Think European garden meets chic, modern design.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
We both grew up in Western Australia, with a love of the coastline and salty, sunny days by the ocean.
Rhys is a funny and passionate architect, with a love for photography and good design. He tells good jokes, and Ashleigh laughs at them. Ashleigh is an occupational health and safety advisor for Catholic schools who has a great eye for detail.
Together, we are adventurous, easy-going best friends who love to travel. We make a great team – Ashleigh is the planner in our lives, and Rhys executes all her crazy plans. Planning a travel itinerary? Ashleigh has it in the bag. How will we get from A to B across the desert? Consider it solved. Some of our favourite memories include trekking the Amazon Jungle, fishing for piranhas, hiking Patagonia and getting lost down mysterious alleyways. We consider ourselves keen foodies, who love cooking, long dinners and eating/drinking our way around town. So naturally, we found ourselves in Melbourne for its vibrant lifestyle.
Music is the key to our hearts and is initially what brought us together. On weekends, you can find us searching for the best coffee, attending gigs and hanging out with friends with a vermouth in hand. Good food, good bands and good company is our outlook on life. 

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
​We met in 2014, when a classic Australian pastime was taking place – a Tour De Fridge (a pub crawl on bicycles to fridges in different houses). Ashleigh had a tiny BMX with flat wheels, struggling to commute to the next destination, lagging far behind. Rhys, being the gentleman he is, offered to swap bicycles to conquer the hills of Thornlie. What he didn’t account for was that the only way to Ashleigh’s heart was acts of kindness uniquely partnered with endurance BMX riding.
We bonded that night over punk music, the same sense of humour, and our love for staying up late and sleeping in even later. Fast forward to 2016, when Ashleigh made the move to Melbourne. She was only there for one month before Rhys pursued her, rekindling the strong spark that was initially felt between us. Ashleigh was the mysterious, cool punk who left a lasting impression on Rhys, while Ashleigh describes Rhys as a calm, confident guy. We have been inseparable ever since.
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 loved our cellardoor venue overlooking a vineyard. The beautiful, sprawling ceremony space and rolling vineyard are a complete surprise, revealed only when reaching the elevated balustrade behind the permanent marquee.
From the outset, we wanted to create a wedding celebration that was distinctly us. Our vision was elevated, bold, and timeless, ensuring the tone and decorations fully reflected our personalities—think European garden meets chic, modern design. We designed and made as many elements as we could to distil our vibe into the night. We hand-wrote on chillies that doubled as a guest prop, created the menus, invitations, bar/welcome signage and hand-painted a banner as a backdrop to the dance floor.
Since we never take life too seriously, making the reception as fun as possible was a top priority. To keep the energy high, we incorporated the classic Australian pub raffle. Bar staff handed out tickets with every drink, giving a lucky guest the chance to win the holy grail of prizes: the Meat Tray. 

