Lauren & Matt
We have a huge crush on this country winery Bannockburn wedding! From the importance of family and fun to the love notes and the golden hour field photos (and everything in between!), we can’t wait for you to see every moment! Stefani Driscoll captured the day.
Lauren and Matt met through mutual friends and knew each other over a number of years before a successful ski trip sealed the deal. Remembering Matt’s proposal, Lauren shares, ”Everyone thought he would propose on our big Europe trip. He caught everyone off guard and did it a month before we left – in our lounge room, after I had returned from the gym, in my not so nice state. Chester our golden retriever carried a little note with a bow tie around his neck.”
The bride found her dream dress in the first store she looked, Karen Willis Holmes in Armadale. She tells, ”The staff were wonderful, never pushy and gave time to make your decision. They gave personalised service every time you entered their store and greeted with a glowing smile. I couldn’t thank their seamstress enough as my dress was far too big a month before the wedding – her attention to detail and dedication to her job made my dress perfect for the day. I loved my dress as it was simple with elegance and class – my favourite style.” Lauren wore a blue garter that was worn by the last two generations married on her husband’s side of the family, and borrowed a veil and clutch from her matron of honour. She also tells of one of her favourite details being the Stephanie Browne belt on her dress, saying, ”I loved this piece from the moment I tried it on!” The groom and groomsmen wore suits from local store Browse Fashions, with Lauren sharing, ”They had a great range and exceptional staff who were easily contactable and reliable!” The girls got ready at Waybourne Winery where they spent the night before the wedding. Lauren tells, ”We were incredibly spoilt with their wine and beautiful gardens!”
With family being an important element to their day, the transport featured was not only stunning but also incredibly special. The bride shares, ”My wedding car was my great-grandfather’s 1934 Ford V8 racing car that he raced. My late grandfather re-built this car and after his passing my dad finished it. It’s a bit of a treasured family heirloom! It wasn’t going to run on the morning of the wedding – however dad secretly worked on it all day. Dad and I had a great time getting to the wedding in it!” Spending time with her mother, mother in law and grandmother in law was a highlight in the lead up to the wedding also, with Lauren saying, ”It was so special and there are memories I’ll cherish forever, it was so lovely to share this experience and excitement with them.” Wanting their ceremony to be relaxed, the bride and groom chose a family friend as their celebrant. Lauren tells, ”Jane Derrick was able to guide us through the process and had us laughing on the day. We had a reading called ‘Blessing of the Hands’ – a reading that pictures the love and support throughout our lives as we age together.” The bride was walked down the aisle by her father to Appenglow by S. Carey.
Choosing a venue was relatively easy for the couple, as they are both lovers of wine and stunning scenery. Lauren tells, ”Both Matt and I grew up in the country and wanted a venue with rolling hills. We both have a love for wine so it was always going to be a winery. We loved the views from Clyde Park Vineyard, Bannockburn, and their wine and food is to die for!” Thrilled with their choice in photographer also, the bride shares, ”We chose Stefani Driscoll because we instantly got along with her, and we loved her natural photography. She is great, relaxed, and goes with the flow and lets things happen naturally. She really just captured the day as it was. We highly recommend her!” Recalling another highlight of the day, Lauren tells of a moment gone awry, sharing, ”Both Matt and I were swooped by plover birds during our photo, it was hilarious! And caught on both camera and video. I was running spilling my champagne and Matt was waving my bouquet in the air, we were both crying with laughter as all our bridal party watched on from the terrace.”
Sharing their DIY details, the bride and groom wrapped jars with twine for candles, had friends help with their wedding signage and sourced logs from a family farm. They would advise that they would not do their own invitations however, saying ”Never again! Pay someone, it’s worth it!” Of their venue decoration, Lauren says, ”Matt and I love native flowers. The bouquets were made from king and queen proteas using whites and pinks. Flowers were sourced and cut at Miga Lake Flowers and then the venue fit out completed by Flair To Make You Stare. The tables were lined with queen protea boxes and the bridal table had a white and green garland with candles.”
Wedding day hours seems to fly by, and with The White Tree on hand to capture their day on video, the bride and groom were thrilled with the outcome. Lauren tells, ”Their organisation and attention to detail is phenomenal and everything went off without a hitch! They were so easy to work with and gave confidence to what we had signed up for! I was skeptical about having a video, however it was absolutely worth every second. We have watched our video a million times – they put the video together so well to a song that is important to us.” And surprising both their families, Lauren tells, ”We kept it quiet for months, telling family and friends were had a personal trainer for the wedding, when we were sneaking away to dance classes. They were such a fun thing that we both looked forward to during the week as it was something that we could both laugh about together. Everyone was blown away when we pulled our moves!”
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