The garden itself is a working garden, with elements that are rustic and rugged – which we loved.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
We have been together for nearly 11 years, getting together while we were both living in Adelaide (where we both grew up) and now living together in Melbourne. Georgie is an Assistant Store Manager with Jac + Jack and is studying a Graduate Certificate of Urban Design and Planning at UTS. Lex is a Senior Analyst at AGL Energy.
We both love our food and wine, spending time with our friends, and enjoy going for walks and hikes together. On our recent honeymoon, we also discovered a hidden passion for offbeat museums and historic churches.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We first met whilst members at the Adelaide University Boat Club (AUBC). Lex was a rower, and I was a coxswain. Lex had been at AUBC since 2012, whilst I started in late 2013.
Lex: I’m generally a shy person, so I was not particularly outgoing when I first met Georgie. My first impression of Georgie was that she seemed incredibly kind and very confident for a young woman.
Georgie: My first impression of Lex was that he was quiet, gentle, and kind.
Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).
Once we settled on The Agrarian Kitchen as the venue, everything else about the styling and mood fell into place. The floor in The Agrarian Kitchen’s Phasmida Room, where our reception would be held, has this amazing chartreuse colour, so we leaned into that as one of our base colours. From there, we drew on other elements from the venue and garden – dark purples, off-white, and natural tones that reflected the vegetables being pickled in jars, the colours in the garden, and the weatherboard cladding of The Agrarian Kitchen restaurant. We opted for textural, local, and seasonal flowers and tones. These tones and colours really drove the rest of the styling and theme for the wedding, from stationery to florals to bridesmaids’ dresses.
Ultimately, I knew I wanted to create a wedding that was elevated but simple, elegant, and pared back. I focused on balancing clean lines with texture (e.g. bridesmaids’ dresses reflected the lines of my own, but their flowers were more whimsical and textural), polished with undone, and elevated with relaxed.
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).
We were really conscious not to detract from the natural beauty of The Agrarian Kitchen in our styling, so a lot of our direction and decisions were about letting the venue be the focus. For the ceremony, we chose not to have any flowers or archway, and instead let the hills beyond the venue frame where we were standing, and have our guests seated amongst the potted herbs and plants. The garden itself is a working garden, with elements that are rustic and rugged – which we loved. We really didn’t want the event to be so manicured that our guests couldn’t relax. The garden also has this amazing brutalist wall enclosing it. The Agrarian Kitchen is a former asylum, and the garden was the exercise yard. For our ceremony, the wall created striking lines, framing our guests and the occasion with a strong presence. However, it also created a sense of intimacy, a private space for the most intimate part of the day.
For the reception, we maintained this theme, using The Agrarian Kitchen’s existing cutlery, crockery, and décor. Our amazing florist, Lottie Phillips, had done weddings at the venue before and understood exactly how to complement the existing colour palette and decoration, whilst still making our event feel special.
What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?
The thing I enjoyed most about the wedding planning process was being able to craft a day and an event that completely reflected us, our passions, and our relationship. We very quickly settled on the fact that we wanted to create a relaxed environment, take our guests out for an incredible meal, and keep it simple, and we kept coming back to these core foci in our planning process.
Our tip for couples starting their wedding planning journey is to trust, listen to, and learn from your vendors. They are experts in their respective fields and quite often have extensive experience planning weddings. We were so conscious that we had never planned a wedding before, and we leaned heavily on the experience of our vendors. From trusting Lottie to create a seasonal and textured bouquet (I really only provided my colour scheme), to learning from Melanie at Coal River Coaches about the best spot for the buses to collect our guests, to asking Ann at Salters Hire how many chairs I would need for the ceremony, these people gave me their advice, and it was brilliant. Trust your vendors – they know what they’re doing.
Our other tip is to remember that it’s about you and how you want your day to look. We didn’t have a first dance, and we didn’t have a cake because we didn’t feel we needed them to make the day special. Remember that you don’t have to have elements just because other couples do.
Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?
All of our vendors were standout suppliers – we really couldn’t pick one. Every single one was so helpful, so patient, and so generous with their time and knowledge – we felt so lucky to have found each and every one of them. Here are some of the absolute best:
Severine at The Agrarian Kitchen. Severine was the most outstanding, responsive, practical, and calming liaison person for us. She answered our questions, accommodated our requests, and offered solutions that were perfect. She and the entire team at The Agrarian Kitchen were professional, friendly, considerate, and perfect. We can’t speak highly enough about the service they provided to us, both before and during our wedding.
Ali Bailey, our photographer. We truly can’t give Ali enough praise. From the moment we met her, we knew we were in safe and trusted hands. Ali was the star of the show on the day of the wedding, keeping us on schedule and putting everybody at ease. She was everywhere and nowhere; she knew where we needed to be, and she engaged with our guests and us effortlessly. The way she captured our day was perfect; she caught the mood, the atmosphere, the intimate moments, and the laughter. I have recommended her to all my friends – even the ones who aren’t planning a wedding. Ali is phenomenal.
Sally Axford, make-up artist. I had worked with Sally on a photoshoot during the pandemic and remember her professionalism, talent, and easy-going nature, so it was a no-brainer for me to ask Sally to do the make-up for my wedding. I’m not a big make-up girly so this was definitely an area where I was trusting the expert, and Sally was perfect. She made me, my bridesmaids, and my mum all feel so beautiful, special, glamorous, and authentic on the day, all with a smile. She even came all the way down to Hobart with a broken foot, so she deserves a medal!
Lottie Phillips, our florist. I didn’t meet Lottie until the day of the wedding, but I knew I was in safe hands. Lottie had been recommended by Severine at The Agrarian Kitchen, and I’m so glad she was available to do the florals for our wedding. Lottie was so patient, listening to me explaining our vision and colour palette, dresses and styling, and then crafting unique, beautiful and understated bouquets, button holes, and installations on the day. Lottie was so easy to work with, and I can’t recommend her highly enough.
Jess Purcell, our stationery designer and my Maid of Honour. Working with my best friend on my wedding stationery is a memory I’ll treasure forever. Jess is truly a professional, and while it does help that she knows me, she was able to create the branding for our day. She crafted the perfect palette, our own logo, and the perfect harmony between our invitation, details card, and on-the-day signage. I’m clearly biased, but I would recommend Jess to anyone.
Mia of Mia Ateliers. From the moment I stepped into Mia’s Atelier, I knew this was going to be a very different wedding dress experience from the stores I’d already visited. It was quiet, calm, and private. Mia was gentle, patient, and understanding while I worked towards my vision for a dress. The dress that we settled on, a custom gown that drew on the lines of one of Mia’s designs, was absolutely perfect. The experience with Mia was easy, calm, and effortless.
Dave Loring, our official celebrant. Dave generously gave his time to work with Michael, our friend who ran the ceremony, to put together the most beautiful, intimate, and meaningful ceremony for us. Dave was outstanding to work with, and we highly recommend him.
Audrey, our ceremony musician. Audrey, a friend of my brother’s, crafted the most stunning rendition of Kina Grannis’ ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ for me to walk down the aisle to. It was sensitive, intimate, gentle, and beautiful, and she made that moment perfect for both of us.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?
We both only wore one main outfit on the day. Lex wore a custom suit from P Johnson with RM Williams boots. His cufflinks were a gift from me on the morning of the wedding, and were Natasha Schweitzer Letter Cufflinks with his initials.
