We are celebrating all things Australia this month on Polka Dot Bride and showcasing the many different landscapes and styles of an “Australian Wedding”. We are so thrilled to share these three short films by Monique Flanigan of Dreamtree Films and the stunning photography by Helen Oswald of a recent styled shoot at the historic Ben Ean Winery in the Hunter Valley.

The creative geniuses behind the shoot including Dreamtree Films, Wow Flowers and event stylists New Event Collective have given us rare behind the scenes insight into their inspirations and clever choices they make to achieve this stunning, elegant, rich and rustic but very “Aussie” winery wedding aesthetic.

Monique Flanagan of Dreamtree Films tells us:

This styled shoot was an absolute dream to capture with its decadent, luscious, moody styling and thematic elements. There were loads of florals including yellow and red roses and a sumptuous table cape laden with blooms, apples, grapes and crystal glassware.

It was moodier than recent shoots and the lighting was natural and warm with high contrast. These stylistic choices were intended to showcase the rich colours and to enhance the themes of Australian countryside and “Boho Lux”. Australian weddings come in many moods and styles and I’ve noticed a move away from the previously popular “white and bright” to a more sophisticated rich colour palette.

As a professional Wedding Videographer, I always need to juggle capturing amazing shots and keeping out of the way! One of the things that I love most about weddings is that no two are the same. All couples express themselves differently, so it’s imperative to adapt and capture the event differently too, while keeping to my personal elegant style.

I want to capture the way they look at each other, naturally smiling and laughing, rather than at the cameras. The couple on this shoot were definitely in love and actually ended up getting engaged!

Tori Pettigrew, Newy Event Collective tells us: 

When we were asked to help create a moody, winter feel wedding with a cosy, warm, family feel, we jumped at the amazing opportunity. I love the rich colour palette in this rustic yet elegant inspiration of plums, black and golds, teamed with sustainable, low waste and natural fibres.

We created a relaxed and romantic feel, layering our Newy Event Collective pieces with styling of local fruit and flowers, really encapsulating our beautiful Hunter Valley bush surrounds and showcasing the beautiful raw woods of Ben Ean Winery.

Adding in the dozens of candles and rich textures created a luxurious touch to a very rustic feel. We were inspired by the very Australian mobile “Brumby Bar” and Popcorn station to keep it fun and fresh, so adding our own flare, we included a gorgeous “picnic style” intimate setting to be enjoyed by the family focused couple.

Louise Christensen, WOW Flowers tells us: 

The theme we were aiming for with the florals was a combination of formal meets rustic, honouring the venue Ben Ean. We also wanted to combine fruit and florals to give a feeling of abundance.

The use of fruit with flowers has always been a love of mine, inspired by Dutch artists from the 17th century Baroque period, perfect for a wedding set in the vineyards. We chose to combine this look with natives to bring it back to a more Australian, rustic feel et voila! Formal meets country.

Ms Zebra Says: Wow! What an amazing insight and incredible showcase of Australian beauty! Well done to everyone involved – and thank you for sharing with us.

About Dreamtree Films: They specialise in Wedding and Event Videography. We aim to showcase the beauty of every event and to find the unique stories of the people involved. Every couple is different and so is the style of their wedding day, so it’s our job to capture that. We create stunning images that will be treasured for many years.