Mel

June 10, 2021

Wedding

Lou & Jack | Stonehurst Wedding

Mel

June 10, 2021

Wedding

LOU & JACK’S WEDDING - STONEHURST - HUNTER VALLEY

Imagine this...

You've planned this day for over a year. Your guests have travelled from all over the country to celebrate with you. You've booked the most incredible venue. You'll be having dinner outside with all of your favourite people together, under the stars and festoon lights. The tables are set with gorgeous flowers, the jam favours are out (made from fruit from your own garden!) and the tables are looking incredible. You can't wait for everyone to come together on this balmy summer evening. Then you check the weather forecast... Rain.

Jack was not having a bar of it! I think everyone was a little worried. But Jack wasn't. He made the call to forge ahead with their outdoor reception despite the threat of rain, and boy, I'm glad they did! Luckily the rain didn't eventuate, and it was the most amazing evening, just as they had imagined.

When I met up with Lou and Jack to talk about their plans, Jack mentioned a tree he really wanted to include in some photographs. I was thinking "oh yeah, one of the big trees on the property at Stonehurst." But no. This was a huge dead tree on the side of the road. Our plan was "we'll just wing it!". So we all piled into cars and drove to the location of the tree. It turned out it was on someone's property. So what does Jack do? He starts jogging up to the owner's house to ask them if we can get some photos with their tree (so committed!). As we were waiting for Jack to return, a car pulled up in the driveway. It was the owners of the property, and they were more than happy to have us and welcomed us with open arms. Jacks effort had paid off!

I feel like the "Jack's Tree" adventure is exactly how Lou and Jack look at life.

Lou's Dad mentioned during his speech that if Lou wanted to do something, she threw herself in, body and soul.

Jack and Lou have worked hard in their careers; they have travelled the world, bought their own home and worked so hard to live their best life. They are surrounded by beautiful friends and family. The types of people Lou and Jack have around them really says a lot about who they are.

Lou had worked away for months during the lead up to the wedding. I could feel the happiness radiating out of her as she looked around at all of their friends and family, appreciating every moment they were together.

I knew it was an absolute banger when we were all on the dance floor, and I glanced at my watch and realised I'd completely lost track of time and should have finished an hour ago!
What a day!

Mel x

Venue: Stonehurst Cedar Creek
Florals: Two Wild Hands
Video: Morelife Films
Celebrant: Abby Buckley – Our Family Celebrant
Catering: Eden Catering
Suits: MJ Bale
Gown: Hera Couture
Hair + Make Up: Makeup by Bonnie Lee
DJ: Silent Shout Entertainment
Caravan Bar: The Wandering Gypsy

Mel

January 1, 2018

Wedding

JESS & ANDY | STONEHURST CEDAR CREEK WEDDING

Mel

January 1, 2018

Wedding

JESS & ANDY’S STONEHURST Cedar Creek Wedding - HUNTER VALLEY

Jess and Andy's day was the purest reflection of who they are as a couple. Nothing was a 'trend' or something you would find in the latest wedding magazine. Their whole wedding was centred around everyone and everything they love - friends, family, pizza, booze and having a good time!

All of the special people in their lives played an important role in making their day come together. Jess's Aunty was the celebrant and told their story with so much life. Andy's clever Mum made all of the bridesmaid's dresses and the boy's bow ties, and his sister made the incredible cake. A handful of their friends made the flower arrangements and did the hair and makeup. While more of their friends help set up the tables.

Everything was just so uniquely them. Anyone that knows Jess would know she would somehow find a way to include dinosaurs on their wedding day, and she did so in the best way. It was the first time (and probably the last time) I'd ever seen anyone walk down the aisle to the Jurassic Park theme song, and it was actually amazing. Jess had also spent hours before the wedding spray painting small dinosaur figurines to decorate their tables.

There were so many beautiful moments throughout the day. Jess did a 'first look' with her Grandad, which was really sweet, and Andy walked down the aisle with his Mum. After the speeches, some of their family members surprised them with a flashmob to the Spice Girls. Then Jess and Andy blew everyone's minds with a perfectly choreographed swing dance they'd learnt for their 'first dance' (no awkward swaying in sight!).

One of my favourite moments was at the end of the evening. Just as I was just about to clock off for the evening and Jess said to me "hey – do you think you could get a photo of the stars for me?"...