My dress was a custom silk gown by Mia Atelier. It was simple, understated, and (I hope) timeless. I wore Bally shoes (my grandfather always wore Bally shoes, so I loved that there was that connection to him), which were my something new. My something old was a small four-leaf clover charm that belonged to my grandmother’s mother, which was stitched into the back of my dress. My something borrowed was my mum’s earrings – she wears them every day, and they are part of her identity. It was so special to borrow them from her. For my something blue, Mia organised for mine and Lex’s initials to be embroidered on the back of my dress in blue thread. I really loved that some of these things were the only things that I knew about – the four-leaf clover and the embroidery. It felt intimate, and because of that, it felt more meaningful.
Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.
Engagement Ring
We are lucky enough to be close family friends with retired jewellers (Penny and Simon) who are still happy to make rings at home for friends. Working closely with both mothers, we were able to re-purpose some existing jewellery from each family to create a beautiful engagement ring with significant sentimental value. We also loved this approach as it offered a more sustainable option. The end result was a three-stone ring with claw settings in white gold, sitting on top of a yellow gold band.
Wedding Rings
The bride’s wedding band belonged to her grandmother, simply requiring a resize. The groom went for a simple yellow gold band, again made by Penny & Simon.
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?).
From the beginning of the planning process, we knew we wanted to prioritise food, wine, and creating an environment where our guests felt comfortable and encouraged to enjoy themselves. Choosing The Agrarian Kitchen had a lot to do with bringing this vision to life – the venue is known for its commitment to local, high-quality ingredients and local wines, so we knew the meal would be phenomenal (and it was – our guests still tell us that it’s the best food they’ve ever had at a wedding). Choosing a venue that was a destination for most of our guests also helped create the atmosphere that we were looking for. A lot of our guests took the opportunity to spend some additional time in Tasmania, turning the wedding into part of a holiday, and that meant everyone was at ease, relaxed, and carefree.
We also committed to prioritising the photography. We knew the photos would be the only way to capture the day – especially as we weren’t having a videographer – so we spent a great deal of time choosing the right photographer (and thank goodness we did!).
Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?
For Lex: Watching Georgie come around the corner and walk down the aisle.
For Georgie: Seeing Lex’s face as I walked down the aisle. He was looking at me like I’d always hoped someone would look at me, and I’ve never felt more lucky or beautiful or loved.
LOCATION The Agrarian Kitchen, New Norfolk, Tasmania, Australia, @agrariankitchen BRIDE Georgie, @georgielitt GROOM Lex, @beasleylex PHOTOGRAPHER Ali Bailey, @_alibailey PLANNER By the bride CELEBRANTS Michael Wilson – Friend of the couple; Dave Loring, @celebrantdave ENTERTAINMENT Ceremony Music – Audrey McAllister, @audrey_grace_music; DJ – Alex Curtain from Sounds Good AU PTY LTD, @sexylucy_official_fan_page HIRE Ceremony – Salters, @saltershire; Reception: Furniture & Tableware – The Agrarian Kitchen, @agrariankitchen CATERING The Agrarian Kitchen, @agrariankitchen STATIONERY & SIGNAGE Maid of Honor – Jessica Purcell of Designed by Jess, @designedby_jess RINGS Designed and made by the family friends of the groom BRIDE’S DRESS Custom Made by Mia Ateliers, @miaateliers BRIDE’S SHOES Bally, @bally BRIDE’S ACCESSORIES Earrings – Bride’s mum’s
MAKEUP Sally Axford, @sally_axford HAIR Steph Conning, @hairartist.steph_yotshair BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE PARIS-PARIS by Chanel, @chanel.beauty GROOM’S SUIT Custom Made by P. Johnson, @pjohnsontailors GROOM’S SHOES RM Williams, @rmwilliams GROOM’S ACCESSORIES Bowtie – P. Johnson, @pjohnsontailors; Gift from the bride: Letter Cufflinks – Natasha Schweitzer, @natashaschweitzer BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES KIANNA, @kiannaofficial GROOMSMEN’S SUIT Black Tie Classic, @blacktieclassic GROOMSMEN’S SHOES RM Williams, @rmwilliams
