Krista & Andrew

Amongst the dreamy country fields of the Kangaroo Valley, Krista and Andrew threw a wedding celebration filled with Australian tributes! The family of the groom flew out from Wales as the couple put together a romantic day, which was beautifully captured by Nicole Orlowski Photography.

The bride and groom met during a night of celebrations when both of their groups connected. Krista remembers, ”Andrew caught my eye from across the room and had this boyish, cheeky smile on his face. Next thing I know, he is making his way directly to my booth and calling all his friends over to join. We all got along so well – the good vibes began pretty much immediately! After 4 years together we knew we made an excellent team and that we simply fit together, like eggs and bacon. Andrew got down on one knee after a picnic at Mahon Pools, the place we had our very first date and those sparks started to fly. Immediately we called Andrew’s family in Wales and asked them ‘When will the cows be out?’ As hardworking farmers, the date simply had to work around them – and the cows!”

Wearing a spaghetti strap, floor length gown overlaid with lace, the bride was gorgeous in ivory. She shares, ”After months of indecision my mother suggested one shop – ironically just down the road from my family home. Love Marie Bridal Boutique is the most fabulous place for a new bride – jackets, bespoke headpieces, a range of stunning designers and the most beautiful couch for your bride tribe to relax on! We walked in and Amy helped me unravel my thoughts and let me choose several to try on and even threw in a few of her own recommendations. Of course, her suggestion won hands down. And that was it. I was in love.” The groom wore a three piece suit with a floral tie and Welsh cufflinks.

Sunshine and the perfect twilight presented itself on the chosen day, and the golden hues couldn’t have been more perfect! Krista tells, ”We envisaged a Midsummer Night’s Dream, but in autumn, and in Australia. We wanted our guests to feel warm and dreamy, and let the emotions flow – in abundance. We ended up with an ethereal mix of earthy, golden hues, bush greens and a glow from the low autumn afternoon sun. A melting pot for all of the feels, it was perfect! We didn’t really have a bridal party, rather we tried to include as many different people as possible on the day with different roles. We loved having so many different family members and friends be part of our day.”

Wildwood Kangaroo Valley provided everything the bride and groom were looking for, so they locked it down immediately! They remember, ”We wanted something outdoors, intimate and uniquely Australian – we wanted to show off the beautiful natural Australian landscape and wildlife. We came, we saw, we booked immediately. The views of the valley blew us away as did every detail that would make Wildwood more than a venue, but also an immersive experience for our guests. Every box was ticked, not to mention Toni is the most organised human ever AND there is the ‘Bride Cave’ filled with extra props, table settings, thousands of jars and bits and bobs you can use (at no extra charge) to add your own flavour to the canvas of natural flora and fauna and clean, crisp permanent reception marquee. It’s the perfect amount of DIY without the stress of sourcing everything individually. You can add as much or as little as you want, Toni is very chilled about what you want to add to her space. Most importantly, you can set everything up the day before, making the morning off the big day nice and relaxed, with the knowledge it’s all done exactly how you planned it.”

The bride shares, ”I always wanted my sister to sing me down the aisle. Together we chose ‘Song Bird’ by Eva Cassidy as the song means a lot to both sides of the family. My dad made sure I didn’t lose my footing all the way down the stairs and my mum by my other side, holding my hand. We wanted to celebrate love, commitment, friendship and family. We wanted our guests to feel free to laugh, applaud and even a cry if they felt the need. We wanted to have a fun and memorable ceremony in the company of our nearest and dearest and it was. Our celebrant Dan told stories about our past, we laughed over some of our personality traits and managed to get some warm hearted tears from many of our guests. It was perfect!”

Bringing the outdoors in, Krista tells, ”We wanted greenery all around us. Anita from Feather and Bloom created beautiful leafy ladders for the ceiling, table runners of Australian foliage that spilled across the length of each table and she artistically weaved lights that shone a soft warm haze all night long. My bouquet was stunning, Anita created a vibrant red and burgundy arrangement that contrasted perfectly with the greens and yellows of the valley.”

Minimbah Farm, Kangaroo Valley was on hand to provide the perfect place to stay after a big day. The bride shares, ”We really wanted to book a big property for all our friends to stay in and carry on in late into the night after the main event. The farm was delightful, a sensational backdrop to start and end our wedding weekend away. So many of our vendors were friends first or became friends instantaneously, it made the whole event extra special! We placed a lot of trust in our vendors and all were professional, focused and absolutely superb. Our friend Lucy, from Breathe Bell Tents supplied us with bountiful pillows, throws and rugs, our dear friend Adryenne Music sung like a bird between the ceremony and reception, Toni from Wildwood Kangaroo Valley quashed any last-minute nerves I had with her stellar organisational skills. She and Anita from Feather and Bloom worked beautifully together to really support our vision and help create those magical feels. Giant shout out to Violets and Vinegar, our caterers. Literally every single guest raved about the food. Cass and Matty simply out-did themselves. From our grazing table to the shared banquets to our strawberry and rose Turkish delight buttercream wedding cake – everything was perfectly mouth-watering and exquisitely presented.”

Golden and dusky twilight was captured beautifully by Nicole Orlowski Photography in the Kangaroo Valley fields. The bride shares, ”What can we say? She became part of the family so effortlessly that it was near impossible to get a bad shot of anyone. She captured our nearest and dearest in their essence and literally risked her life for us (there was some impressive dog whispering needed at one stage!) determined to find the very best location shots and capture that ‘golden hour’ of sun. We had so much fun with her it was easy to relax and let the merriment set the tone.”

DIY for the wedding was limited to the perfect amount! Krista tells, ”I had a very clear picture in my mind about what I wanted for the reception, my clever friends to arrange the settings! My girlfriends and I talked a lot about what we wanted and then went into action mode. One of the girls created all the menus, name tags and seating instructions, one hired gold cutlery to compliment the grey speckled plates and platters, one loaned me her earthy red carpets and rugs for the ceremony and another purchased our fabulous ‘Mrs & Mrs’ light. All of us sat down for a few hours pouring homegrown honey into tiny jars and sticking on labels I bought online for the wedding favours. There was much ‘debate’ over the first dance – I wanted to learn something and go to classes, Andrew preferred a natural ‘just go with it’ approach. We compromised and practised a few moves at home, keeping us both happy! We had a last minute song change, making the call a week before after spending some time with my dad, an avid Elvis fan, to ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love With You’.”

Congratulations to our beautiful bride and groom on your wedding, thank you for sharing it with us! Thank you also to Nicole Orlowski Photography for your stunning images!