How good does this sound, guys? Both teachers, Amy and James upped and left for Singapore five months after meeting to work together in an international school. “We are so lucky that we get to share the same holidays and travel the world together. Every 10 weeks is like a new adventure for us!” Four years later, when it came to the adventure of planning their nups from abroad, there may have been a few tricky points along the way, but one thing these two were clear on from the start was the theme. “We wanted a party!” Amy said. And party they sure did!
These epic snaps from our gal pal Madeline Kate just spark serious joy! Scroll for more fun-filled inspo…
THE VENUE “As you can imagine, living in Singapore made the venue hunt a little harder than usual, but luckily, James’ sister Jessica is a designer [Dunbarlo Design] and helped us bring our vision to life as we virtually toured the options around venues. She found the perfect location that encapsulated all of our dreams for the day. Quirindi Stables is a short 10-minute drive from Daylesford, the town in which James grew up in. We were able to personalise so many things. Jessica was able to translate [our ideas] into creating different spaces across the venue, to accommodate the progression of the wedding from a garden/farm ceremony to reveal a colourful, relaxed party-themed reception.”
FAVE DEETS “The flowers from Wootton and Nicholls were absolutely stunning! And I loved the grazing platters too. We purchased Ikea side tables for trays and sourced a variety of nibbles from local cured meats, cheeses, nuts, dried and fresh fruits and these were put together by Emma Balmer, a local stylist who assisted Jessica in the day. Our guests raved about these platters from the presentation to the quality of the products – they were a great way to start the party food while we were busy with photos.”
THE DRESS “I made James travel all the way to Queensland to the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast before heading south to Byron Bay in the hunt for the perfect wedding dress. After all of that, and the many designer wedding shops I visited, I found the perfect white dress in Manning Cartell in Melbourne while at lunch with Mum and my bridesmaid.”
LITTLE LOL “Everyone always says that you don’t get to drink too much on your wedding day and I feel as though I really lived up to that expectation. At the end of the night, I was completely sober and drove James and our friends home from our wedding. James was upset he wasn’t on the party bus with all the guests but our friends laughed the whole way home – me driving in my wedding dress and veil.”
STANDOUT VENDORS “Madeline Kate Photography – she listened to exactly what we were wanting and captured our day better than anything we could have dreamed. We immediately fell in love with her candid shots. Even our guests commented on how friendly and professional she was.”
A WORD OF ADVICE “James and I chose to have most photos before the wedding which was the perfect choice. It meant we had more time mingling with our guests and seeing all of our loved ones.”
Amy and James were originally featured in our 2021 Real Wedding Special along with so many other happy couples serving up loads of inspo. Find a copy in our Online Store here. And because you guys are just the best readers going round, we’re treating you all to a free copy when you purchase Real Wedding Special Volume 8. Just remember to add both to cart and use the discount code DOUBLETROUBLE at the checkout! But first, you know what to do!
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Madeline Kate Photography Stylist Dunbarlo Design Florist Wootton and Nicholls Ceremony & Reception Quirindi Stables Food Trucks The Gypsy’s Lunchbox, The Forge Pizzeria Drinks Daylesford Brewing Co. Hire Items Elderberry Event Hire Entertainment Stylus DJ Celebrant Pamela Makings Rings Choo Yilin Transport Little’s Coaches Getting Ready Wentworth House Daylesford THE BRIDE Bridal Gown & Shoes Manning Cartell Veil Tania Maras Earrings Christie Nicolaides Hair Amy Thomas Makeup Sophia Ellerby Bridesmaid Dresses Calli Bridesmaid Shoes Human Premium via The Iconic THE GROOM Jacket Joe Black Shirt & Pants Esquire’s Bespoke Tie David Jones