We wanted a consistent concept woven throughout the day. We put a twist on the classic wedding welcome mirror by bringing reflective surfaces into unexpected places. We smashed a mirror to create unique-shaped table numbers, selected chrome lighting fixtures to suspend over the table arrangements and used mirror plinths. To complete the aesthetic, we intertwined disco balls within the hanging florals. We think the lifelong memory outweighs the 7 years of bad luck!
What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?
We took on the immense task of planning the entire day ourselves, which was very time-consuming. So be prepared for the reality of this commitment without a planner. However, as creatives, we genuinely enjoyed the process of bouncing ideas. We started with the fun elements: selecting colours and styles. I handled the initial mock-ups, and Ashleigh provided her invaluable feedback. Her excellent sense of style guided the final design.
Once the design elements were mostly settled, we delved into the world of spreadsheets. We had a spreadsheet for literally everything! With so many vendors, costs, and moving parts, we needed a comprehensive reference point to keep track of it all.
Our advice is to keep the process fun. The sheer amount of time it takes to coordinate everything can get monotonous, so we would tie it into dates most weeks. Just to get out of the normal place of planning – doing it in the park with a wine, or a trendy little coffee shop, really helps make even the most boring tasks enjoyable.
Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?
It was so important for us to work with vendors who understood our brief. We tried to communicate our intentions for the day as clearly as we could at the start of the journey so we could pick people who meshed with us the most. Every single person we worked with was an absolute pro. When things are constantly in a state of flux, it is great to fall back on someone to seek some advice and move the goal posts when needed.
Kath Young, our photographer, was incredible throughout the whole process. She has such a good eye for detail and is a natural behind the camera. Before the day, she helped us work through our jam-packed timeline, and on the day, she made us feel so comfortable. It’s easy to be happy on the best day of your life, but Kath did such a good job of making everything look gorgeous. She said she could feel our personal style in the wedding design, but after receiving the gallery from her, you can tell she captured all the unique moments perfectly.
YEH Events did the on-the-day styling and the florals. They did an insane job of tying together our vision of bold colours, mirror surfaces and cascading wild florals. We wanted a contemporary vibe, so they used unusual plants such as artichokes and pitcher plants, sporadically placed throughout all the spaces. Walking up to the ceremony space after our first look, we were absolutely blown away – they completely nailed the brief. It was an incredibly satisfying surprise to see that after all the hard work and how we’d pictured it, everything looked even better than we imagined.
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?
It was a long journey to find the one, trying on over 70 dresses. I searched high and low across 3 states in Australia, slowly working out my style and silhouettes. I learned quickly that my aesthetic was timeless, yet modern and clean. My wedding dress is the Temptress gown from Corston Couture, a Sydney-based designer. I knew it was the one because I kept comparing other dresses to this one as the benchmark. It featured an elegant scooped neckline, drop waist corset, and fitted drape skirt. I added custom, detachable twist drape straps – for two looks between day and night. I love the drama, so naturally I extended the train even longer! The lace-trimmed blusher veil from Madame Tulle tied the look together for a romantic piece.
My second look was a mini lace corset dress with neck scarf detail. I wanted something edgy and flirty, to oppose the elegance of the wedding dress. It was perfect to dance the night away. I love fashion, so every pre- and post-wedding event felt like an excuse to have fun and reflect my personality.
Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.
Rhys: I custom-designed Ash’s engagement ring with my mum, who worked in the jewellery business. I knew Ashleigh wanted something timeless and classic, but I didn’t want it to be too simple. After a couple of iterations, we settled on a raised setting with hidden diamonds around the centre stone, plus 10 points of diamonds wrapped along the band. All together, it’s an absolute showstopper!
My favourite Architectural buildings often have one thing done incredibly well. Something unexpected that stands forward as the main moment. I wanted my ring to have a similar feeling; I didn’t want something too complex or blingy, but still had a uniqueness to it. After searching for months, I found the perfect ring, which has a singular wave motif through the band, creating a raised edge that slices through the width. I also selected a brushed finish as I’m constantly scraping, bumping or using my hands while making furniture or playing music. I needed something that would last.
Ash: I knew I didn’t want a plain band, rather something with personality. a chunky vibe to contrast the finer diamonds on my engagement ring. I chose a band set with larger single diamonds to stand out while still complementing it perfectly. We have matching ‘til death’ engraved on the inside of our wedding bands. Obsessed is an understatement for both rings. 

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?). 

The venue was the most important element for us. It sets the vibe instantly. When we first visited, it was the middle of summer – and although nice, the vineyard was yellowing. Even then, we could see the vision. We chose November, knowing it’s the best time of the year for a wedding down south, with everything lush green after winter. This, coupled with Credaro’s marquee, was the perfect platform to build on. So many guests told us how stunning the view was. It’s hard not to enjoy yourself when you’re surrounded by your favourite people in a beautiful setting.
The second element is absolutely the food. We both come from families who love to eat, so this was a non-negotiable. Tiller Farm, being from the south west specialise in seafood. They did an excellent job of showcasing fresh, local produce. We had an oyster shucker during our cocktail hour, partnered with roaming canapes such as smoked duck with citrus, green tea, torched prawns and braised lamb.
Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?
A special moment was entering the reception as husband and wife. We were certain we wanted this to lead to a dancefloor early as we walked in. We entered the song Spectrum (Calvin Harris Remix) by Florence + the Machine through a tunnel made by our wedding party. We had everyone up, and in the middle of the dancefloor, I think having this happen straight after the cocktail hour set the tone of the reception prior to sitting down for dinner. We kept the good times going from here until the end of the night.
What does being married mean to you, and are there any special rituals you have that you would like to share?
Marriage, at its core, is the highest form of friendship as its foundation. It’s making each other laugh, smile, and being that safe space and comfort for one another. Marriage isn’t about perfection, but a partnership. Two people choosing to show up for each other through highs, lows and every season in life. 


