Our Wedding | 23.04.2021
I've been lucky enough to photograph so many weddings as part of this adventure, and I've always found it such an honour to capture forever memories for my couples. And whenever I speak to them after their wedding, they always say it was "the best day ever!".
And now I understand - being surrounded by those you love, marrying your best friend and starting a new chapter together. It truly was, the best day ever.
Although it was the absolute best, it wasn't the day we had originally planned. We were supposed to be standing on a mountain top, in New Zealand - with only a handful of people, eloping in style. However, thanks to our good friend Coronavirus, we were home bound so had to plan something else - something that would turn out to be even better than we originally planned.
But it turns out, I had been planning this dreamy day all along. Each year, we would go to my Mother in Laws house and pick olives for hours on end (fuelled by an amazing apple pie I might add) in order to make the family olive oil. Each year I would make little jokes that my payment after all this time would be having our wedding in the olive grove one day, so when we started planning for the second time - we knew it had to be.
Matt & I are both very private people and don't like a lot of fuss, so we decided to keep the guest list small - with just our nearest and dearest who have helped us grow as a couple over the last 9 years. But my goodness, we were showered with love from so many special people who wouldn't be there with us on the day, but wanted to celebrate us - and for this, I will be forever thankful.
I had the ABSOLUTE dream team help me get ready on the day. Here's some of the amazing boss babes who made me feel (and look) like an absolute goddess on the day!
Makeup by Taylah Jackson
Hair by Imaculate Hair Design
Embroidery by Think Promotional
Earrings by John & Luna
Every little girl imagines her wedding dress, and if I'm honest - my dress was nothing like I ever imagined. It turned out, it was even better. It was the first dress I tried on at Brides By Design and I knew from that very moment, this Made With Love beauty was going to be mine. The ladies at Brides By Design made the process super easy, and made me feel celebrated - even if I did have a low key breakdown when I realised our NZ wedding was cancelled.
Our incredible stylist StyledbyKath transformed the family backyard into an absolute wonderland. It was everything I dreamed of and more. A olive leaf wonderland, that felt homely and intimate, with a few personal touches to celebrate that last 9 years of our life. And wait until you see the magic she created in the olive grove, honestly something out of a fairy tale.
Our ceremony was curated by the amazing Peter Kelly and it perfectly reflected who we are as a couple. Relaxed, intimate and not super 'lovey dovey'. It started by telling my dad how we really met, when I snuck out of the house to meet Matt at only 17. It included promises that I would always eat the pickles out of Matts burger. And finished with a beautiful champagne toast with our family as we became Mr & Mrs.
Oh and did I mention, our day was SO amazing that it forced Perth into a 3 day lockdown that started at midnight haha! I remember hearing mumbles of it in the morning, but blissfully unaware (thanks to my bride tribe) of what was happening in the world around me. It wasn't until we were signing the wedding certificate and I joked to Matt saying "thank god Corona didn't ruin it this time" - and he giggled and said, "Yeah we go into lockdown at 12pm". I thought he was joking, but once I realised.... well my face below says it all haha.
Matt and I first met when I was 17, and I know people say it all the time - but the moment I met him, I knew he was forever. I was pretty much a "goodie two shoes" growing up, and the moment I met him was the first time I ever did something "wrong" . I had just got my licence a week earlier, and told my parents I was staying at a friends house just 15 mins down the road. They were hesitant to let me go, but being the good girl I was (lol) - they said yes. Well in reality (which they found out on our wedding day) - I was driving 40mins away to a guys house that I had never even met before. But turns out, that was the greatest decision of my life so far. Over the last 9 years, we've built a beautiful home, got our fur baby Maxwell, travelled, starting in business together and have built a life I am thankful for every single day. He is my rock on the hard days, and my partner in crime on the good days.
Our day was captured so perfectly by two very special people - Erin McKenzie Creative and Novi Bradbury Photography. Being a photographer, for another photographer, is nerve racking and these ladies absolutely smashed it out of the park (and gave me plenty of snaps to edit haha!). We are both super grateful to have these memories, and its made me appreciate my job even more so now.
A special memory we have at the family property is the famous morning breaky, which we've shared together for countless family events. I'm talking amazing sausages from the local butcher, farm grown eggs, hash browns, homemade toast - and all the works. We knew we wanted this to be apart of our day, so hired tents from the incredible Glamping Sensations so our guests had the chance to experience this incredibly breaky the next day. They were set up in the front yard and we styled so beautifully.
And here comes the best part... the most magical wonderland that was the olive grove. Styled so perfectly by StyledbyKath. An intimate long table setting, lit only by moonlight and festoon lights, surrounded by the natural beauty of the olive trees. It was everything I imagined, and more.
For those of you who know me, food is one of my favourite things on this planet - and it was pretty much the only thing I needed to be perfect at the wedding. Our menu was heavily structured around our favourite things - I'm talking fish n chips & burgers for canapés, chicken wings & slow cooked brisket for mains. The most AMAZING cookies as place cards, and the cake of our dreams. It was a good time, and we had THE BEST vendors who created a food heaven for us.
Catering by Locale Kitchen
Cookie name cards by Nina Marie Sweet Designs
Cake by Amy's Cakes
Cake Topper by Etched
In true Sarah fashion, I changed up to red lips for the night. It's always my go-to and I felt so much more like me once it was on! I also chucked on this amazing denim jacket by Sleeping W The Enemy - I decided not to get it personalised as I wore it to my hens & on the big day.
And off to the olive grove we went, to continue to celebrations. As we entered to the song of "Fly Me To The Moon" by Frank Sinatra, down a path of fairy lights to where our family were waiting for us - we knew the night was going to be magical. We danced amongst the stars, took one too many polaroids and honestly had the best night ever. One of the best memories I have from the night is midway through, I sat and looked around at all our family dancing & chatting in this beautiful setting, joining together as one to celebrate us.
And just like that, the wrap up is over! There are so many more incredible photo's I could share with you, but I tried to keep it short and sweet. Thank you for reliving this magical day with me, and heres to our new life as Mr & Mrs.