Location: Morton, New South Wales, Australia
Setting: A barn
Wedding season: Summer
How long did the couple plan the event: 1 year
Number of guests: 100
Wedding theme/style: Understated elegance, fairytale wonderland, rustic magic.
Scott and Kerryn officially met on the rooftop at the Kings Cross Hotel, thanks to a friend, who ended up as the MC at their wedding 4 years later. Scott’s last line to Kerryn before walking off, after she said no to a dance, was “It doesn’t matter because I’m going to marry you anyway.”
Capturing their wedding day was Kristie Carrick, a brilliant photographer who managed to reflect their love in the images: “Working with a photographer who felt like a true friend was such a special experience. From the moment we had our first call with Kristie, we felt so at ease and we knew she would be the perfect woman to capture our day. The photos speak for themselves. Kristie was so generous with her knowledge and advice and our photos are exceptional.” – Kerryn said.
Kerryn and Scott wanted their guests to be held by nature and embraced by their love story. The couple wanted their guests to step into their fairytale inspired by the 1999 film adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Michelle Pfiefer. They wanted their guests to feel the anticipation of the magic that would unfold throughout the day, like when you walk into a forest and stumble upon a sun-drenched opening, filled with flowers.
The Barn of the Ridge was the perfect setting for this elegant, fairy tale wonderland. The vibrant color scheme of tones of magenta, red, orange, marigold and green was accentuated by ivory and dusty blue.
On her special day, the bride looked beautiful in a simple, elegant dress with playful sleeves: “I wanted to feel beautiful and magical, much like the inspiration for the wedding day. As a personal stylist, I drew inspiration from our wedding inspo and how I wanted to feel on the day, which was understated, whimsical, elegant and beautiful.”
She wore a pearl ring which was a 30th birthday present from her family, and her mother’s gold and blue earrings, adding a special touch to her look: “I wanted to follow the “something new, something blue and something borrowed”. My dress and shoes were new. The earrings were my blue and borrowed.”
Her hair was styled in soft curls with pretty pearl clips, and her makeup was natural, keeping her true to her everyday look. She felt comfortable and true to herself, shining in her unique way.
The groom chose a classic black tuxedo for his wedding look. He was getting ready for his big day, pouring drinks and sharing a toast with his friends. Scott looked relaxed and happy, fixing his tie and enjoying the moment, all set to meet his bride.
The ceremony was set amongst rolling green hills. Kerryn and Scott recited personal vows and said ‘I do’ in front of the most splendid floral adorned arbor, which enhanced the location and its captivating view and incorporated the wedding color palette into the space.
“For our wedding, we wanted the day to feel magical and whimsical. To welcome our guests into our love bubble. The ceremony provided us with an opportunity to make a commitment to each other in front of the people we loved most.” – Kerryn shared.
They believe that relationships or marriage take work and, even though the intention is to stay together forever, there will be times when it is hard. The ceremony represented a moment when they were at their best. They hoped that the people who witnessed them get married will remind them of that time, and the vows they made to each other, when times get tough and they go to their friends and family for advice.
About 10 months before the wedding, Kerryn asked Juandre, their friend and groomsman, to learn and sing the song she walked down the aisle to, as a surprise for Scott. The song was Shadow & Light by Martin Luke Brown and has been Kerryn and Scott’s “song” since the early days of their relationship.
From the moment they met, they only had eyes for each other. It was like no one else was in the room when they were together. Their relationship has always felt natural and easy. When they met it felt like two friends who had known each other for years reconnecting and making up for lost time. Their relationship is loving, playful, adventurous, respectful and kind. Maintaining the values that are important to them is something they continuously nurture.
When the couple came back to the guests, the scene was set for the pre-reception canapés and cocktails with various seating options set across the lawn in front of the barn. Surfaces were brought to life with candles and collections of bud vases.
The lawn’s permanent wishing well arbor was adorned with greenery, florals, “Cocktails and Dreams” neon sign from Scott’s favorite movie and a gold Victorian lounge was placed in front of the arbor, providing a fitting and rather impressive backdrop for the video guest book area. “We had lawn games for our guest to play, if they wanted, and different seating areas.” – added the bride.
Cocktail hour was perfectly complemented by Tillee Music and the DJ for the reception played vinyl only – old school tracks from the 70s and 80s.
Later guests were welcomed into the barn for the reception: “A magical, flower-filled labyrinth, to get lost in the bubble of love.” – described it Kerryn.
Candles glinted from surfaces across the room and light was reflected from the brass flower vessels on the tables, further enhancing the magic of the occasion.
Under the soft twilight, the couple went to a quiet dock to spend some time together. Surrounded by gentle lights and still water, their love was the center of the moment, when everything felt still and perfect.
The couple opted for a Gelato Bike instead of a wedding cake: “Scott isn’t a huge fan of cake and mine achilles heel is salted caramel ice-cream. We ditched the wedding cake and gave our guests ice cream cones for dessert instead. It went down a treat.” – Kerryn shared.
Kerryn and Scott performed their first dance under the stars, surrounded by a sea of sparklers. The grand final of this beautiful midsummer night’s dream.
Advices from couple:
• Remember that you can’t and absolutely don’t have to make everyone happy. Your wedding day is about you and your partner.
• You don’t have to include anything that doesn’t feel right to you. We didn’t throw the bouquet or the garter, or have a wedding cake.
• Sit down as a couple and decide what you want from your day and stay true to those feelings and ideas.
• Hire a wedding planner or coordinator for the day because you do not want to be running around the morning of your wedding putting out fires.
• Choose your vendors carefully. The first vendor we booked was our photographer, Kristie. We had such a fun chat with her and she was so helpful in answering our questions. We were guided by her advice on the videographer. The gut feel each vendor gives you and how they communicate with you is a good indication of whether you should have them as a part of your day.
• Make Wedding Wednesdays. Every Wednesday we would sit down to chat and organize the wedding. This stopped the planning from consuming our lives and bleeding into every conversation, taking the joy away.
• It’s the finer details that really bring your wedding to life. Little things that make the day your own and speak to you as a couple.
PHOTOGRAPHER Kristie Carrick | VIDEOGRAPHER Two Folk Films | PLANNER, DESIGN & STYLIST Refine Events | VENUE The Barn on the Ridge | CELEBRANT Ally Cooper | FLORAL She Follows Floral | DECOR Style Studio | STATIONARY With La Moda | CATERING Rabbit & Co | BAR Hello Huey | GELATO Scoops Gelato Bike | BRIDE STYLING Aura Personal Styling | BAND Tillee Music | DJ The Vintage Stylus
