NICOLA + JAMES by Nita Meyer Photography - Together Journal

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love, what is unique about you and your relationship…

In so many way we’re polar opposites. James is introverted by nature, preferring to spend time by himself, with his own thoughts and not doing anything too risky. Whether this is reading, listening to a podcast or heading for a run.

I on the other hand am an extreme extrovert who loves being around others, trying new things and exploring new places. But we’re also so similar, we share a love for country music, the great outdoors, good coffee, weekend adventures, the ocean, travel and a cold beer after work. Recently, we’ve added home renos to the list. We met at work and instantly clicked, what started as a friendship quickly turned to more and we haven’t looked back since. Our relationship has always been so easy and natural. We’re best friends, lovers and now husband and wife and there’s no one we’d rather do life with.

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…

Raglan has always held a special place in our hearts, it’s where we had our first date and it’s where we oDen escape the hustle and bustle of work to unwind. As a place full of special moments for us it was an easy decision to have our wedding there. The farm which we had our reception and ceremony opened to a beautiful view of Okete Bay. It was the only place we looked at and the bare paddock couldn’t have been more perfect. We wanted our venue and day to really reflect who we were as a couple. From the setting to the styling, down to our favourite beverages. Our ceremony and reception were all in the one place, just a short 5m walk from one another. Our clear marquee really stole the show and was the perfect addition to our day. We brought old cane furniture and velvet couches so that everyone could sit back and relax for a few hours aDer the ceremony. This way they got to enjoy the view and we also got to spend some quality >me with our guests. James is a fan of craft beer so of course that had to feature, we choose our favourite wines and then from 10pm we brought out the gin and rum. Rum is a family tradition and was a nice way to pay tribute to our grandparents (who both enjoyed a rum or three). Our day was so relaxed and fun – just how we wanted. Filled with laughter and so many happy tears.

Tell us about your main outfits:

James: I wanted to feel comfortable in what I was wearing which is why I went for the open collar look. With little to no shade available, I wanted to make sure the boys were not going to overheat. Barkers suits are always top quality and I knew would be something the boys would appreciate taking home at the end of the day.

Nicola: I fell in love with the Made with Love collection long before we were engaged. All of their dresses were so elegant and timeless, but I had no idea what style would suit me or which one I even liked. Two of my bridesmaids live in Australia so me and my other bridesmaid made the trip across for a girl’s weekend. After trying on only two others I popped on “Lottie” and never looked back. I feel in love with how it hugged my curves, it was comfy and timeless. A dress named Stevie was the first of their collection I fell in love with, so I opted for the “Stevie” veil which completed the look. My shoes were SENSO – a block heel was a must for the paddock and Zoe and Morgan Melody earrings where a nice keepsake too.

What were some of the most memorable/unique moments from the day?

Nicola: I was so surprised at how relaxed and slow our day was. I soaked up every moment, from getting ready with the girls to walking down the aisle and to dancing the night away under the stars. Our first look was really special, having quality time with just us overlooking our favourite place was simply the best. I can’t skip past heading back to our house aDer having our photos to smash back ham and cheese croissants with my girls, all before walking down the aisle. Another highlight was of course the speeches, I remember sitting back and looking at all our favourite people thinking how lucky we are to be celebrating this special day surrounded by so much love and laughter.

James: Seeing Nicola in her dress for the first time overlooking the beach we have shared so many good memories together was a definite highlight. There was a moment just after our ceremony when I saw Nicola standing in her dress, talking to her friends and she started to dance and the girls got up and started to dance with her. They were laughing and having the best time. It was the first time I thought “that’s my wife”. Our first dance was also a special moment, “In case you didn’t know” by Brett Young was our favourite country song long before we were engaged. We often mentioned it would be our first dance song and sure enough it was perfect. It was another just us moment.

Any advice for other couples planning to spend the rest of their lives together?

Nicola: Soak it all up, enjoy every moment. Make >me for just you two – even if it’s 10 mins. Grab a drink, step back, raise a glass to each other, and just soak it all up. Don’t lose sight of what’s important to you individually but also as a couple. Pick vendors that you love and vibe with. All our vendors were so incredible, and we couldn’t fault them. If we had to do it all again, we wouldn’t change a thing.

James: Similar to Nicola, have 2-3 things that are your ‘non negotiables’, the things that are important to you and your partner that makes the day yours. Advice from other people is good but at the end of the day, its your day so you can do what is right for you and the people that are there to celebrate with you will understand.

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