Self-confessed flower lover Jessica married her long time partner Ben in a beautiful country setting surrounded by manicured gardens. The relaxed cocktail party and candlelit reception that followed were made all the more special with contributions from family, friends and some well-placed professional help! We love the natural sense of style and sentimental details this couple brought to their rustic celebration.
Bridal Style
“I thought it was going to be really daunting to find my wedding dress as I’m not much of a shopper, but I loved every moment! I thought the second dress I tried on was the one, but I had another appointment the following week and it wasn’t as I remembered. The wonderful assistants recognised that I loved the style but wanted some lace and pulled out ‘The One’. A tip for brides if you are in between sizes, get the bigger size and then get it altered to fit!
For my something old, new, borrowed and blue, my bouquet featured blue thistle and was wrapped in my mum’s veil with my great grandmother’s wedding ring attached. My dress was new and I borrowed my sister in law’s wedding earrings.”
The Ceremony
“We personalised our vows with the story of how we met, our life over the last eight years and the things we love. We had all our family involved in the ceremony, doing readings and signing our marriage certificate.”
Entertaining Guests
“One thing we wanted was a band to play at both the ceremony and reception. We think this really created the atmosphere for the night! We also had lawn games, a S’mores station, espresso martinis and a midnight snack for guests when they got on the bus.”
Helping Hands
“We were lucky to have a lot of help with our wedding. Ben’s mum made cushions for the pre-reception garden party, family and friends op-shopped for candleholders or loaned us their wedding gifts of silver candlesticks, Ben’s sisters created the cake and grazing station, and a friend made our stationery.”
The Reception
“We had a candlelit dinner using taper candles I made. Due to the moody atmosphere of the room, I chose charcoal plates matched with gold and black cutlery and natural linen napkins. ”
Favourite Things
“The wine was from our favourite winery and the Caprese salad served with mains reminded us of our favourite holiday in Italy where this was our staple lunch. We wanted dinner to feel like one big family meal so the use of long tables with share style dishes made this a reality.”
Best Advice
1. Enjoy every moment as the lead up is half the fun of the day. Create memories when doing things like buying your dress and showing your families the venue. If you are not enjoying it, get help! Hire a wedding planner even if only for the jobs you don’t like doing. There is nothing worse than being stressed out in the lead up or on the day.
2. Remember to take some time away from everyone else just with your husband to take it all in. The day is so rushed that you need these special moments to remember.
3. Get dance lessons. Our first dance was our best memory and favourite thing we did in the lead up to the wedding.
The Team
Photography: Florent Vidal Photography | Venue: Merribee | Celebrant: Rosemary Johnson | Flowers: Flowers on the Mill | Signage: Him & I | Entertainment: Baker Boys Band | Wedding Dress: Pronovias from Fashions by Farina | Bridesmaid Dresses: Shona Joy | Hair: Kayla Trisley | Makeup: CC Sayer | Suits: M.J. Bale