Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship:
A little bit about us and our love story: It’s a simple love story for Sam and me. We met at a local cafe on the Sunshine Coast where we are both from. Sam asked for my number after a month or so of checking each other out on the morning coffee run before work.
The rest was history. Soon after falling in love, we fell pregnant with our son Asher, and a week after the birth Sam proposed to me at our local beach, holding baby Ash in his arms. Of course I said yes! After many years of Sam doing FIFO from the Sunshine Coast we finally decided to relocate to Gunnedah, so that we could be together as a family and where he could be home home every night to tuck in the kids.
Soon after we moved we decided we would love to have a winter wedding nearby, at a simple but beautiful location that showed off the stunning Australian country landscape. I started trawling through instagram and blogs like Together Journal to find the perfect team of vendors to bring our vision to life. I found my photographer House of Lucie on instagram, and I fell in love with her work and knew I needed her to capture our special day. Everything fell into place for the wedding planning soon after, as through her I found our dream location, Dungowan Station. Given we were smack bang in the middle of a pandemic I gave it a shot and called Narree to see if
she would consider hosting our elopement on her stunning property, she said yes and it was that easy.
From start to finish we planned the most simple day, Narree organised all of our catering and styling for us. Her husband, Campbell, chased us around with his wooden cart serving us champagne and pouring beers. It was heaven. We said our vows to each other down by the river – it was simple and perfect and so us.
The whole day was so relaxed and intimate that I remember everything, every single detail – nothing was rushed, we all felt like family. We ended the evening in the whisky room, eating, drinking and telling stories together.
The night of the wedding Sam and I stayed in a brand new tiny home which was immaculately styled, tucked away by the running river, about 1.5km away from the main house. We are yet to honeymoon, we will save that for when we can travel overseas. Our go-to is Bali, we love the simple life.
Tell us about your main outfits:
I already had 3 gowns custom made for previous days planned, then deferred due to covid. I was then browsing online when it was decided we would elope at Dungowan. I saw the gown from ASOS and instantly fell in love with the kimono sleeve and the edgy sparkles, and thought – how
much does this represent my style and personality! So I took a chance and purchased my 4th gown. When it arrived I tried it on and instantly knew it was ‘the one’. No alternations required, it fit perfectly.
What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day:
The most memorable moment was getting ready with my daughter Koko in the spare room of the station. I remember Koko being so excited to have her hair and makeup done for the first time and being able to dress up. She felt like a princess, as her Mum this made me so internally happy. Second memorable moment was of course during the vows and Sam started tearing up while speaking, I then looked over his shoulder to Craig his best man who was also tearing up. Seeing how happy we all were in that moment was so intimate and raw. We just had a ball the whole day.
Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together:
My only advice would be is to do what’s best for you and your families needs. For us on this occasion it was eloping. There was absolutely no stress involved in the planning or on the day, not to mention the money you save. Put this towards your mortgage or a beautiful honeymoon. We are still yet to honeymoon due to covid but when we do it’s another thing to look forward to. We all went in with a relaxed mindset, we trusted the process and just had fun. I believe you set your own standards and expectations.
Photography: @houseoflucie | Ceremony and Reception location: @dungowanstation1834 | Bride’s gown: @asos | Groom’s suit: @r.m.williams | Bride’s shoes: @stone_cold_fox | Groom’s shoes: @r.m.williams | Makeup and Hair: @glamour_empire_weddings | Styling: @dungowanstation1834 | Flora: @stockholmflorist | Catering and Beverages: @dungowanstation1834
