Unsure what category their wedding sits in (elopement, or small wedding) – don’t worry, here at Hello May we don’t care much for the norm – this couple sure are glad they did their wedding their own way. “It’s not about putting on a show, but an intimate day for us to share between ourselves and with our family,” says the lovely bride. “Marriage to me, is declaring that Brett is my soul mate. The one I want to spend all of my days with, because he is every bit perfect to me.”
Thanks to the weather (and in a move that in our opinion, made the wedding) the duo got married in front of a teepee on the property of the Airbnb they had hired. It was a “total fluke” says Emma- “a very cool back up plan.” Add in the incredible pics taken by photographer Dean Snushall who captured every detail- including the rain- and it was “very cool” indeed.
THE PROPOSAL We were celebrating Brett’s 30th birthday at my family’s beach house. Brett suggested a hike to Mt Oberon on Wilsons Promontory and we hiked all the way to the top only to find ourselves unable to see more than five meters in front of us. Disappointed, we walked another out to Pillar Point. In full adventure mode I climbed a huge boulder and Brett got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. We actually tied the knot on our 10 year anniversary.
THE DRESS My dress was made to measure from Luci Di Bella. I had so much fun trying on beautiful gowns and of course, sipping champagne as I went. I had no idea what style of dress I wanted, so I tried on all types, enjoying them for the beautiful artworks that they are. It was the very last dress I tried on- mum had picked it- and I was very sceptical, until I put it on. Then it was true love! It was perfect for my shape and style.
THE VENUE We didn’t actually pick our ceremony venue. When we decided on having an elopement/ small family-only wedding, we wanted to make it a bit more special by looking at locations in other states. We live on the edge of the Yarra Valley, and decided on the Blue Mountains because of that breathtaking view! Our photographer Dean Snushall and videographer Tom Coburn selected a secluded cliff edge for us- they had a good local knowledge of the area- and it was perfect. In the end the weather prevented us from getting married there, so a quick decision 20 minutes before the ceremony resulted in it being held on the grounds of the Airbnb we hired for the reception dinner. We were so lucky that it had the amazing teepee.
A WORD OF ADVICE Like OutKast say – you can plan a pretty picnic, but you can’t predict the weather. If you’re after that natural outdoor amongst nature vibe I highly recommend going with the flow – even if that means getting wet! Advice we took from our photographer and don’t regret it at all- the best fun!
STANDOUT VENDORS The catering team- who not only made the most delicious dinner- but made no fuss when I changed all the pre-decided times on when each course was to be served. And a special mention goes to our photographer Dean Snushall and videographer Tom Coburn. I trusted them right from the get go- not sure why- must have been their down-to-earth personalities. Their presence was so calming and relaxed, we felt supported by their direction and confidence throughout the day. At the same time, they were so inconspicuous and sometimes I didn’t even know there where there snapping away the moments of the day until I received our photographs back. Dean knew we were a bit disappointed that we didn’t get any photos with the view- after all, it was the reason why we selected the Blue Mountains- and he so generously offered to re-shoot us (free of charge) at another time with better conditions with the view we had our hearts set on.
REFERENCES I used Hello May mostly. Not only do you showcase things that are similar to our style, but you have featured so many gorgeous wedding in the Blue Mountains and being from Melbourne, I relied heavily on websites, images and recommendations.
Be sure to scroll to the bottom to check out the epic film by Tom Coburn. And click here to check out more of his work on the Hello May directory.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Dean Snushall Cinematographer Tom Coburn Florist, Stylist & hire items Wild Blue Studio Ceremony & Reception Private Property (Airbnb) Catering Red Pepper Catering Celebrant Kathryn Breusch Transport Blue Mountains Limousine THE BRIDE Bridal Gown Luci Di Bella Rings Burling Antiques Hair & Makeup Paul Bedggood Shoes Wittner Earrings Locale Eclectic THE GROOM Jacket Calvin Klein Shirt & Pants M.J. Bale Wedding Band The Revolution by Blazer Arts Shoes Trent Nathan Belt Aquila Watch Uncle Jack.