We have not been able to stop thinking about this two-day feel-good wedding festival extravaganza also known as the day Emma and Mark got married. With its ultra-cool retro aesthetic, The Lodge, based in New South Wales’ South Coast, was the perfect playground to host the couple and their guests, both the young and young-at-heart.
Emma rocked a beautifully bright frock from Georgia Young Couture, which she purchase from Love Marie Bridal in Camdem, with a bouquet and flower crown quite literally bursting with colour, created by the fabulous Autumn Weekends. Even beyond curfew, The Vintage Stylus cheekily kept the dance floor pumping, before late-night-revellers partied over to the pool for a spontaneous midnight swim. The ever-awesome Klee Photography was there getting all the happy snaps, and for that, we are thankful because this wedding offers inspo by the bucket-load. See for yourself; scroll on!
THE PROPOSAL “It was magical. Mark organised a bush walk at the Royal National Park on a picturesque cliff. He prepared a cute little picnic with music and all of my favourite things. Our eldest was in my belly, and as soon as Mark asked, we both burst into tears. That night we went to our favourite restaurant and splurged on a delicious three-course meal.”
THE VENUE “Emma loves waterslides, and on a planned trip to Jamberoo Recreation Park, she came across The Lodge just down the road. It had newly opened and was a perfect holiday location for both the adults and kids. We knew instantly that it was going to be our wedding venue. We had tried to get married quite a few times over the years and it was always too hard with COVID and the kids. The Lodge made everything easy as it’s all on-site, and we loved the idea of not going anywhere for two whole days with all our friends and family. We had guests flying in from every state so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for everyone. And still fun for all the kids (we had 25 under five at the wedding!)”
THE VIBE “We wanted stylish, bush rainforest vibes! The Lodge is already such a great backdrop that we really didn’t have to do much at all. We love the ‘50s dramatic, colourful art deco style of The Lodge so it already suited our style. Emma knew she would wear colour, so we asked our guests to dress cocktail but colourful.”
FAVE DETAILS “The signage was illustrated by our friend Gigi as a wedding present. She captured us so well. She surprised us by illustrating little details for our hand-made place cards, including Billie, our 14-year-old cavoodle who couldn’t be there on the day, and Mark’s signature hat. Also, the flowers. Oh my gosh, did Nat from Autumn Weekends do a good job on all the flowers?! It just brought Emma’s whole outfit together, and she wore the flower crown all night!”
MEMORABLE MOMENT “Late night swims in the pool at the end of the night! Those who were there will remember how hard it was to climb over the pool fence. Many items of clothing were left by the pool until the next day. So that gives you an idea of what kind of swim it was.”
STANDOUT VENDORS “Adam, the DJ from The Vintage Stylus, was so accommodating and thorough and absolutely brought the party. He definitely went above and beyond. I especially liked it when he continued to crank the night’s closing song even though the bar staff said that we had to stop.”
Even minimalists among us might find themselves tempted to add a splash of colour after catching a glimpse of those flowers from Autumn Weekends. Visit the Hello May Directory to admire even more of their incredible work. While you’re there, reach out to The Vintage Stylus to guarantee your dance floor is a highlight of the night. Are you seeking some super sweet flower girl frocks? You’ll find more from Tutu Du Monde here.
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Klee Photography Event Planner Paloma Events Florist Autumn Weekends Stationery & Signage Gigi Corradi Venue The Lodge Jamberoo Cake Maker Rosie Swanton (Family) Entertainment & Sound Hire The Vintage Stylus Celebrant Louise O’Donnell (Friend) THE BRIDE Bridal Gown Designer Georgia Young Couture Bridal Boutique Love Marie Dress Alterations Paula Jane Bridal Couture Flower Crown Autumn Weekends Shoes H&M (Ceremony) Crocs (Reception) Makeup Alli Rush Flower Girls Dresses Tutu Du Monde Flower Girls Shoes Kmart THE GROOM Suit Oscar Hunt Pocket Square Declic Shoes Vintage Hat Akubra Barber/Grooming Razor Gang Barber