Jessica and Paul’s stunning outdoor cocktail wedding shows that when the unexpected happens, it can make for a great story! We love the gorgeous native flowers, sweet engraved ‘love’ lock, and vintage caravan bar calling to us with Espresso Martinis…
The Proposal
“Paul went all out! He surprised me with my first helicopter ride, which went over the city and up the coastline, landing in the beautiful Swan Valley at Sandalford Winery. We did some wine tasting and then he popped the question over an amazing three course lunch. The day was perfect!”
The Planning
“Paul and I both grew up in the country – he is from regional Western Australia and I grew up on a farm in South West Victoria – so we knew that we wanted a relaxed cocktail style wedding that was outdoors and had a rustic vibe. The engagement was ten months, which was long enough as I don’t think I could have remained sane if I had to plan the wedding for much longer, due to wanting to change my mind so often!”
Finding The Venue
“We’ve always loved the Swan Valley region and after getting engaged there we thought it would be a great wedding location. When we saw Barrett Lane we both loved it straight away. It had everything we were looking for – an amazing outdoor garden area, BYO drinks and organising your own catering if you wanted, so that worked out as a plus for the budget.”
Mistaken Identity
“Our venue was very close to another winery that also had a wedding on that day. Our cake, beautifully made by Paul’s cousin, was delivered to the other wedding by mistake – luckily she rang Paul to double check! A few of our guests went to the other wedding as well. It wasn’t until they started looking around at the crowd that they realised they were at the wrong wedding. They ran down the road to our venue, with the girls carrying their high heels, and made it just in time!”
Sunlit Ceremony
“We had so many comments from guests on the moment I walked down the aisle. The forecast had been for thunderstorms and everything we had planned was outside, so the lead up to the wedding was organising a Plan B. On the day it had been cloudy and raining most of the morning, but was looking to clear up, so we went ahead with the outside plans. The moment I turned to walk down the aisle the sun came streaming out from behind the clouds and lit up everything. Everyone said it looked magical, but Paul couldn’t see a thing – the sun was right in his eyes so he was squinting to try and see me walk down the aisle!”
Entertaining Guests
“The Travelling Jasper Vintage Caravan that we hired for our bar was also a favourite. That was one vendor Paul picked from the very start of the planning process and it was perfect. It looked awesome and worked so well on the day – the Espresso Martinis were delicious!”
DIY Projects
“We made the pallet furniture and I sourced all of the decorations. I also challenged myself with the chalkboard writing which I was pretty proud of in the end!”
Top Tips
1. I’m glad we did a ‘first look’ before the ceremony. It was lovely to see each other for the first time in a private setting – it also calmed the nerves.
2. I’m also really glad we went on our honeymoon a couple of days after the wedding. It was great to see family members that had travelled the next day and then to head off on the honeymoon and just spend some time together. It was a really nice way to celebrate and reflect on everything.
See their lovely film below!
Location: Swan Valley, Western Australia | Photography: Kate Drennan Photography | Film: Canopy Films | Venue & Prop Hire: Barrett Lane | Flowers & Bar: The Travelling Jaspers | Stationery: Lala Design | Celebrant: Chris Temov | Gown & Accessories: Bridal by Aubrey Rose | Bridesmaids: Shona Joy | Hair: The Pretty Palour | Makeup: Melody Falcinella | Rings: Michael Hill | Suits: Penguins Formal Wear | Music: Joe Boshell | Catering: Showcase Catering | Transport: Vintage Kombi Promotions