We don’t have fancy rituals – just a healthy dose of daily laughter… and making intentional time for one another with our nightly conversation pits to stay connected.
LOCATION Credaro Family Estate, Yallingup, Western Australia, @credaroweddings BRIDE Ashleigh, @ash_duro GROOM Rhys, @grhys_ PHOTOGRAPHER Kath Young Photography, @kathyoungphotography VIDEOGRAPHER Perfect Day Film Co., @perfectdayfilmco STYLIST & FLORIST YEH Events, @yehevents PLANNER By the couple CELEBRANT Georgia Beardman, @georgia.beardman ENTERTAINMENT DJ – Jordan Adamson Holmes, @el_cvpitvn HIRE Lighting & Drapery – Cape Events, @capeeventsau; Tables – Bryan Was Here Furniture, @bryanwasherefurniture; Chairs – YEH Events, @yehevents; Linen – Table Linen Co Perth, @tablelinencoperth; Cutlery – Hire In Style WA, @hire_in_style_wa CATERING Tiller Farm, @thetillerfarm CAKE Harlequin Desserts, @harlequindessert STATIONERY By the couple SIGNAGE Fabric Seating Chart – Lottie and Lawson, @lottieandlawson; Invitations, Menus, & Bar Signage – DIYed ENGAGEMENT RING Custom Made by local jeweller Lynette Hoffmann at Egoli Jewellers BRIDE’S RING Temple & Grace, @templeandgrace; GROOM’S RING Uniform Black, @uniformblackstore
BRIDE’S CEREMONY DRESS Temptress Gown – Corston Couture, @corston_couture purchased from Twelve South Bridal Boutique, @twelvesouthbridal BRIDE’S PARTY DRESS Cartia Dress – Resrvd, @resrvdhire BRIDE’S SHOES Jimmy Choo, @jimmychoo BRIDE’S CEREMONY ACCESSORIES Veil – Madame Tulle (Celine II), @madametulle purchased from The Ivory Room, @theivoryroombridal; Earrings – KYHA Studios, @kyhastudios; Magnolia Ave, @magnolia__ave; Tennis Bracelet – Black & Bloom, @blackandbloom BRIDE’S PARTY ACCESSORIES Bag – Acler, @acler MAKEUP Kinga Markovic, @kingamarkovic HAIR Demi Chapman, @bydemi.co BRIDE’S FRAGRANCE Paradoxe – Prada, @prada GROOM’S SUIT Custom Made Overseas GROOM’S SHIRT Eton, @etonshirts GROOM’S SHOES Soho Workshop, @sohoworkshop_official GROOM’S ACCESSORIES Bowtie – Soho Workshop, @sohoworkshop_official; Cufflinks – Vintage from Martin Fella, @martinfella GROOM’S FRAGRANCE The One for Men – Dolce & Gabbana, @dolcegabbana BRIDESMAIDS DRESSE Significant Other, @the.significant.other BRIDESMAIDS SHOES Verali, @veralishoes GROOMSMEN SUIT Van Heusen, @vanheusenau GROOMSMEN SHIRT M.J Bale, @mjbale GROOMSMEN ACCESSORIES Bowtie – Soho Workshop, @sohoworkshop_official FLOWER GIRLS’ DRESSES & HAIR BOWS Oui Babe, @oui.babe
