‘I tried on more than 80 wedding gowns’: Bachelor contestant’s extraordinary dress hunt
Ex-Bachelor contestant Sophie Tieman opens up on the extraordinary hunt to find the perfect wedding dress.
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Australia’s hearts broke for Sophie Tieman when she was dumped on national television by Nick Cummins in the 2018 season of The Bachelor Australia. But it was a blessing in disguise with the reality star, who is from Brisbane, finding her own true love.
After the season went to air, Tieman moved from her home in Queensland to Sydney and met Joseph Bolster through work in property. That same week, she moved in to a new unit which so happened to be directly opposite where Bolster lived.
On April 9 this year, the couple, who live in Sydney’s Hunters Hill, celebrated their “classic and timeless” wedding in front of 180 guests in a stunning chapel ceremony at St Joseph’s College, also in Hunters Hill, and reception in The Linseed House at The Grounds of Alexandria. The day, says Tieman, was perfect as she walked down the aisle in a custom dress after trying on 80 dresses that weren’t meant to be. The pair kept the surprises coming for their guests with a saxophonist and six drummers soundtracking their entrance and a late night McDonald’s cheeseburger delivery with custom “McMarried” labels.
How and why did you choose your wedding venue?Sophie: Joe went to St Joseph’s College Hunters Hill for school which gave us the opportunity to use the chapel. I wasn’t certain I wanted a chapel wedding until I went and had a look. The white marble staircase, extravagant ceiling height, rose garden out the front, how could I say no? For the reception, we decided we wanted an indoor wedding so rain wouldn’t be an issue. However, we still wanted that indoor/outdoor feeling. We found a lot of venues that catered for 150+ people indoors were function centres which really wasn’t what we were looking for. When I first visited The Grounds of Alexandria, it was love at first sight. All the greenery, flowers, incredible food and drinks, I was obsessed. Luckily, they had recently refurbished The Linseed House into the most spectacular venue space and we booked it the day we saw it!
What was the budget for your wedding?
We had a rough figure in our mind, and let’s just say we exceeded that by about 30 per cent.
What would you spend more or less on?
I took on a lot of advice around what not to spend money on like stationery. We barely had any! It’s something people don’t remember that can oddly cost a lot. I feel like a lot of research helped my budget along the way, and looking back – I wouldn’t change a thing.
How did you go about choosing your wedding dress? I tried on more than 80 wedding gowns across Sydney and Brisbane. I was told “you’ll know when you find the perfect gown”. So, I was really waiting for the special moment but it never happened. My sister booked me in for an appointment at Brisbane’s Darb Bridal Couture and I fell in love with owner/designer Brad. Before I knew it, we were talking designs and he began sketching my dress! I knew I wanted something quite bridal, glamorous and with a train. However, I wanted to keep it modern with clean lines and solid fabrics. The layered skirt was something I found online, I loved that it shows your figure but still allows for the big drama. The bodice was always going to be simple so I could tie in my gloves. We used Japanese pearls for detailing to tie it together.
What was the most stressful part of wedding planning? The whole planning process was fun! We had 1.5 years to plan our wedding, so plenty of time to relax and enjoy the journey. The only element I couldn’t control were all the questions and queries from those around me.
What was the standout moment of the day?
The rush of emotions I experienced as the doors opened and my dad began walking me down the aisle. I was so overcome with nerves and excitement that I almost froze.
Any unique or surprising details about your wedding? Firstly, Joe’s heritage is Lebanese so we wanted to incorporate some fun traditions. We organised a saxophone player and six drummers for our reception entrance. We really had no idea how guests (from various backgrounds) would react, and it ended up being the highlight. All 180 guests were up out of their seats and began dancing in large circles around us. They lifted us on to their shoulders, clapping and cheering. The vibes couldn’t have been higher. We also surprised our guests with a McDonald’s cheeseburger delivery at 10.30pm. We had them come out on silver platters and handed to everyone. They had “McMarried” stickers we designed on them.
Is there a wedding hack you can share which saved you time and money?
To save yourself time, I recommend a wedding planner and stylist to everyone. You have to do your research and not only find people you like the work of but also search for someone that can work within your budget. As for money, everyone knows that wedding costs are inflated. Don’t be afraid to ask someone if they can do a better deal! I would have saved us thousands by doing just that and collecting more than just one quote for each major element of the wedding.
The Bride
Sophie Tieman, 29
Profession Commercial sales agent
Parents Jeanette and Chris Tieman
Bridesmaids Ashley Grebe (older sister), Melissa Tieman (twin sister), Beckie Williams (friend), Kim Jenkinson (friend)
Dress Darb Couture
Hair Upstyle Girl
Make-up Katie Angus
Engagement ring Lewis Joaillier
Wedding planner/stylist Anna Wang
The Groom
Joseph Bolster, 36
Profession Commercial property valuer
Parents Allan and Jeanette Bolster
Groomsmen Pat Bolster (older brother), Jon Bolster (younger brother), Matthew Douglass (friend), Mark Simmons (friend)
Suit MJ Bale
Entertainment Limited Edition Band
Videographer Soda Films
Celebrant Priest
Caterer The Grounds of Alexandria
Cake Vanilla and white chocolate with berries throughout. We still haven’t tried the cake! We were too busy on the dance floor. It’s in the freezer still waiting to be eaten.
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