"Sure!" – I started looking around for the Southern Cross because I have no idea about space or stars. But Jess knew exactly what she was looking for. She then told me that her late father had sparked her interest in space when she was younger and taught her all about the different constellations and planets. She led me out the front of the venue and pointed up to a couple of stars that form the 'Scorpios Constellation' (Or 'Maui's Hook' for those with children that have watched Moana). I set my gear up for it to do its thing on a long exposure. After 30 seconds, we checked the back of the camera and were both amazed to see the Milky Way and a million more stars that weren't visible to the naked eye. We were blown away.

What I really love about the image is that it's just a photo of the stars to most people. For Jess, it's so much more. It represents the special memories that she has of her Dad, and it was really beautiful and personal moment to share with Jess.

It felt like I'd known Jess and Andy for a lifetime. I honestly feel like I've walked away with two new friends that I could talk to for hours about anything. There were so many special moments from this day that I'll hold close to my heart forever.

Mel x

Venue: Stonehurst Cedar Creek
Caravan Bar: Willow & Me

Kind words from Jess and Andy:

“Dear Mel,

Throghout our relationship, Jess has taken all the photos, and I have stubbornly remembered anything picturesque. Honestly, I figured that all of our guests would get good photos, and I’d remember any good bits. Well, I’m so glad to be wrong, because not only did you take some good shots, you took a whole heap of priceless ones! We are both so damn grateful for all of them, but there are two themes here..

After a zoom call and a few hours on the day, you dialed into who we were personally, and created moments for us to detach from the rush of it all to take in some of the most special moments both individually and as a couple, Our wedding day, as well as the memories of it, would simply be nowhere near as special if you hadn’t been there. Thank you so much!

Love Jess and Andy.”

Mel

March 27, 2017

Wedding

SAMANTHA & RICHARD | STONEHURST CEDAR CREEK WEDDING

Mel

March 27, 2017

Wedding

Samantha & Richard's Wedding - Stonehurst Cedar Creek - Hunter Valley

I will forever be in awe of Sam & Rich's wedding day. They two of the kindest, down to earth and funniest people I've ever met!
Their day was beautiful beyond words, straight from a Pinterest board. But more importantly they have a beautiful relationship. Sam & Rich have experienced so much together already. Rich is from Bristol in the UK and Sam from here in Australia. They met on Instagram, started dating in London where Sam was working at the time, and have travelled to almost 30 different countries together since. It's easy to see when they are together that they are soul mates, share a deep connection and respect for each other and love for nature, travel and adventure.

They DIY-ed so much of their beautiful day.. and organised most of it from another state! Rich made the gorgeous tree stump ring holder, turned an old bathtub into the coolest esky ever, the welcome sign was all their handy work and Sam's epic writing skills. Those bouquets? Put together by Sam herself.

Stonehurst Cedar Creek boasts a 550 acre property, vineyards, deer, horses, open paddocks, stone cottages and winding dirt roads set against a backdrop of mountains. It was easy to see why Sam & Rich fell in love with it!

We started the day at the cottages at Stonehurst. Dark clouds were rolling overhead. The air felt thick with a mix of excitement, purpose and anticipation....

As Sam made her walk from the cottages the rain started, making everything that bit more magical. Surrounded by Rich's family (who had flown from the UK to Australia for the first time!) Sam's family and their closest friends, they said their vows in a beautiful intimate ceremony in the Poplar Grove at Stonehurst. As they signed their marriage certificate, a huge rumble of thunder rolled overhead - perfect timing.

"A marriage makes two fractional lives a whole. It gives to two questioning natures a renewed reason for living. It brings a new gladness to the sunshine, a new fragrance to the flowers, a new beauty to the earth, and a new mystery to life"
- Carl Sagan

Let me set the scene..

Tall trees, a long timber table decorated with willow branches foraged from Stonehurst's creek bank, and the best damn pizza I've ever eaten! Seriously.. Pizza as a wedding meal! As if this day wasn't perfect already!

Sam & Rich's guests wined and dined their way through the most delicious all you can eat woodfired pizza (and dessert pizza!), then danced the night away under a thousand twinkling fairly lights.

P.S Brides proud of their muddy gowns at the end of the best day ever are my favourite!