Bride: Emily Murfin
Groom: Blake Riley
Resides in: Sydney, Australia
Wedding Date: 8 September 2016
Tell us, how did you meet? Was it Love at first sight?
We met in a pub in Sydney. Blake was on day two of his brother’s stag do and I was out with some girlfriends. Already a few drinks deep, Blake spent half the night topless and swinging his shirt over his head! I only went out that night as something inside told me that I’d meet my husband, but it’s fair to say that it certainly wasn’t love at first sight from my end!
What about the engagement story? Can you give us a snapshot?
Two years ago, Blake planned a Valentine’s Day picnic at Milk Beach. It’s my favourite beach in Sydney as it has a gorgeous view of Sydney Harbour.
The sun was shining, the booze was plentiful and a nearby boat was pumping out great tunes. I thought we should call some friends to come and join us but Blake reminded me that it was Valentine’s Day, so perhaps we could hang out just the two of us?! He proposed soon after on one knee with the ring in one hand and a book in the other that said ‘Reasons why I want to spend the rest of my life with you’. I was a goner.
So you decided to become Mr & Mrs… Why Bali?
I’m from the UK. Sydney isn’t the cheapest place to get married, plus it’s an expensive travel destination for friends and family. I had a few ‘must haves’…the sun, a view of the ocean and a big pimped up villa. Blake suggested Bali offered all of the above, so we took off on a four day recce. We found Villa Kalyani in Canggu for our pre-wedding party and The Istana in Uluwatu for the actual wedding. They couldn’t have been more perfect!
How did you choose your Bali wedding planner? What was her/his Super Power?
I found Bali Exclusive Wedding online. It was a challenge deciding who to go with but they seemed very organised and sent me a rough budget straight away, so I took a punt and it paid off. Having them go through the finer details when we got to Bali and coordinate the day was invaluable. Our wedding planner, Tia, was absolutely adorable.
Did you have a theme for the wedding? And was it a late night Pinterest obsession?!
Unofficially, we opted for a beach chic décor style with a modern twist. And yes, I spent way too many hours trawling Pinterest!
How involved were you in the creative process?
We were extremely involved. Blake and I pretty much planned and designed the entire wedding. My job in television is similar to that of a wedding planner, reliant on great organisation and the ability to manage a budget, so I found it came quite naturally to me. I did realise during the process that I’m a bit of a control freak though!
Blake and I aren’t traditional in any way. Our main priority was to make it a fun but sentimental ceremony. My uncle, the celebrant, kept the tone lighthearted. We included a rose ceremony for our mothers, to show our love and gratitude for everything they’ve done for us. One of my best friend’s, Lizzie Jenkins, who couldn’t make the wedding, adapted ‘Yes, I’ll Marry You’ by Pam Ayres into a hilarious poem about us. It allowed us to laugh with each other about our relationship. We hired a photobooth through Bali Snapz Photobooth, which captured some gorgeous moments and our guests loved. The Bali Fire Dancers performed a jaw-dropping 10 minute performance while our guests ate.
Did you sit down for a formal dinner or party the night away with canapés and cocktails?
We started an hour of canapés and cocktails, with pina coladas served in coconuts straight after the ceremony. I fought hard with Blake to get them over the line but they went down a treat! Rather than have a sit down meal, furniture from the lovely Bali Event Hire was dotted around the grounds of the villa so guests could mingle. It looked stunning! Amazing Bali Catering set up a delicious buffet style Indonesian / Balinese dinner and a live sushi stall. We then had a late night satay stall to help mop up the booze. Instead of a wedding cake, ABC set up a white chocolate fountain served with strawberries, marshmallows and donuts. Yum!
Tell us about your music. Did you have a special song to walk down the aisle to?
‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perri played while I walked down the aisle. We signed our paperwork to Stevie Wonder, ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’. Jessica Prince, from Australia’s Dancing with The Stars, taught us our first dance to one of my favourite dance tracks, ‘Show Me Love’ by Robin S (Matvey Emerson remix).
The incredible acoustic band, Traffic Blues, performed for a few hours after our ceremony and DJ Arshad rocked the dance floor late into the evening. Our friends are still talking about the music.
What was the most challenging aspect about planning a destination wedding?
If I wasn’t a perfectionist, it wouldn’t have been so difficult. I found not being able to meet some of the suppliers and see the venue until a week before the wedding, incredibly challenging. I dread to think how many hours I’ve spent on email and looking at photos, wondering if it’d all come together as I imagined!
