Amelia and Jake

We first met at a mutual friend’s 21st birthday party, both of us had other partners at the time but after we got together we both said we felt drawn to each other. My brother had also talked about Jake as he used to work where my brother did his apprenticeship, they became friends. In 2013 to 2014 I started working at a mechanical business in the office and Jake worked in the workshop. We got along really well and had a good friendship, both of us had partners during the majority of the time I worked there. I then left to work elsewhere and 4 months later a girlfriend-free Jake came on a 4×4 trip with my brother and I went with my dad. From there we hit it off and both knew how important we were to each other.

We love going on 4×4 trips and travelling Australia, we have similar interests in just about everything.

We had been officially together for around a month and decided to join my family on a 6 week camping trip to Cape York and down to Uluru. My dad said ‘if you survive 6 weeks in a car together you will survive anything’. After the holiday was when it really sunk in that nothing could change how we felt for each other and how we wanted to be together forever.

We got engaged on 14 March 2016. After the engagement we set a date by mid April and started our plans.

The photographer Ildiko Photography was chosen because she was recommended by a friend and obviously we loved her positive bubbly vibes and her beautiful photography.

I then made a trip to Bendigo with my mum and nan in June. We went to another 2 shops where they were again lovely dresses and lovely staff but above my budget and still not perfect.

There was one more dress shop left in Bendigo but it was a 15 min drive and I was exhausted with trying on dresses. My nan then argued with me and said she once found a dress at a shop she was never going to go to, so we went to Belles and Bows Bridal in Eaglehawk.

The staff went really amazing, I found the exact dress from the magazines I liked and it wasn’t too expensive,

I could have picked every dress in that shop and they would have worked for me, but the hip hugging mermaid style dresses seemed to suit me more and I liked the look as long as it wasn’t tight too far down.  But then again by that stage I was open to any style. So I tried the the strapless one on from the mannequin.

OMG it was the one. It even fit me. The lady in the shop even said it was her favourite gown and she could tell how comfortable I was wearing it. I was glowing in it.

I wore minimal jewels, just earrings and a ring Jake had previously given me. I didn’t want to take away from my beautiful dress design. I also had a diamante piece in my hair.

I wanted to wear a veil but not over my face. I had traditional reasons only for wearing it but I also think it made it more formal for the ceremony.

Because we had spoken about getting married Jake had taken me into a jewellers to see my size and what I liked.

When he proposed he had bought the ring months earlier and it was an amazing round solitaire from Michael Hill, more beautiful  than I ever thought I would ever have.

We went to 4 wedding venues and as soon as we went to Cleveland Winery we fell in love. I initially wanted my wedding at home so it could be laid back and casual but I knew mum would stress over everything and organising was much harder, we decided to look for venues and found the laid back casual Cleveland Winery that was perfect and rustic.

Invites? I left them too late and picked an generic one from Edge House Design – Graphic Design & Event Paperie but in the end I really loved them and they matched with everything about our wedding.

I always loved natives and never really thought about what I wanted at my wedding till I was actually engaged. And natives it was. Absolutely beautiful natives created by Joy from Cleveland Winery and Hazel from Gisborne Cottage Flowers in Gisborne.

Everyone recommended Hazel from Gisborne Cottage Flowers and when I met her I knew she’d do the perfect job.

I was inspired by rustic and casual, and native flowers.

The ceremony area was decorated with a wooden arch with flowers, white chairs and two wine barrels at the entry of the aisle with flowers.

I walked down the aisle to 1000 Years by Christina Perri, a relatable song which sings about loving each other forever.

We used generic vows but changed some words and sentences to reflect words we commonly used.

For the signing of our marriage certificate I’m Yours by Jason Mraz played as we always loved the song and it was perfect for signing.

Because we both loved the song  we ended the ceremony with Fire and the Flood by Vance Joy – it’s an all round happy song.

I wanted a small bridal party, two girls I have known my whole life and went through school together seemed the perfect fit. We were all still in contact and one of the girls Elly has been my best friend forever, we are cousins and born 3 days apart.

I went out for tea with the girls and asked them both – they both agreed excitedly.

I chose to buy the girls’ dresses and shoes and then gave them a silk robe, necklace and earrings on the day.

For my hens day I ended up organising it but it was quite casual. We hired a small bus that Emma the other bridesmaid drove (she doesn’t drink) and about 20 of us went pole dancing in Gisborne then out for tea at the Vic Pub. Afterwards we went back to my mum’s and went to bed relatively early. We held it the Saturday a week before the wedding.

I knew I wanted a simple colour and not something that I’d regret later on. I chose navy because of the contrast with my white dress and the beautiful reds and greens of native flowers. The shoes I wanted were strappy but nude, not a heavy look and nice for a winery wedding.

My beautiful friend Natalie from Hair Matters did all our hair and I was so happy with everyone’s hair. Nat did the best job even after I fully changed my mind from a full hair up to a down side styled look. It was perfect.

Murni from M for Beauty did all the girls’ make up and I couldn’t be happier with how beautiful everyone looked. It was a natural look but with the perfect amount of make up.

The reception venue was decorated minimally but beautifully with fairy lights, native flowers and a lolly bar.

Our wedding cake was made by Blackbird Cakes. I made up the guest book. Our wishing well was an old milk tin that is mum’s. The wood rounds on the table were a loan from another friend’s wedding day. I made the seating plan window, I sanded an old window back and wrote everyone’s names on it, Cleveland Winery had an easel for it to sit on and Joy put some gum leaves on it for decoration.

I also used old jars for the table numbers and made all the number tags myself.

Candy Buffets by Design made the lolly bar. It was an absolutely amazing last minute decision that I would redo 100 times over. Best service especially with limited notice. They were friendly, kind and flexible.

Sketch and Etch were responsible for the wooden name places that doubled as one of our gifts along with the lolly bar.

Image by Candy Buffets by Design 

Our entertainment was Matty Chaps and his band. What a great bloke and amazing singer. He was on The Voice! I actually heard him the first time while I was working. I went to the bar he was playing at and heard him playing. I booked him the next day. Jake never heard him until the wedding itself but was super happy with my choice. Did I mention he was on The Voice? And the greatest guy ever.

To enter the reception we played Happy by Pharrell. This song was around when we started seeing each other and it made us both happy and we used to sing it to watch other saying we were so happy.

Our first dance was to Amazed by Lonestar because we were on a road trip in the early days of our relationship and it came on the radio and we both cried at how true it was.

Ms Polka Dot says: We’re loving the stunning bouquets and table blooms and leaves – they add such a beautiful Australian feel to the day.

About Amelia: I was never nervous and had the best day. The funniest bit being the photographer videographer Jake and I climbing a barbed wire fence to get some awesome photos in the long grass. I had my dress hitched up and had to climb in my heels. Lucky I’m a country farm girl.