Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship…
Mark and I met when we were sixteen years old and have been inseparable ever since.
Mark is a creative producer who has an eye for detail and designed all of our wedding stationery. I am a recently graduated teacher and getting married was the most wonderful graduation celebration I could have imagined. Mark is passionate about expressing himself creatively whether that be through graphic design, videography, or creative discussion and inspiring others. I am passionate about seeing young people reach for more in life and achieve their goals, as well as a slight obsession for plants and cavoodles (yes, I mentioned cavoodles in my vows). Mark and I love to immerse ourselves in other cultures through travel, with Japan as our current favourite destination. Our honeymoon was our first solo trip together and it was certainly one for the books. We have always valued open communication and decision making in our relationship and even through all the craziness of new jobs, finishing university and planning a wedding – being engaged was the best year of our relationship thus far as we planned our special day to meet our personal dreams. We love the simple things in life whether it be snuggling on the couch, having a picnic in the park, a trip to the beach or binge-watching a Netflix series and we wanted our wedding day to feel like us – not a pinned Pinterest board wedding but our wedding, our time to express our love and commitment to one another amongst our loved ones.
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…
Our special day was on Wednesday the 27th of November 2019 and it will be a day we never forget. We vowed our love to one another in the late afternoon overlooking the beautiful scenery at Kooroomba Lavender Farm. Our styling goal was elegant yet minimalist, for which the see-through chapel at Kooroomba fit perfectly and built upon the wow factor of the day with a cool breeze carrying in the sunset. My girls and I carried handcrafted bouquets from Unveiling Poppy, filled with native flora and greenery. These were the most stunning flower arrangements I had ever seen. My bridesmaid also created flower arrangements of native flora to display at the altar of our ceremony, these intricate details made all the difference looking back through our photos.
For the reception, we adored the idea of it feeling more like a family dinner with friends and family mingling so we spaced our tables close and had lounge areas for people to get comfortable. Our bridal table was filled with our amazing bridesmaids and groomsmen, as well as our closest friends, this was one of my favourite decisions when reflecting on our planning. We dressed each table setting with a personalised place holder as well as a small cactus in a pot as a thank you gift. For a cool November evening, we had roast beef and chicken on the menu followed by pavlova and a delicious slice of caramel wedding cake.
Tell us about your main outfits:
My wedding dress was from White Lily Couture and it was the first and only wedding store I walked into. Even though I had no intention to buy on that day, after I had the dress on and the tears started rolling I knew this was the one. The intricate beaded detail and elegant lace caught my eye and it was my perfect mix of simplicity and elegance. I wore pearl earrings with a gold setting, a gift from my maid of honour, whom was also my younger sister. I wore high heel stilettos with white fur on the toe to add an extra flavour to the mix – every girl has to have her statement piece. At the ceremony I wore a 3 metre chiffon veil which blew in the wind while we stood at the alter together. My ridiculously good looking groom wore a classic tuxedo from MJ Bale, the black and white became the theme for our wedding day with bridesmaids and groomsmen to match. Mark accompanied his tuxedo with shiny black shoes from Aquila and cuff links for the special occasion. Mark and his groomsmen wore native flora button holes to match my bouquet.
What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?
There were many memorable moments throughout the day that we will cherish forever. I remember holding back tears as I walked down the aisle and seeing the love of my life standing there with an expression I had only dreamt of. Having my older brother pray over our marriage as we stand there and devote our lives to one another. Going off and prancing among the lavender whilst we captured our special moments, holding hand in hand. Sneaking off to the chapel before the reception to soak in the moment that was and admire the sunset falling on the mountains. Laughing so hard we cried whilst taking in all of the heartfelt speeches from friends and family. And of course, dancing our hearts out under the cool summer night sky.
Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?
The only advice we could give to anyone else planning to spend the rest of their lives together is, do it. Take on the journey, learn together, grow together, fail together, dream together. If you truly believe you have
found the one that makes your soul dance, then dive in and never look back. Communicate and make your day as unique and personalised as you can. It’s your day, make it everything you’ve dreamed of. The wedding day is the most special day but it’s all the days after that are the most important, building your life together and sharing it with your best friend.
Venue: Kooroomba Lavender Farm | Photographer & Videographer: Salt Media | Celebrant: Pastor Caleb Slatyer | Entertainment: Ryan Hancock | Flora: Unveiling Poppy | Cake: Lynn’s Creative Cakes | Bride’s Dress: ‘Lyz’ by Enzoani from White Lily Couture | Groom’s Suit: MJ Bale | Ring/s: Ribs & Dust | Bride’s Shoes: Forever New | Groom’s Shoes: Aquila | Makeup: Jasmine Lei | Hair: Hair by Lacey | Bridesmaid’s Attire: Esther & Co
