Even before their wedding, it was clear Erin and Robin were in it for the long haul – 15 years in fact! “Crazy to think we’ve been together nearly half as long as we have lived on the planet,” says Erin. “Never doubted for a second we’d be together always.”
The proposal story is a super-sweet one, too. “We got engaged in the beautiful Byron Bay hinterlands. I had zero idea that he was hiding an engagement ring in his socks! Risky manoeuvre because I usually unpack his clothes when we go away,” shares the bride. “We had a little intimate picnic and he popped the question! My biggest regret is that I was not looking my best self. I think I was wearing the daggiest sweatshirt and my hair was well past a reasonable time for a clean. He looked fresh as a daisy. I should have known…”
But Erin was 100% her best self when the wedding day rolled around – and we have the pics by fab lens lady Janneke Storm to prove it!
THE VENUE “We went in completely blind to our venue, Bay of Fires Bush Retreat. Online pictures only. We just loved the location and the fact that all our nearest and dearests could stay onsite with us for a full weekend.”
THE THEME “From the beginning, we wanted to be in nature (our happy place) and wanted our wedding to be like the best dinner party you have ever gone to. That feeling you get at a friend’s house when they host you for dinner. Cosy, intimate, comfortable and relaxed. We wanted to let nature do the talking and complement it with loads of earthy, raw tones and textures.”
FAVE DETAILS “Our florals by The Romantics were the perfect complement to our theme. The toffee roses were to die for. But overall, the tiny little textured details were a real highlight. We had our place cards made out of terracotta to complement the centrepiece vases, and had the beautiful texture of linen in the tablecloths and napkins. Our stylist Lisa, from Artaud & Co, didn’t miss a beat with the tiny details which were very important to us.”
THE DRESS “The dress was a cinch! I was very shocked how quickly I found it. I knew I wanted a top and a skirt because that just felt more ‘me’. I wanted to look like me on my wedding day. I went to one shop, Babushka Ballerina, and tried on about five dresses. Secured and paid for it on the spot because I was sure it was the perfect choice.”
REFERENCES “The vendors came together so seamlessly for us. We wanted to work with vendors that suited our personalities before anything else. We found our stylist, Artaud & Co, through Instagram and the rest was history. We had been drooling over a friend’s wedding day photos, which is how we fell in love with our photographer, Janneke Storm. And I spent a lot of time in the beginning flipping through magazines like Hello May.”
LITTLE LOL “We had a self-serve cocktail bar so you can imagine how things escalated as the evening progressed. I think some of our guests will probably never drink gin or whisky again, namely because they thought free-pouring full highball glasses with no mixers was a good idea. Spoiler alert, it wasn’t. There is still the funny mystery of the poop outside one of our friend’s glamping tent… He claims a wallaby did it, but who can be sure?”
A WORD OF ADVICE “Do it your way. Trends come and go but if you stay true to what is meaningful to you as a couple, it will never date.”
WE WISH WE… “I only wish we had more time. I also wish we took more personal photos with guests. We did not touch our phones all night – testament to how much fun we were having. I’m so glad we had Janneke Storm to snap the moments, though, because we each had about two pictures total on our phones.”
STANDOUT VENDORS “Janneke was irreplaceable. Spending time with her felt like spending time with an old friend. Lisa from Artaud & Co was honestly a godsend. She went well and truly above and beyond what we could have ever expected. She genuinely cared about our day as much as any family or friends did.”
Janneke Storm’s one of our all-time favourites, too, and she is beyond talented with her camera – head on over to her directory listing to see if she’s available for your big day.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Janneke Storm Stylist Artaud & Co Florist The Romantics
Stationery Blossie Ceremony, Reception & Catering Bay of Fires Bush Retreat Cake A Tiny Bit Marvellous Hire Items Simmons Linen Hire (tablecloths), Salters Hire (chairs, tables, glassware, cutlery, plates), Event Art (napkins), Style My Day Lighting Hire Luminaire By Artaud & Co Entertainment Oberon Lane Celebrant Kathleen The Celebrant Rings Heidi Gibson (engagement ring), Kimmison Jewellery (wedding bands) THE BRIDE Top Delila Fox Skirt Babushka Ballerina Bridal Boutique Babushka Ballerina Robes Banabae Shoes Anthropologie Earrings A.B. Ellie Hair Ben O’Brien Hair Stylist Makeup Laura Nickel THE GROOM Suit InStitchu Shoes Aquila Barber Bare Bones Barbershop