Charley & Lucas

On a rainy day in Sydney, Charley and Lucas married in a rustic and glam celebration at The Grounds of Alexandria! The bride wore a beaded gown and the bouquets were wild and laden with foliage, with gold and black details and macrame hanging from the beams adding to the day. James White Photography captured each moment.

Being from opposite ends of Sydney, Charley and Lucas randomly crossed paths one day in Newtown, and the rest, as they say, is history! The bride remembers, ”It was a whirlwind romance that was littered with signs and coincidences that we were destined to be together! We felt an immediate connection that we since recognise as potentially being love at first sight.” Lucas proposed on New Years Eve on Sydney Harbour, Charley sharing, ”At 5 minutes to midnight he got down on one knee and said that I was his soul mate and from the minute he met me he couldn’t imagine his life without me. He said he wanted to do it just before midnight so we could start the year as an engaged couple.”

Wearing a beaded and fitted gown from Blanche Bridal, the bride looked superb! She tells, ”We utilised the talents of Lifestyle Looks to help pull the wedding together. As we wanted to have a small intimate wedding we decided to do it sooner rather than later. I was after a figure hugging dress. I wanted something very sexy and show stopping. The final dress that was chosen was the perfect fit, minimal alterations were needed. The experience was so easy and simple. Knowing your body shape and what you love makes the experience a lot less painful! My mother had her baby blue bird pin replicated and made a garter out of her mother’s wedding dress.” The groom and groomsmen all wore elegant black suits.

With an aesthetic made for weddings, The Grounds of Alexandria suited the couple perfectly! They share, ”We went to a party at The Grounds. There were lots of signs it was the place to have it. It sold Lucas’s favourite beer and it had the sign ‘Love You to The Moon and Back’, a phrase that my late grandfather used to say at the end of every phone call and card. On top of this it was a beautiful place with minimal styling needed. All the guests were asked to wear black to contribute to the glam aesthetics.”

Focusing on the heart of the day, the ceremony was emotional. The bride tells, ”We wanted the ceremony to be intimate with only the closest family and best friends there. The night was to not feel like an excuse to have a party but really focus on our marriage and the love the we have for each other. It was very glamorous and yet bursting with joy and love. The groom who is notoriously forgetful was only given one job, to bring the wedding rings. He realised 5 minutes before the ceremony started that he didn’t have both rings! Thankfully the best man was able to race and find them just in time.” The bride walked down the aisle to a cover of ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love With You’.

White, green and laden with foliage, the bouquets added beautifully to the rustic feel of the day. Charley says, ”The flowers were from The Grounds of Alexandria. Lifestyle Looks styled the aesthetic of the bouquet to only contain rustic greenery and one simple white flower.” James White Photography captured the joy of the day, with the bride telling, ”James and his wife were lovely. They were very patient and quick to work with the sunset and rain. All patient to work with a modelling family who were very particular on how they wanted shots to look and a groom who hated photos!”

Guest favours were the only item the couple did themselves, the bride sharing, ”They were little black boxes that contained fishing lures. The metaphor being that we had found the catch of our lives and were passing this chance on to everyone else.” The couple had their first dance to ‘First Day Of My Life’ by Bright Eyes. Charley remembers one of her favourite wedding planning memories as, ”Having Lucas be excited and a part of the process. He was very beautiful in helping to select food, the venue and the feel of the wedding.”

Intimate and glam, the Sydney wedding of Charley and Lucas focussed on family and love. The bride shares, ”We made sure to include mention of my grandfather who I was really close to. He was a Taurean fisherman the same as Lucas, both sharing similar personalities. I was brought up fishing and camping so it was special to me to have my grandfather’s spirit with me, seen in my new husband. We got to focus on each other and be with each other the whole night.”

Thank you so much to our gorgeous bride and groom for sharing your absolutely lovely wedding with us, and congratulations! Thank you also to James White Photography for your magnificent photography and cinematography!