Inside the Balinese wedding of Melbourne-based dancer Aisha Kuryana

“We can laugh now when we think about how intense our day was, but we’re just so grateful that the wedding even happened at all.”

Here at Fashion Journal, we make no secret of our love of weddings. We’re suckers for a bit of romance and have a soft spot for weddings that do things differently, whether it’s a Las Vegas elopement or a huge, debaucherous party.

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The epic day wasn’t without some challenges. From a mini earthquake and landslides to flooding and Nic contracting Dengue Fever, the couple faced a series of setbacks that risked derailing the day. “With a little faith and a blessing from the priest or ‘rain stopper’ as they call it in Bali, the skies cleared just in time for our ceremony,” Aisha says.

Following the ceremony, the pair had an Indonesian buffet. Dancers performed a traditional Sundanese story, while their friends Chela and Kimbra performed a few songs and Nic played a cover of ‘Prototype’ by Outkast.

How did you meet your partner and how did the proposal happen?

I met Nic 14 years ago through mutual friends. He played in a band called Red Berry Plum and my friend Kimbra brought him on to play some shows for her.

Nic proposed to me while we were out in the desert in California. We spent the day hiking in Joshua Tree and he proposed at sunset right outside of our Airbnb. It was the sweetest thing.

What venue did you choose for your wedding, and why?

I wanted to find a venue that represented my Indonesian heritage and luckily we stumbled on a private villa of three Javanese joglos, which is very unique for Bali. I love the intricate wood carvings, open layout and high ceilings. The Joglos were surrounded by palm trees right next to the sea in Candidasa, perfect for a tropical wedding.

You had a few potential setbacks in the lead-up to the big day. Can you tell us about this?

Indeed! The night before the wedding, a mini earthquake struck, followed by torrential rain that caused landslides and flooding. It truly felt biblical. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t totally stressed, but with a little faith and a blessing from the priest or ‘rain stopper’ as they call it in Bali, the skies cleared just in time for our ceremony.

I wish that was all that happened. Unfortunately, Nic had dengue fever. We didn’t know it at the time but he was not feeling great. We can laugh now when we think about how intense our day was, but we’re just so grateful that the wedding even happened at all.

Where was your outfit from, and what was the process of sourcing it like?

I found my dream vintage dress on Still White – a Saks Fifth Avenue gem from their 1991 Diamond collection. The seller was amazing. She even sent over her whole wedding album so I could see the dress from every angle. She was passing it on since her daughter wanted a modern dress, but I loved that it already came with a story and the original box! I truly did not want to take it off.

What about your partner’s outfit?

Nic wore a powder blue suit from Zara, with his favourite Italian loafers and a vintage gold Casio watch.

In terms of beauty, what look did you go for on the day and what was your inspiration?

My friend and master makeup artist, Candice September, created my hair and makeup looks for the day. We went for a more natural style, focusing on making sure it would hold up in the humid climate. Candice knows my face so well and I fully trust her to make me look great, which she absolutely did!

What did you do to celebrate after the wedding?

Nic and I spent a week in Ubud relaxing, swimming and eating delicious food while he recovered from dengue.

What kind of food and entertainment did you have on the day?

For the reception, we had a traditional Indonesian buffet, which is my favourite kind of food! The satays and pandan-flavored wedding cake were definitely the highlight. We also had Indonesian dancers perform a traditional Sundanese story which is where my family is from.

Music is also such a huge part of our lives. Instead of a band or DJ, we went old-school with a mixtape for the party! Our talented friends Chela and Kimbra each sang a few songs and Nic played his cover of ‘Prototype’ by Outkast, which happens to be our song.

Tell us about the photography. How did you capture the event?

We hired a wonderful local photographer, Jiwa, set up a photo booth and brought a stack of film cameras to capture the day in a more nostalgic way.

 Follow Aisha here.