Adelaide couple have 100-guest Hyde Park Lane wedding for less than $5000

An Adelaide bride has shared details of her dream wedding she put together for less than $5000 – and, no, guests weren’t asked to buy their own drinks.

Picture perfect: Tahlia and Harley on their wedding day. Photographers: Colleen Strangways and Reece McArdle

If you need proof you don’t have to be overly extravagant to create a perfect wedding, the evidence is in the gorgeous recent celebration of Tahlia Forrest and Harley Bodger, shared with 100 guests.

The bride looked stunning in a $400 dress from online site Hebeo, worn with white Converse sneakers.

“Our wedding was a beautiful magical day, filled with laughter and love … we did a massive budget wedding for just under $5000 (so) you can definitely pull it off,” the proud bride says, adding her and Harley’s amazing mums were pivotal to the day’s success.

Tahlia and Harley’s wedding cake. Picture: Colleen Strangways and Reece McArdle

“(My dress) was everything I wished and hoped for … I bought the bridesmaids’ black dresses from Shein for $16.95 and they were absolutely beautiful … (with) beautiful bouquets costing $9 each from Kmart.”

The wedding coincided with the wedding anniversary of Harley’s grandparents with many of the guests travelling from Port Augusta and Whyalla to be part of it.

The couple married in a park at Hyde Park Lane followed by a reception at The Highlander Hotel, with all food and drinks supplied for wedding guests.

The wedding cake was created by Lee’s Cakes at Gawler.

“(It was) a beautiful white chocolate bare cake surrounded by caramel and white chocolate raspberry cupcakes with native flowers on the top,” Tahlia says.

Family is everything: Tahlia and Harley with daughters Zarlee, Tayaa and Harlow. Photographers: Colleen Strangways and Reece McArdle

Tahlia and Harley Bodger on their wedding day. Photographers: Colleen Strangways and Reece McArdle

“(A highlight) was having our beautiful three daughters be a part of our day … (Harley) was an absolute mess as I walked down the aisle to him,” Tahlia says.

“(In that moment) everything faded … it was just myself and him, together.”

Tahlia says there were lots of subtle but special touches throughout, including her bridal bouquet created from three bunches of flowers from Kmart, costing $9 each, to “represent” the couple’s three daughters.

“We also had a memorial table for the ones we have lost … (who remain) present in our hearts,” she says.

Pastor Rodney Garland officiating at Tahlia and Harley’s wedding. Photographers: Colleen Strangways and Reece McArdle

The Gawler couple, married by Pastor Rodney Garland, chose Elvis Presley’s timeless Can’t Help Falling in Love for their first dance.

Maid of honour Chantel Yakoub joined by bridesmaids Emily Fitzgerald, Maddison Bodger, Ashlee Brennan and Jashyamae Lock.

Flower girls were daughters Zarlee Bodger, Tayaa Bodger and Harlow Bodger.

Tahlia’s bridesmaids wore dresses that cost less than $20 each. Photographers: Colleen Strangways and Reece McArdle

Harley’s dad, Dale Bodger, was best man joined by groomsmen Riley Bodger, Josh Kelly

Tylor Thompson and Bryson Liddle.

Colleen Strangways and Reece McArdle were the wedding day photographers.

Tahlia is the daughter of Amanda and Jason Forrest, Gawler, and Harley is the son of Erica Dadleh, of Woodville Gardens, and Dale Bodger, of Para Hills.

# Each week three weddings are profiled in the Sunday Mail newspaper.