Describing their wedding style as “understated romance”, Ebony and Heath starting planning a semi-elopement after realising a larger event just wasn’t for them. Their intimate outdoor wedding was not only relaxed but serenely beautiful – with a focus on simply being together, exploring the stunning countryside and sharing food, wine and stories with their loved ones under a canopy of festoons.
The Proposal
“Heath and I love being active and enjoy taking our two dogs for big hikes over the hills on his dad’s property. One morning we packed a picnic breakfast and took the dogs out to the farm, which was pretty normal for us – I wasn’t suspecting a thing! On top of the highest hill he asked me to marry him – it was the best surprise. Just us, a stunning view, our dogs, and a few tears!”
The Planning Experience
“Initially we spoke about a large wedding, but it became too overwhelming for us – I couldn’t even picture us there! I never dreamed of a big wedding, so as soon as we decided to semi-elope and run away with our closest family and friends, everything just fell into place! With only sixteen guests, we could pick the traditional aspects that suited us, and then plan the rest of the day to truly reflect us. I loved styling the day – Heath and I chose each and every aspect, which made the day perfect for us.”
Most Important
“Finding a location that was us – Heath loves antiques and the stories behind old architecture and buildings, and I grew up on a farm, so am a lover of Australian landscapes. When we found Belltrees, it was beyond perfect with its heritage buildings and rolling hills. I loved the idea of being married outside in nature with lush greenery and beautiful, neutral colours, so this is what we kept in mind as we planned our day.”
Finding The Dress
“I have always loved the bohemian romance of Bo & Luca gowns and they were the first on my list to visit. I wanted something with simple, elegant flowing silk and detailed beading. As soon as the ladies suggested the ‘Isra’ gown and I tried it on I instantly knew it was the dress for me! I loved its signature hand beading, its whimsical movement and soft silhouette. The capped sleeves were also a little bit old world which tied into our venue perfectly.”
Creating The Bouquet
“With some lessons from Kate at Hello Blossom Bouquets, my childhood dream of playing with flowers became true! My bouquet was an unstructured blend of white and pale pink garden roses, freesias, spray roses, carnations, Lisianthus, emilies, tuberoses and clethra. Added to the bouquet was spinning and soft gum as well as wattle leaves from the beautiful surrounds of the property. I used hand-dyed silk ribbon and had it flowing from the bouquet to add to the whimsical feel.”
Ceremony Styling
“Due to the intimate nature of our wedding we wanted our styling and decorating to be understated too. We set up with the help of my parents and some of our closest friends, using original church pews from the property’s 1880’s chapel adorned with hand-picked bush bouquets.”
The Ceremony
“We were lucky enough to have one of our closest friends marry us, which made the day even more intimate and special! Matty pieced together his beliefs and values on marriage and shared stories about us, gathered from our closest family and friends to make a ceremony that will always be special to us.”
Meaningful Music
“I walked down the aisle to Angus & Julia Stone’s, ‘The Wedding Song.’ Heath and I have always loved its simple but meaningful lyrics. Our first dance was also to an Angus & Julia song, ‘Just A Boy’, which has been a favourite of ours for the six years we have been together – it has made every playlist for road trips and its upbeat tune was perfect for such a happy moment.”
Wedding Weekend
“Some guests decided to make a weekend out of our wedding and stayed at Belltrees with us, which was lovely. Guests explored the surrounds of the property; my nephew went fishing, patted horses and played games on the riverbank. We also went on an historical walking tour the day after the wedding, which made our venue even more special as we learnt of its past and the history of the buildings.”
Favourite Moments
“Walking down the aisle! This was a definite highlight for both of us – with my parents by my side, and seeing Heath waiting for me with a big smile on his face made me feel so overwhelmed with emotions. We also loved the time we spent together having our photos. As it was just the two of us with our photographer and no bridal party, it was really intimate. We got to spend time with each other as husband and wife and take it all in.”
Reception Styling
“Behind heritage cottages on the banks of the Hunter River lay the reception underneath the stars, evoking a relaxed, laid back atmosphere. Romantic details of candles and crystal were woven between jars of roses and greenery. On each plate lay one of my mum’s handmade, natural linen napkins, a hand written place card and a single flower.”
The Cake
“I have a sweet tooth so couldn’t decide on just one cake flavour, so we had two cakes for dessert! Laura Swan catered for us and also made the wedding cakes – everything she made was simply amazing! Our wedding cake was semi-naked white chocolate with vanilla mascarpone and passion fruit curd. We also had a richer sticky date cake with Madagascan vanilla cream cheese glaze with drizzled caramel.”
Best Advice
“It is a special day for you and your husband so make sure it reflects you both. Don’t worry about the small things – no one will notice, and take time to enjoy the day because it does go so fast!”
Location: New South Wales | Photography: Kait Photography | Venue: Belltrees Station, Upper Hunter Valley | Gown: Bo & Luca | Hair: Jess & James Hair & Makeup | Makeup: Chic Artistry | Floral Tuition: Hello Blossom Bouquets | Bouquet Silk Ribbon: Lancaster & Cornish | Stationery: The Whistle Press | Cake & Catering: Laura Swan