Kate & Leo
Kate and Leo wanted their wedding day to be relaxed and fun, and have a personal, spiritual meaning to them both. Having their family and friends be a big part of their day, whether it be through helping with the DIY creations or play a special role on the day, their stunning Providence Gully woodland wedding was one filled with love and meaning. There to capture it all was the fabulous Neiyo Photography.
Of how they came to be, Kate remembers, “Leo had been best friends with a couple who helped lead his church in Florida. In 2011, this same couple moved to work in Sydney, at Kate’s church. Then, in 2013, they moved again for work in Melbourne, and this time Kate tagged along. Leo decided to come visit them for a year on a working holiday visa and the rest is history… They were our matron of honour and best man!”
Kate wore a stunning gown from Pozzoni Bridal, with a stunning high neck and layers of lace and beading. The bride describes her gown as regal and classic. However, it wasn’t such a straightforward road to finding the perfect dress for her day! Kate explains, “My first dress was an $80 number from ASOS, but my matron of honour insisted I actually go try on real bridal dresses. So, against my better judgement, one rainy January morning, we went to Sydney Road in Brunswick to try on dresses. The fourth dress I tried on was THE ONE. It wasn’t at all what I thought I wanted, but I couldn’t stop looking at it on the hanger! I just wanted to run my hands over the beautiful beading. When I tried it on, I knew it was the one. I felt unique and confident; I felt like a bride! I called my mum to share the good news and bought it on the spot!!”
For his wedding attire, Leo decided on a sophisticated blue suit with crisp white shirt and tan shoes. The couple explain, “We went with a blue suit for a few reasons. It went with the rest of the wedding, both colour scheme and more casual. The wedding was going to be mostly outdoors, and we thought blue would stand out better than grey or black. We went with Politix for Leo’s suit because the way that it fit off the rack was near perfect, and they had the best shades of blue out of all the suits we looked at!”
Kate walked down the aisle to “That Home” by the The Cinematic Orchestra. “As I walked down the aisle, I felt so much joy to see friends and family from all over the world and country all in one place to share in our special day. When I saw Leo, I just couldn’t contain my emotions. There were a lot of happy tears! (God bless waterproof mascara!!)”
Kate and Leo made their ceremony incredibly personal and meaningful. “Prayers and bible readings were important to us throughout the ceremony. Also, having our best friends and siblings, and Leo’s little sister as our flower girl, in the wedding party was also very important to us. And Leo’s vows left me breathless…”
Of their photographer, Neiyo Photography, Kate gushes, “She was perfection! We got good vibes from her from our first email correspondence, and in the meet ups before, during and after our big day she was professional, genuinely interested in us and super fun. She embodied our relaxed and love-filled vibe on the day, and just let us be us and captured those natural moments. We were able to take all our photos on the venue as there was such a variety of backdrops on the property from an apple orchard, a dried out creek, a field filled with kangaroos and a pomegranate garden!””
“Providence Gully was everything we dreamed of and more!” Kate tells of their venue. “We had the freedom to create our own bespoke wedding style with decorating, catering and entertainment. The organiser and owner, Clare, was a joy to work with. She had never taken on a couple with such a short lead time from booking the venue to the wedding (less than three months), but with a little convincing, she put her trust in us and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly we got all the external vendors and details locked in. Our ceremony took place outside among an olive grove and we partied all afternoon and evening in their beautiful barn, surrounded by a sea of bunting, peonies and fairy lights. Providence Gully provided lots of great extras such as signage, vintage furniture and outdoor games.”
The couple jumped right into creating a huge amount of DIY elements for their wedding day, with the help of their incredible family and friends. “Kate’s mum is an excellent seamstress, so she hand made table runners, personalised bunting and many little trinkets to create a personal and warm atmosphere for the celebrations! We arranged our own flowers and table centre pieces, and decorated the archway that we were married beneath.”
“Probably my favourite DIY item was our favours,” Kate remembers. “We wrote and decorated hand written letters for each of our guests, explaining why we loved them and wanted them at our wedding, and shared our favourite memories with them. I think gratitude for the relationships that have helped build, nurture and celebrate the love between Leo and I is very important to harness and express.”
One of Kate’s best friends sang Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird” while the couple had their first dance.
Congratulations Kate and Leo! We adore your wedding, and thank you for sharing your day. Thank you also to Neiyo Photography for sharing it with us!
Great Work, with some nice natural light.
Look very nice. Attire fits both bride and groom
I love this theme, and the pictures are stunning!
Im kates mum and its almost a year since Leo & Kate were married . Looking through their photos brought the joy & pleasure of that day back so clearly. Thank you for the splendid pictures you captured on their day, for all of us who were there & love Kate & Leo so deeply.