Danielle + Jack by Matt Godkin

We loved the mix of long and round tables, sculptural florals and cocoa velvet draping.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

We both grew up in regional NSW and had plenty of crossover through sport and school, but somehow never crossed paths until 2014. We’ve been together for 11 years, spending the past seven in Sydney before recently moving to the Northern Beaches. We’re loving the slower pace.

Jack works as a radiation therapist, and Danielle works at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, alongside her work in events and as a food stylist.

Outside of work, we love being around family and friends, good food and wine, music and being outdoors. We’re always up for an adventure, but equally love being at home together with our British Shorthair, Romeo.

Danielle loves coffee, cooking and a good farmers market. Jack is usually the one ocean swimming, gaming or getting lost in a sci-fi novel.

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We met while living at Campus East at the University of Wollongong. It wasn’t long before Danielle noticed Jack and was intrigued by someone who’d grown up between the city and the country, but wasn’t your typical country boy. After a sweet kiss on Jack’s birthday and a few coffee dates, she was pretty keen to get to know him better.

Jack’s first impression of Danielle was that she was beautiful, but it was her warmth and easy-going nature that really drew him in. He remembers feeling nervous whenever they spent time together, but also strangely comfortable. Being around her just felt easy.

We got to know each other through sunrise drives along the coast, nights out, travelling and festivals.

What styling and visual elements worked best for you?

Rowlee Wines was the perfect setting for the day. With the gardens and rolling hills of Orange surrounding us, we wanted the styling to feel connected to the landscape, while bringing in a relaxed European feel through the food and entertaining.

We loved mixing long and round tables, sculptural florals and cocoa velvet draping, which brought warmth to the space and complemented the autumn setting.

Danielle wanted to include the Italian tradition of bomboniere, but give it a more modern feel. She designed a matchbox-style slider box filled with five sugared almonds.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

Danielle loved slowly curating the vision and sourcing all the styling details. After working at the ABS, she also knows her way around a spreadsheet! Music was Jack’s department, and he loved putting it all together.

One tip for couples starting out is to have a clear idea of how you want the day to feel, but don’t be afraid to pivot along the way. Once we had vendors we genuinely connected with and trusted, everything else fell into place pretty naturally.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

Our cake was a true standout. Crafted by Torte by Mirjana with a shared design vision by La Nipotina, it felt more like a couture fashion piece than a traditional wedding cake.

Our friend and florist, Sammy Bate, has known us since we first met, so trusting her with the flowers felt like the most natural choice. We gave her complete creative freedom, and what she created felt incredibly personal to us.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?

Danielle knew from the beginning that creating her wedding looks would be a process. Working with Olivia Deur became one of her favourite parts of the planning, with the design evolving through sketches, countless fittings, champagne and plenty of laughter.

The ceremony gown was custom designed with soft, romantic draping and a sculptural edge. Layers of silk were draped directly on the body to create a shape that felt completely individual, finished with a delicate tulle veil and pointed-toe wedge by Toteme.

For her second look, Danielle always knew she wanted to wear pants. Brought to life with Anya from L’eto Bridal, the cream lace two-piece featured a softly draped halter top with an open back and silk ribbon ties, paired with lace trousers.

Jack wore a custom P Johnson tuxedo in Loro Piana wool-silk, with a low, wide shawl lapel, double-pleated trousers and an oversized bow tie. A vintage Monet brooch added a personal touch, with custom Tessarella brooches worn by the groomsmen.

The bridesmaids wore Cris Sera in autumnal tones, with subtle variations in colour, silhouette and drape that kept each look individual while feeling cohesive.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Jack always knew Danielle was drawn to an emerald-cut diamond, which suited her more masculine-leaning style. He had a great experience finding the perfect diamond with Cullen Jewellery.

Danielle’s wedding band by Sarah & Sebastian is a bold, sculptural piece that feels far from traditional. She loved the contrast alongside her emerald-cut engagement ring, with the pear diamond sitting slightly offset to the left.

Jack chose a brushed white gold band from Sarah & Sebastian, with a clean, minimal design.

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on?

The overall guest experience was important to us. We wanted the day to feel like sharing our favourite things with our favourite people, so we were happy to invest in the food, drinks and music that brought everyone together.

Food and drinks were a big part of that, with a custom share-style menu and wine pairings, alongside personal favourites like Negronis during Aperitivo and Jack’s beloved fried chicken.

Music was equally important, from Lueth Ajak’s live jazz and soul acoustics during Aperitivo to a personal set from our long-time friend DJ Sea Breeze.

Choosing who would capture the day mattered too. Matt Godkin and Lucy Flook captured everything in a way that felt effortless and unstaged, with such a warm, relaxed energy.

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?

It’s impossible to choose just one or two!

Missing the cake cutting during Aperitivo unexpectedly gave us a quiet moment alone with our photographer. We got to pause and just be a bit silly together.

Sharing a speech together during Aperitivo was another favourite. We wanted to thank our family and friends while everyone was gathered beneath the trees, Negroni in hand, before the evening kicked off. It was something we’d envisioned from the beginning and one of the ways we made the day feel like our own.

And then there was the surprise from Danielle’s dad, Luke. Jack had secretly organised ‘My Little Girl’ by Tim McGraw to play, going to great lengths to keep it hidden with fake run sheets and emails. Luke is a man of few words, so the gesture meant a lot, and there wasn’t a dry eye in sight.

What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?

In most ways, being married hasn’t changed much for us, as we’d already built such a strong life together. For us, it’s about friendship, trust, respect and feeling completely comfortable with each other. Knowing we can always rely on each other is a big part of that.

We don’t have any grand rituals, but we love the little things we’ve created together over time. Discovering new restaurants, road trips, going to gigs and sharing a special bottle of wine are some of our favourites. Whether we’re exploring somewhere new or simply enjoying a quiet night at home, we just really enjoy being together.