We wanted whimsical, romantic, unique & fun.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
The first time I met Andrew was at a pub in Double Bay on Melbourne Cup. A mutual friend introduced us and the first thing I noticed was his incredible blue eyes, I remember saying to the girls “that is a beautiful man.” I was newly single and definitely didn’t have meeting anybody on my cards, I planned on focusing on myself but Mr Blue Eyes was about to throw that all out the window. By the end of our first date, we went for breakfast, we had already made plans to meet for drinks that night and by the end of the night I just thought this is it – and we were inseparable after that.
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).
The Vision: Inspired by the natural setting of The Jackson Ranch, we wanted whimsical, romantic, unique & fun. Focusing on key moments (ceremony, cocktail hour & candle lit dinner) to create maximum impact, and work with the beautiful features of the venue & surrounding landscape to create an elegant, ethereal wedding that reflected us as a couple.
The Vibe: Chic. Romantic. Elegant.
What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).
The venue was incredible in itself but what really enhanced it was the florals, Amber did the most phenomenal job creating visual masterpieces throughout and every single arrangement, from the beautiful & unique bouquets to the magnificent ceremony florals and the elegant reception tables, was truly breathtaking.
The draping…oh my, the draping. I am so glad we brought Drapeologist on board, it created such a romantic feel at the ceremony location and it honestly transformed the incredible marquee. It made the space breathtaking, and it changed the whole feel from rustic to more refined
What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey
My number one top – hire Paloma Events haha. Honestly, I was so grateful to have brought Brooke & Emma onboard, they made the entire process enjoyable – it was fun, and I felt so relaxed through it all. The incredible team at Jackson Ranch, Kirsty, Bianca & Alison, I cannot thank them enough – they helped with everything along the way and honestly, I just had fun.
Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?
Where do I even begin, all of our vendors were outstanding. Amber, David & the team from Mrs Gibbons were phenomenal. The quality of the flowers were exceptional — they were so beautiful, fresh, and thoughtfully curated. We had countless guests approaching us throughout the night, asking who was responsible for such incredible work. They brought so much heart and talent to our special day, and we’ll be forever grateful for your artistry.
Jackson Ranch – Shen and the team were unbelievable, I cannot even put into words how incredible the team were. The attention to detail, the friendliness and just everything was seamless. I wasn’t stressed once the whole weekend, Kirsty and team just handled everything in the lead up and Shen just delivered it to perfection.
Tall Shaun – our phenomenal musician, his acoustic cover of Innerbloom when I was walking down the aisle was a crowd hit and people are still asking me to get him to record it.
White Parrot – Vera was amazing, capturing everything from the day in moments frozen in time and forever grateful to have those photos forever. She has an incredible eye and captured everything from staged bridal shoots but made it natural, to candid moments showcasing the love and warmth of the day. She also kept us accountable! Haha making sure we didn’t miss out on anything of the day but still got the photos we would cherish forever.
Craig Holbrook – The most incredible videographer, Craig made us so comfortable and just blended in perfectly to the day which is why all the footage from the day is natural and relaxed. I’m absolutely obsessed with our wedding video and couldn’t ask for a better representation of the best day of our lives. Craig also captured all the speeches, dances and the ceremony. Thank you for everything.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?
My wedding dress was sheer perfection and was everything I could have dreamed of and more. But I have to make special mention of Iris from Blanche Bridal for my second dress. Iris was phenomenal, her warmth and infectious energy made the whole process a dream in selecting my mini and having altered. Nothing was ever too much and she was genuinely excited alongside me which made the experience unforgettable.
Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.
My engagement ring is so beautiful, Louise Jean creates absolute masterpieces and it travelled all over South Africa before Andrew proposed – she’s a well-travelled diamond! The Louis Jean team were incredible, rushing the order so it would arrive in time for our holiday and it meant we got engaged in my home country with all my family there with us.
Our wedding rings were from Michael Hill, our beautiful family friend Daniel Bracken had organised with his team for us to receive the beautiful new MH packaging before it had landed in stores and we were so grateful for the incredible Deb at MH Erina who made the experience unforgettable. Daniel has left an everlasting memory at Michael Hill and his presence was felt at our wedding day.
What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).
We always said – good food, good wine and good music. We wanted people to leave thinking what an incredible day and to remember the surprise & delight elements throughout the day
Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?
Honestly, seeing all of our friends and family sitting there as I walked down the aisle towards the love of my life was just everything. I will never forget that moment. We had the most amazing weekend, every moment was perfect and we will treasure that weekend always.
BRIDE Chanel, @chaneljmccarthy LOCATION The Jackson Ranch, @thejacksonranch_ 101 Willinga Rd, Bawley Point NSW 2539, Australia PHOTOGRAPHER White Parrot Photography, @whiteparrotphotography VIDEOGRAPHER Craig Holbrook, @craigholbrook.weddingfilms STYLIST & PLANNER Paloma Events, @paloma.eventco FLORIST Mrs Gibbons Flowers, @mrsgibbonsflowers CELEBRANT Konnubials by Kiki, @konnubialsxkiki ENTERTAINMENT Ceremony & Cocktail Hour Music – Tall Shaun, @tallshaunmusic; Reception Music – DJ: Tomás Salomão HIRE Simply Seated, @simply.seated; Lovestoned Hire, @lovestoned.hire; Drapeologist, @drapeologist CATERING The Jackson Ranch, @thejacksonranch STATIONERY AND SIGNAGE Maddison Jayne Design, @maddisonjayne_design WEDDING & ENGAGEMENT RINGS Engagement Ring – Louise Jean @louisejeanjewellery; Wedding Rings (Chanel’s & Andrew’s) – Michael Hill, @michaelhillj OTHER SIGNIFICANT JEWELLERY My grandmother’s flower ring and my Ouma’s wedding ring BRIDE’S MAIN OUTFIT Liz Martinez, @lizmartinezbridal BRIDE’S SHOES Jimmy Choo, @jimmychoo BRIDE’S ACCESSORIES Earrings – Completed Works, @completedworks BRIDE’S MAKEUP Teneille Basile, @teneillesbeauty BRIDE’S HAIR Tia Nevill, @absolutehairbytia BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Jo Malone BRIDE’S RECEPTION OUTFIT Blanche Bridal, @blanchebridal GROOM’S MAIN OUTFIT Peter Jackson, @peterjacksonau GROOM’S ACCESSORIES Belt – RM Williams, @rmwilliams; Watch – Rolex, @rolex GROOM’S FRAGRANCE Chanel, @Chanelofficial BRIDESMAID DRESSES Bec & Bridge , @becandbridge GROOMSMEN SUITS Peter Jackson, @peterjacksonau
