We were married at Palm Beach hours before a great week-long storm hit Sydney. You could feel the static in the air. Byron was raised in the Northern Beaches of Sydney, and we spent our early years of courtship in those waters and on those dunes. We had originally hoped for a ceremony at Barrenjoey Lighthouse, but council restrictions disallowed access. The location reflected the rugged Australian coastline and early colonial history.
Byron proposed on our first camping experience together, in the middle of winter, in Glenworth Valley, NSW, enveloped in the smoke of several attempts at a campfire. The proposal took place in the tent at sunrise, with an antique opal and diamond Edwardian ring, followed by horseriding among the glades and slopes of local bush land.
We wanted an authentic vintage wedding that would reflect our individual selves. We kept with materials and styles that reflected an early 20th Century atmosphere, and kept as close as possible to the traditions of using local produce and manufacturing.
We thought it was important to express ourselves independently. I encouraged Byron to seek his own styling and colouring. I also gave him complete authority over groomsmen and certain stylistic elements of the ceremony. I think it was essential to involve him equally in the planning. It was important to me that he had his ideal wedding. We both made sacrifices for the other, and this made it a team success.
I had the dress of my dreams – an almond-coloured Temperley evening gown named the Crivelli. I felt like a warrior maiden: the Celtic symmetry of the embroidery, the crystals patterned to look like chain mail on my shoulders. It truly reflected everything I hoped, with little alteration or embellishment.
Life continues on, much as it ever did. However, there are certain romantic sentimentalities that weren’t there prior to getting married. Everything feels more important and justified. It’s nice to live with the certainty of having someone protecting your back. There’s a mental adjustment to adulthood and responsibility, which I’m still finding hard, but we lean on each other in different ways and empower each other in our day-to-day.
Photography by: Tim Williams / Location: Sydney, Australia
See more of this wedding inside issue three available to purchase here: issue two
Brides Dress, Temperley London | Bridesmaid’s, Goddess by Nature | Groom, Kevin & Howlin Tailors | Reception, The Boathouse | Flora, Mrs B Floral Design | Cake, Sweet Passion
