One of our favourite elements of Gariwerd is the beautiful wildlife.
Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…
Hi! We are Bek and John, a pretty low-key couple who have a mutual love for the outdoors and nature. Although our love of nature and good food brings us together,, we couldn’t be much more opposite. John is a calm & quiet deep think,er, and Bek is a classic extrovert who acts before she thinks. We have built a life together over the past ten years, including many special visits to Gariwerd, where we fell in love with the beautiful scenery, the native animals and the crisp mountain air. It was the perfect place to celebrate our relationship.
How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?
We met during the 21st birthday season through mutual friends at various fancy-dress parties, but we really hit it off as we found common ground while discussing a shared passion – our favourite burger bars! To be honest, it was a pretty slow burn with friends having to tell us that we were, in fact, dating.
Bek: The first impression of John that I had was that he was quite possibly the nicest person I had ever met.
John: Bek struck me as a fun person and was really easy to talk to – she quickly became someone I wanted to be around all the time.
When did you first realise that this was someone you’d like to spend the rest of your life with?
Bek: I don’t think there was a moment; it was more little moments built over time to know that this was right. Pretty quickly into our relationship, I realised that I could be my weird, quirky self around John and that he embraced that and supported me in all my ambitious goals. After hiking the overland track, renovating a house, navigating health issues, travelling overseas and moving interstate together, it was pretty clear that we are a solid team and have each other’s backs!
John: No specific moment – the accumulated sense of togetherness we fostered as we have built our life together meant it was fairly inevitable. This sense grew exponentially each time we faced major obstacles together, including health challenges, difficult jobs, personal losses, travel scares and house renovations. Whenever we are in the trenches, Bek supports me, I support her, and we get through it together.
Was there a proposal? Tell us a little about it…
A long awaited visit to Wilsons Promontory was cancelled due to flooding in the region, so we made a last minute change of plans to instead visit our favourite place, Gariwerd (The Grampians National Park). We took the opportunity to try some new hikes that we hadn’t been on before, including the Chimney Pots. The day was cool, overcast and misty, our favourite weather to be outside, and we had the trail to ourselves. On the way back down, we stopped at a lookout with sweeping views of the valley below. Bek made her favourite joke – “nice spot for a proposal” – and John agreed! It was an unplanned moment that we leaned into because it felt so perfect and so us.
What was one element you were happy to splurge on?
Legit everything we did – fiancé math was definitely the basis for the wedding budget. But in all seriousness, especially given we eloped, it was very important to both of us to have a photographer who would be good company and share our vision for the vibe of the day. We were so lucky to find Morgan, who was fun and relaxing to have around. He knew exactly what we were hoping for in the finished product and exceeded our expectations whilst also helping us have a fun day. The moments he captured are something we will cherish forever and hang on our walls to remind us of the magical day.
The other element that was really important to us was the location. We knew we wanted to be somewhere we wouldn’t have to leave on the day whilst also giving us a special experience, including accommodation, food and wine, and the view.
Did anything happen on your wedding day that you laugh about in hindsight (even if it was stressful at the time)?
Bek’s vision included scores of candles all around the cottage to help set the mood for the day. Between this and the roaring fire, the temperature absolutely soared inside – everyone started to sweat, and the boys rushed around to open windows to try to keep Bek’s temperature down!
Also, one of our favourite elements of Gariwerd is the beautiful wildlife. The beautiful lawn where we held our ceremony was actually the buffet for local kangaroos several hours earlier. The train on Bek’s dress acted like a fishing net and scooped up plenty of leaves, twigs, and kangaroo droppings. It became important to check to make sure kangaroo poop wasn’t visible on the dress as we moved between photo locations, and John and Morgan spent plenty of time picking poop out of the train!
Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, is there a story? The history of the ceremony dress…
Bek: I love really textural outfits and knew that I wanted a dress that would provide a romantic winter feel with textural elements. I had been to multiple dress shops and had not found anything that suited me or felt “right”. I was also rejected from some shops due to leaving it all too late. So in a panic one morning at 3am I emailed Lainie asking if she would be able to make something in time, and thankfully she could. She was a dream to work with and knew exactly what I wanted and needed. The main thing I wanted in my dress was to feel comfy and not worry about how I looked and we achieved that better than I ever thought!
John: A winter wedding in the mountains called for a woolly, flannelette suit. Adam, from Bellington Estate, sorted me out with a custom suit that drew inspiration from the Scottish highlands. I also included some custom cufflinks from Pawfect Love to include our beloved dog Ginny into the day, as well as a custom boutonniere from Narelle at BARKart, made with responsibly sourced Laughing Kookaburra feathers. (We were lucky to have the Kookaburras singing for our special day!)
The other essential part of our engagement and elopement was our rings. We know these will be worn and treasured for life, so we wanted these to be perfect. Olivia, who had previously given new life to Bek’s Grandpa’s ring, took the time up front to get to know us and what we were looking for, and was very accommodating throughout the design process, including searching far and wide for the perfect diamond.
PHOTOGRAPHER Free The Bird, @freethebirdweddings SECOND PHOTOGRAPHER Rolan John Photo, @rolanjohn_photo FLORIST Floral Forest, @floral_forest_ FLORAL RIBBON Her Beautiful Mess, @herbeautifulmess_creative CELEBRANT Elyjah Mcleod VOW BOOKS Silk and Willow, @silkandwillow POST ELOPEMENT DINNER LOCATION Wickens at the Royal Mail Hotel, @royalmailhotel RINGS Olivia Dryden Jewellery, @Oliviadrydenjewellery BRIDAL DRESS Lainie Brookman Couture, @lainiebrookman_couture BRIDE’S SHOE Jo Mercer, @jomercershoes ACCESSORIES Earrings – Maison De Femmes, @maisondefemmes HAIR & MAKEUP By the Bride NAILS Model Citizen Beauty, @modelcitizenbeauty SUIT Bellington Estate, @bellingtonestate GROOM’S SHOE Thursday Boot Company, @thursdayboots GROOM’S ACCESSORIES Boutonniere (kookaburra feather) – BARKart; Cufflinks – Pawfect Love, @pawfectlove.au; Tie & Pocket Square: OTAA, @otaa.brothers
