Alright, friends. This is THE wedding for those of you wanting (or needing) to go super small thanks to 2020 becoming the world’s weirdest year. If you’re anything like us, you may even be converted, seeing this as a silver lining of COVID rather than a restriction. Ok, maybe that’s taking it a little far, but this wedding really does make a strong case for a smaller affair… The cute as heck gown is courtesy of one of our fave WA bridal designers, Harriette Gordon, and the dapper suit is from our friends over at M.J. Bale. Paris Hawken Photography was there to catch it all on camera – you can literally see the love bursting from these pics! So scroll down for more…
LITTLE LOL “I’m not too sure if you would call these funny, but we look back and laugh now. Firstly, Blake and I had planned a beautiful wedding down South at Bunker Bay and I found out that I was pregnant, which we were both over the moon about. Then our worst nightmare happened and a pandemic broke out, which meant we had to postpone. We couldn’t wait to become husband and wife so made plans to elope. It was planned less than two weeks before the day – I didn’t even know what dress I was wearing until the night before! But in the end, it all turned out magical and felt like it was always meant to be.”
THE VENUE “I came across this Airbnb called Upland Farm on Instagram. It captured my eye with the beautiful interior and farm location. It just seemed picture perfect and the most magical place to share our love.”
THE INSPO “The overall vibe was simple and minimal it was so relaxed and it was so intimate it was very romantic.”
FAVE DETAILS “The cake – my sister is a super talented lady – she had many roles on the day – she was my makeup artist, hairdresser, cake maker, walked me down the aisle – and many more – it was beautiful, I’m very lucky! Allie & Adam – my sister and brother in law went above and beyond to make this whole day so special. [Also], eating my mum’s Lasagna for our dinner was quite funny as there were no restaurants open because of COVID, but it was delicious.”
THE DRESS “I had planned to wear a beautiful long silk gown made by Harriette Gordon for our original wedding. We were so close to finishing it and were holding off on final touches as I had just found out about bub. When we decided to go ahead with the elopement, I did not think it would be an option to wear my original dress and I felt that it wasn’t suited to the elopement we had planned. My sister knew that I wasn’t happy with the dresses I had quickly ordered last minute – she decided she would contact Harriette and asked if there was a possibility to wear another dress. I felt so beautiful in it and it really complimented the style of elopement.. plus the little bump! She is a dream to work with and I can not recommend her enough!”
THE SUIT “M.J. Bale makes such great suits. I really don’t think you can go wrong. Blake wore a charcoal linen suit that really went well with the relaxed vibe of the day- he looked so handsome in it.”
MEMORABLE MOMENT “There were many favourite moments from the day- my sister had organised a video clip of all our family sending us their well wishes as they could not be there because of COVID. My sister [also] walked me down the aisle and it was such a precious moment we will never forget. We also had a beautiful little picnic on the farm after we said the ‘I do’s’ I’m not sure if it gets much more relaxed than that. Doing our first dance in the lounge room of the beautiful cabin we stayed in with the fire on. I have lots of them as the day was honestly a dream for us!”
WE’RE GLAD WE… “I think we both were so glad that we just went with it, despite all the hurdles caused by the pandemic and still made the most of the situation. We were certainly not letting anything stop us from becoming husband and wife.”
STANDOUT VENDORS “Harriette Gordon – she is such a gorgeous person- every time you are in her studio you always feel so relaxed. She really went above and beyond to make me feel like a beautiful bride! Paris Hawken Photography – the photos speak for themselves and she is absolutely beautiful. We knew we found the right lady for us the moment we met her! Sarah Thompson Celebrant made the elopement ceremony so beautiful – it was simple and sweet and just perfect! And Shelley – the owner of Upland Farm made the day amazing- she was so relaxed about us using the property making it feel like our own.”
Nicola and Blake’s wedding was originally published in Issue 29 of Hello May mag. If you are keen to grab yourself a copy, head on over to our online store here. If you’ve fallen for Nicola and Blake’s love-filled pics, head on over to Paris Hawken Photography’s Directory listing with us. There are tonnes more couples’ weddings to peruse and contact details, too. Also, still searching for your (or your partner’s) suit? Don’t miss more from M.J. Bale with us here. But first…
CONTRIBUTING VENDORS Photographer Paris Hawken Photography Florist Floral Army Ceremony & Reception Upland Farm Catering & Cake Family Celebrant Sarah Thompson Celebrant Rings Nina’s THE BRIDE Bridal Gown & Veil Harriette Gordon Robes Adairs Shoes Mansur Gavriel Hair & Makeup DIY Bridesmaid Dress Zimmermann Bridesmaid Shoes James Smith Bridesmaid Gifts Heartwood (Perfume) THE GROOM Suit & Shirt M.J. Bale Shoes Aquilla Groomsmen Suits Country Road