Outdoor BBQ Wedding - Polka Dot Wedding

Kell & Paul

What happens when your Winter wedding venue tells you three months before your big day that they’ve double booked? You throw a gorgeous outdoor BBQ wedding instead! At least, that’s what Kell and Paul did to make the best of a horrid situation and in my opinion (all captured by Tigs Macallan), turned out to have a day that suited who they are more than anything else.

Kell kicks off their wedding tale with the story of how they met. “At a mutual friend’s birthday dinner. Paul was typically late, which left him to take one of the two last seats at the table, which happened to be across from his future wife. Nothing very exciting, except to learn we’d lived near each other for many years.”

A friend of the couple’s, Magnetic Design designed the invitations and stationery.

Kell’s wedding dress was made by her friend, Jessica Baker. She tells, “One super special detail was the dress, made by my long family friend, who isn’t a dress maker but a midwife.. We DIY’d everything. If we didn’t do it, a friend did. We had an unwritten ‘rule’ that only friends of friends or people we already knew would supply for our day. It made everything so special. It was important to us that our day couldn’t be repeated or replicated, it had to be special and unique to us.”

The couple chose a relative’s property in Macclesfield after their initial venue choice was no longer. Kell explains, “We were to be married at a winery in the Yarra Valley, but a double booking saw us without a venue three months before our wedding. Thankfully the groom’s cousin had recently purchased a picturesque 11 acre property in Macclesfield. We were able to use this gorgeous space to create our own special venue for our day, despite the challenges of no power or running water in the ‘back paddock’ we were blessed with a great deal of help to make the space suitable for a big party for our 150 guests.”

There was one very special ring bearer, Kell explains. “They do say never work with children or animals. Despite this advice we wanted our spaniel cross ‘Gilbert’ involved in our day. We thought ring bearing might work? The little fella had such a big week at the farm setting up, he slept through the whole ceremony. We had to drag him up to fetch the rings from around his collar. His sleepiness continued into the speeches where he continued to snore at our feet (sorry we weren’t more entertaining buddy!)”

For the processional, Kell tells, “Paul’s friend, Simon Hobbs, played a live piano version on ‘All I Want Is You’. ”

Kell says, “The vows and speeches were the best bits”. The couple were married by family friend Renate Webber.

Guests enjoyed games and cocktails while the couple had photographs taken – including giant jenga!

Kell added red Hunter gumboots to her look!

Of their photographer, Kell tells, “Tigs is fabulous! She has been using my (the brides) cafe to meet clients for a few years. Tigs has the most amazing ability to document a day with love, warmth and a truly organic feel. Nothing was posed or plastic! Her warm, kind nature, her brilliant sense of humour and infectious smile had such a positive impact on our day. We were so thrilled to have her capture our day for us.”

Delicious treats were served up to guests to accompany the gourmet BBQ menu designed by the bride and groom and catered by the couple’s friends Catering For Everyone.

Guests sat down for dinner at one long table, Kell telling, “The big table was important to us because we wanted it to feel like a feast under the stars, that’s what we got! ”

Each guest received strawberry jam made by the bride and her friends or honey grown by the groom’s uncle.

“Special mention to the groom’s dad who worked tirelessly leading up to the day!”

The couple chose no first dance (proclaiming that the groom can’t dance) instead they celebrated the night away with band Lily and King (the couple’s favourite local pub duo).