Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship:
Our love story started 9 years ago over a coffee order. James caught Maddy’s eye when he’d turn up to the café where she worked, the coffee must have been good because he kept coming back.
Maddy never really got a chance to spark a conversation as she was always too busy making sure everyone got what they’d ordered. It took a trip to the rubbish bin one morning when she literally ran into James for them to start talking. We began dating, going on adventures, and eventually bought a house and moved in together.
James romantically proposed in November 2018 when we were traveling through the UK and Scotland. We spent the night at Dalmunzie Castle in the Scottish Highlands where James proposed in the field surrounding the castle.
We enjoy food, travelling, and spending time with our loved ones. We are homebodies at heart who much rather enjoy a night spent watching a movie. We don’t take life too seriously and just enjoy each other’s company.
Tell us about your special day, was there a specific theme or style? Tell us a little about the setting, the styling, and some of your favourite details:
At first, we planned to have a DIY wedding however quickly realised how much work was involved, especially given our location. We contacted Amey from A Perfect Party Co who created the most spectacular decorations, floral arrangements, and bouquets! I gave Amey some colour palette inspiration and then just let her have free reign for her creative genius to run wild! She went above and beyond anything we could have ever imagined. The flowers that Amey came up with at the end of the aisle were my absolute favourite detail of the day. It was so different from anything I’d ever seen and transformed the venue into something truly beautiful.
Donna from ISing On The Cake went over and above to deliver our cake. Driving over an hour to deliver our three-tiered cake, up the winding mountain range in the pouring rain was no easy task! Not only did the cake look spectacular but it was so delicious.
Our photographers Ben and Kristie from Florin Lane were absolute standouts. They made us feel so comfortable and relaxed on the day. The photos that they produced were magical and are memories we will cherish forever.
The Baker Boys Band kept our guests going all night, the dance floor was never empty! They kept the crowd engaged and their song choices were bangers!
We decided that we wanted a relaxed vibe so we opted for a pizza truck to feed our guests. The pizzas flowed all night and the grazing board was enormous!
Tell us about your main outfits:
My Aunty Carole Richards has been a wedding dress designer and seamstress for many years so she was so excited when I asked her if she would make my wedding dress. I ended up wearing a completely different style to what I thought I would. I love a good bow so instead of wearing a veil or having a train on my dress, the bow tails served as both. I was actually in my first trimester of pregnancy at my wedding and kept thinking my cover would be blown during my fittings, but luckily my measurements never really changed. The earrings I wore were my mum’s – a wedding gift from my dad on her wedding day, and I also wore a blue topaz ring which was my mum’s and gifted to me.
James never wanted to wear a suit and because we wanted an informal wedding it didn’t really fit. He opted for Country Road Chinos and a shirt and every man’s staple shoe – RM Williams boots.
What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?
Five weeks before the wedding Binna Burra Lodge tragically burnt down, which was where all of our guests and bride and groom parties were staying. We frantically had to book a coach to pick up and drop off our guests at alternative accommodation which was scattered throughout the Gold Coast Hinterland.
You always imagine your wedding day to be spectacular sunny skies, but it was pouring rain the day before and the day of our wedding and freezing cold – which were the only two days in months where it had rained! It forced us to move our outdoor ceremony which overlooked the Gold Coast Valley and Scenic Rim mountains inside into the hall. The rain continued right through the day and into the evening, stopping whilst we were having our photos taken. This created the most magical scenery when the clouds began rising over the mountains, a rainbow appeared along with a breathtaking sunset.
I was so sick with my pregnancy that there were definitely times where I thought we would have to postpone the wedding. I had 6 weeks of sick leave from work and thought there was no way I’d be able to make it walking down the aisle, let alone the entire wedding. Miraculously, I was well for most of the day and able to enjoy it. Although, it was hard having to hide why I wasn’t drinking at our wedding!
Our bridesmaid Erin Ross did a beautiful performance for our first dance of ‘I can’t help falling in love” by Elvis Presley which was such a special and intimate moment.
Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?
We had a budget and we stuck to it. You can get sucked into spending so much money on things that you don’t really need. We decided to focus our money on food, alcohol, and entertainment because they are the things that people remember!
The day goes so fast that you really have to relax, stop and take it all in.
Photography: Florin Lane | Ceremony and Reception location: Providence Farm Hall | Celebrant: Ange Anderson | Bride’s gown: Bride’s Aunty – Carole Richards| Bride’s shoes: ASOS | Groom’s shirt and pants: Country Road | Groom’s shoes: R.M.Williams | Rings: Stephen Dibb Jewellery | Makeup: Andria Malouf | Hair: Jody Callan Hair | Bride’s fragrance: Miss Dior | Bridesmaid’s attire: Talulah | Groomsmen’s shirt and pants: Country Road | Groomsmen’s shoes: R.M.Williams| Entertainment: Baker Boys Band | Styling, Hire and Flora: The Perfect Party Co. | Catering and Beverages: Fire ‘n’ Dough | Cake: Ising on the Cake | Invitations: Georgia Ellis
