Lisa and Ben

Something about Lisa and Ben’s Echuca garden wedding (apart from the fact it is a wedding and that in itself is my tonic) makes me incredibly happy.  Captured by photographer Erica Cummins, the couple married in Echuca – inviting their guests to a ceremony on their family farm, celebrating in a sunset cruise on a paddle steamer down the Murray River before celebrating at a favourite restaurant.

Lisa tells their story. “We met in Hobart, through friends. I was working down there for a month over summer, and on the last weekend we finally connected. Through several brave acts of spontaneity, including leaping into cars at traffic lights, and surprise interstate visits involving treasure hunts, both Lisa and Ben revealed to one another very quickly that living on either side of Bass Strait wasn’t going to hold them apart. And it all went from there!”

Lisa and her bridesmaids made the floral arrangements, Lisa explaining, “With friends Clare, Shoni and Lissa, we did the bridal party bouquets and button holes, which was heaps of fun the day before the wedding. We bought bunches of pink proteas, white lisianthus, purple gyp and spinning gum, from Art Stems in Lygon street, La Manna Fresh in Sydney Road, and the Queen Vic Markets.”

Lisa made her own stunning wedding dress. She tells “I made my wedding dress. Inspired by the pearl and crystal trimmed lace on my great-grandmother’s wedding dress, I embarked on a fairly ambitious project 10 weeks before the wedding, having never made something this complicated before! I bought the “mushroom” coloured silk from Tyler’s Fabrics in Richmond, who’s staff were really helpful. With endless style advice every step of the way from best friend Genevieve, and with help from the CAE Couture and Tailoring Techiniques short course for the tricky bits, I managed to make something I was pretty pleased with in the end. I wanted something comfortable with a silky flow, with a nod to the vintage era of my ancestors.”

Lisa remarks, “The ceremony was held on our family property in North Central Victoria, near Echuca. The front lawn with the sun lowering over the lagoon was a lovely backdrop. Family and friends perched on hay bales or on the verandah to watch the ceremony.”

Lisa arrived on a horse and cart, decorated by her mother with bunting and flowers.

Lisa chose Alexi Murdoch – All My Days for her walk down the aisle. Lisa recalls. “We had a relaxed 5 minute walk, that was slower than I had anticipated after the rush of the preparations, and which gave me time to catch my breath and absorb the moment, with my dad and beautiful girlfriends there with me.”

The wedding rings were made by the couple, Lisa explaining,  “Ben likes to carve, so he carved my rings and had them cast in gold, with some help setting the stone. I have studied jewellery, and enjoyed making Ben’s ring too.”

Of their photographer, Lisa says, “Erica Cummins was extremely professional, friendly and personable in the preparations for the wedding. And on the day, Erica was wonderful – calmly documenting things as time went by. She had a reassuring quality, subtle and unobtrusive, yet capturing all the beautiful moments. Erica had a lovely combination of artistic direction combined with checking in with us for any special requests, and photographing things happening naturally.”

Guests enjoyed a cruise down the Murray River on the Pride Of The Murray paddlesteamer at sunset.

“The family, the dress, the flowers, the setting, the music, the haybales, the sunshine, the boat ride, all came together for a relaxed country feel – a brilliant day.”

Guests departed the paddle steamer for a cocktail reception at Oscar W’s Wharfside and Redgum Grill.

For the first dance, Lisa remembers, ” It was to “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show. Ben played this song to me on their first date, and I was his. ” Lisa’s bridesmaids arranged the flowers at the reception with Lisa creating the bunting garlands.

Congratulations on your marriage Lisa and Ben! Thank you for sharing your day with us! Thank you also to Erica Cummins for sharing today’s wedding with us!