Ben and I met through mutual friends in Venice Beach, California. We were seated by one another at a Friendsgiving dinner and although we had known each other for over a year, had never really had the chance to chat. From that night on, we were together. Ben proposed to me five years later after a walk on the beach and lunch at one of our favorite venues, The Boathouse in Rose Bay. It had been a rainy weekend, and just as we sat to eat the clouds parted a little and the sunshine poked through, it was a very special moment.

We wanted to choose a place that represented the two of us in a meaningful way. Australia is my home, and Ben's borrowed home but it was important the venue represented us as a couple. Redleaf Wollombi is a hidden Tuscan villa nestled in the Hunter Valley, with sprawling European inspired gardens. The architecture and ambiance of the venue spoke to us immediately, and complemented our brand Olive Ateliers, which sources and sells one-of-a-kind decor, pottery and home furnishings from Europe, India, Indonesia and other curious corners of the globe. We worked to curate and ship over an assortment of our vessels to use as part of the tablescape and styling on our special day. We wanted a theme of romance, abundance and nostalgia. We opted for a family style Italian feast, with shared pastas and sides. Both visually and metaphorically we loved the concept of sharing a beautiful, delicious, messy meal with those we love. Our grazing table was abundant with locally sourced ingredients and we hosted an opulent oyster bar, because who doesn't love an Aussie oyster. We worked with our florist The Flower Drum to ensure our florals complimented the venue and our vintage vessels. We kept to flowy greens and whites, with a sprinkle of Aussie natives. I partnered with Little Lane Events to bring my vision to life by styling florals alongside locally sourced provisions to reiterate the theme of abundance. My bridesmaid designed our beautiful seating chart onto a piece of linen fabric, which welcomed guests to the reception in a beautiful organic way. We danced under the moonlight on a beautiful spring evening, and guests left with a sausage roll in one hand and a little Olive Ateliers vintage vessel in the other.

Initially I had been searching for vintage dresses for each of my bridesmaids to wear, but with my being in Los Angeles, and their being in Sydney it proved difficult to arrange. Which is when I thought to reach out to the lovely team at Shona Joy, with whom I've partnered many times over the years. We worked to marry a quintessentially sexy 90's silk slip with a romantic 50's look and feel. With my dress being predominantly lace, I wanted to incorporate a hint of lace to each of the bridesmaids dresses. Being an only child, my friends are like sisters to me, so I wanted them to feel incredibly special and for each dress to represent their style and personality. I worked to coordinate their feedback into the design of the dresses, and the Shona Joy team was incredibly kind in allowing a series of private fittings to ensure the dresses fit like a glove. We opted for an ivory silk satin, to ensure a timelessness when paired with the groomsmens black tuxedos. As a lover of art and fashion, I wanted the opportunity to express myself by way of two looks across the evening. The first, my ceremony dress, was designed by an Israeli designer, Netta BenShabu. We lengthened the train for a little more of an editorial approach, and I opted for a veil with a lace trim to compliment the detail of my dress. I slipped into a Kim Kassass mini dress dripping in pearls and quite literally let my hair down, for the dancefloor. Both looks were paired with a pointed toe Madga Butrym satin heel with a beautiful rose detail on the back of the heel.

Photography: Lucie Blake Photography

Videography: The Love Lens

H&MU: Serena Wyllie

Florals: The Flower Drum 

Catering: Fennel & Co.

Wedding day coordination: Little Lane Events

Music: Honey and Stone

Cake: Cakes by Gigi