal party. The most amazing thing: they NAILED it!!! It looked like olympic ice skating – full scale aerial acrobatics, lifts, swing moves – EVERYTHING. The couple wore their formal wedding dress throughout, black tie, and a beautiful wedding dress, specially designed to allow movement.

Everyone’s jaws dropped as we watched – and the band had serious trouble playing – we were so in awe of the dance routine. At first the crowd was dubious. By the end, 1000 people were cheering, applauding, going absolutely crazy!

Since the wedding, the band and bride have become great friends, and we regularly ask her and her dance friends to perform with us.world.

Visit the Baker Boys Band to find out more about our Vendor Of The Week! Baker Boys Band are a member of Ms Polka Dot’s Directory

Photographer Anna Hardy, who took the shot says, “It was my friends’ Tom and Lisa’s wedding, and Tom was adamant that he wasn’t going to turn round to look at Lisa until she was right next to him.

I love that his best man Matt is smiling watching him do it and that Lisa had to prod him to make him turn round! On the previous picture you can see in their faces how hard they were trying not to look!”

Photo by Anna Hardy

Natalie & Phill

A very fun engagement shoot today from one of my favourite US Photographers A Bryan Photo. What makes this shoot so special is one half is Australia- yes! Phil hails from Australia while Natalie is Bryan’s sister in law!

I love this shoot- yes it’s a picnic, which is common these days, but this looks like a picnic I would have with Mr P, although we’re probably a little lazy to light candles and use real glasses, we should change that though don’t you think? Bare feet, green grass…bliss!

Natalie shared how the American and Aussie came to be! “I have lived in Birmingham, Alabama for close to 10 years now. I moved here to earn my Undergraduate degree at Samford University and have been living and working here as a Dietitian since. Phil grew up in Sydney, Australia and was living and working as an Engineer in Sydney until he felt called to ministry. Through a series of events and friendships, he was led here to Birmingham in January of 2009 to attend Seminary at Beeson Divinity School.

Phil and I met just a few days after he moved here at a “Coming to America” party held for him by a mutual friend of ours. It wasn’t until November of 2009 that we started to spend more time together. It was then that we began building a strong friendship, one that turned into something unexpected in March of this year. We both knew pretty quickly that there was something different about this relationship and in no time at all we both knew we’d found the person we wanted to spend the rest of our lives with.

On May 11th, after I returned from a 4-day vacation to the beach with my family, Phil picked me up to take me to a casual dinner at one of our favorite Greek restaurants. We had a typical meal together, with great conversations and lots of laughing as always…nothing out of the ordinary. He was completely calm and his usual self, so I didn’t suspect anything was unusual. We left dinner as the sun was starting to go down but it was still dusk with just a bit of daylight left. We drove through a charming park nearby on our way to where I thought we were getting dessert. He soon pulled over to point out a candlelit path leading to a picnic table in the woods. My heart dropped and I realized that this must be that moment, as surreal as it felt. He asked me to hold onto a card that had my name on it and took my hand to lead me to the table. There were candles and pink roses, champagne and chocolate.  We sat on the bench while I read the card. When I finished, he got down on one knee, opened up a box that held a gorgeous cushion-cut solitaire diamond ring and asked me to be his wife. With a huge grin and eyes filled with tears, I excitedly said yes!  We toasted with champagne in the darkness by candlelight as I admired my beautiful new jewelry and incredible fiance’

We are getting married in just 12 days and it couldn’t come any sooner. We both feel that our expectations for a spouse have been far exceeded beyond what we could have ever hoped for!”

Photos by A Bryan Photo.

Elizabeth & Steve

Sometimes time flies and I lose things through the cracks. ! I have no idea how this beautiful gem slipped through the cracks late last year but when I found out I wanted to get it up as quickly as possible! It epitomises Perth weddings to me- simply beautiful grace a lot of Australian sunshine!

Elizabeth and Steve’s wedding was a beautiful mix of cultures and Elizabeth’s thought out touches. Elizabeth and Steve met at a huge New Year’s Eve Party in 2006 and married after five years of being together. The wedding was planned down to the finest detail by the bride an centered around the chocolate brown and soft pink colour scheme- right down to the chocolate fountain at the reception.

Today’s photographer shared with me “The bride’s family is Hungarian. Steve and Elizabeth have been together for five years. The wedding was meticulously planned by Elizabeth even down to the chocolate fountain at the reception”

Amanda of White Tulip Photography is a true gem with her work- it has a real beauty and each shot conveys the emotion of the moment with grace and elegance.

Cherie Martignoly created a cascading bouquet for Elizabeth. Doesn’t Elizabeth look like a vision standing there?

Elizabeth and Steve were married at Joondalup Resort overlooking the golf course. Elizabeth walked down the aisle to Enya’s ‘Only Time’.

After the ceremony, the coupled headed to Mindarie Marina for photographs together.

Joondalup Resort doubled as the reception venue. Elizabeth planned every detail of the wedding herself, she created the table decorations, candle holders, guest board, place cards and invitations. The tables were decorated with clear vases were filled with colourful orchids on each table.

Queen Of Cakes made a cupcake wedding cake topped with a smaller cutting cake and decorated with red hearts.

Elizabeth’s mother is a ballroom dancer and so the couple took lessons from her before their first dance to Eva Cassidy’s “Fields Of Gold”. Amanda says “There was another wedding going on in the next room at the resort and they crashed Elizabeth and Steve’s reception, saying their’s was better! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves during the day. ”

A big thank you to Elizabeth & Steve for allowing us to share you wedding day today on Polka Dot Bride, I’m sorry we didn’t get to show you off earlier! Thank you also to Amanda of White Tulip Photography for sharing today’s photographs!

Photos by White Tulip Photography