Kylie and Liam's Bohemian Country Wedding

Kylie & Liam

I met Liam 14 years ago in the Kiewa Valley, North East Victoria where our families went on holiday every year at Christmas time. We exchanged numbers and began talking and went home at the end of our stay. Three weeks later was the Australia Day long weekend and we had to hurry back to catch up again. Being only 15 and 16 years old and living four hours apart was a test but as soon as Liam got his licence he was on the road to move closer.

It was when he moved down closer when I realised that he was the one. Eleven years later we had our annual Christmas holiday in Tawonga, Kiewa Valley. One day Liam took me on a 4-wheel-drive track up the mountains and we stopped at a lookout. With a picnic lunch, we stopped there and looked down over the most amazing scene into the Valley. It was there that Liam got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I was absolutely surprised but I was totally ready. I said yes.

When it was time to look for my dress, I went on a holiday to the Gold Coast with my Mum to go shopping. I knew I wanted a boho, non-traditional looking wedding dress and I found a couple of places to try some on. I also knew I didn’t want a sweet heart neck line or for it to be fitted around my hips. I wanted a free flowing dress which was white rather than ivory or off white. I ended up with the total opposite of what I had in mind, but I fell in love with it when I put it on. It was a Watters dress which had champagne lining and an ivory lace overlay, a sweetheart neckline was fitted around my hips! I couldn’t have been happier with my choice. I purchased it from Bohemian Brides; they were so helpful and had beautiful dresses – with the exact style I was wanting.

I also wore a veil that hung behind me and dropped to floor length; it was handmade by my seamstress from chiffon and more lace from my dress which was made into a clip.

Liam actually chose my ring all on his own – no hints were given along the way. He bought it from a jeweller in Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building and surprised me with it when he proposed. I love my ring. I guess when you’re in a relationship with someone for 13 years they really do get to know what you like!

My awesome florist Jess Mauger Floral Design really set the direction on our beautiful flowers. I gave her a couple of pictures of colours and designs that I liked and I asked it we could do all in seasonal flowers – roses, stock, chrysanthemums and dusty miller. My bouquet was tied with a jute wrap and I also attached my grandmother’s brooch to it.

In the bridal party, I had my step sister in-law Kim Champion as my maid of honour, my sister Stephanie Williams and my other sister in law (Liam’s sister )Ellie Pearce as bridesmaids. Liam had my step brother and his best friend, Shane Champion, as his best man, his other mate Brett Beveridge and his brother Sam Pearce by his side on the day.

We decided on those people as they are our closest friends and family members. Liam and I asked them in different ways – he asked his boys over a beer and I asked my girls in a hand made and hand written card which was in the shape of a dress silhouette decorated with lace.

On the wedding day our gifts to the girls was a little box of goodies including, chocolates, wine, a floral robe, a singlet, a personalised stubby cooler, lipstick and a personalised (handmade my me) hanger all surrounded by tissue paper. Liam gave his boys cuff links which unfortunately didn’t show up from ordering online until four weeks after our wedding day, a personalised mason jar cup, quirky socks, personalised (handmade by me) hangers, beers, and personalised stubby coolers.

The hardest parts of the wedding planning process we found was the budgeting – and sticking to it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help to help keep costs down – the more handmade items and more ground work you do to hunt down the best prices the better your budget looks.

Liam was the best support. He had lots of say in the style, the venue, helped with budgeting and made a huge amount of props for the day including full sized chalk board easels, a massive LOVE light up sign, wooden hand written name plaque to hang in the archway, a big rustic candy bar, wooden slabs for the centre pieces and much more. It wouldn’t have been what it was if he wasn’t able to help so much!

I walked down the aisle to ‘All of Me’ by Boyce Avenue. We both wrote our own vows for the ceremony. They were very meaningful and expressed our personalities. Liam had a little bit of humour in his which showed his true self which we all loved.

We created an elegant barn style feel theme for our reception with boho hanging floral and greenery, lengths and lengths of handmade doily bunting, fairy lights, a photobooth and a rustic candy bar. Tables were decorated with white table cloths whilst white Tiffany chairs featured handmade hessian bows on the back. Centrepieces were round wooden slabs decorated with different sized jars filled with beautiful blooms.

Our photographs are amazing! I met Carissa from Capture The Moment Photography at a wedding expo and she was more than helpful. Choosing Carissa for our special day was the best decision we could have ever made. Her professionalism, organisation and her award winning talent was beyond what we could have ever imagined. Our pictures tell a thousand words and show our heartfelt feelings and capture the memories perfectly.

Casey from Dejavue Photo and Film was our talented videographer and I highly recommended her. Having your wedding day filmed is so important as it captures the day exactly how it was. I watch all the footage now and all the wonderful memories and feelings just flood back.