The smokey and sweeping Blue Mountains were the location for today’s wedding, as Ashley and Kyle eloped and were married at Wentworth Falls. Holding a native bouquet in dusky neutrals, and celebrating as the sun set over the valleys below, today’s romantic celebration was captured by Damien Milan Photography.

Ashley and Kyle planned their elopement to happen on their trip to Australia. The bride remembers, ”Technically speaking, we were engaged for about ten hours. We had decided that we were going to elope about 3 months before the wedding. At this point, there wasn’t any proposal, we just mutually agreed that this is what we wanted to do. The morning of our wedding day, we decided to go on a hike near Evan’s lookout. When we reached the lookout, Kyle had told me that he was going to take a picture of me looking out over the Blue Mountains. I thought that he had taken the picture so I turned around and he was down on one knee, with my ring, and asked me to marry him. Even though we both knew we were already getting married that day, it was sweet of him to surprise me with a proposal.”

The bride wore a long sleeve, lace gown with train. She shares, ”I didn’t have much time to look for a dress since we decided to elope with only three months’ notice. I knew that I didn’t want to spend too much, so I decided to shop around online. I have seen horror stories of receiving a dress that was purchased online and it ended up being completely different from what was pictured. This made me a little hesitant, but I figured I could always return the dress if it didn’t work out. I found the website Acelitt that had beautiful dresses for a great price. When it arrived I was happy to find that it was actually really good quality and fit me pretty well. I had to get a few alterations, but nothing too drastic. The lighting at the ceremony actually brought out the lace detail in the dress better than I had thought and it fit the elegance of the night perfectly!”

Explaining what marriage means to them, the bride and groom tell, ”Our wedding day was just us (and our amazing celebrant and photographers/witnesses). So the vibe really was to keep it personal, and about us. We wanted to be adventurous and be married in a place surrounded by beauty. Marriage means we now have even more of a reason to come back to Australia someday! We’re already thinking about our anniversary trips down under. Marriage also means that we get to spend our lives together as best friends. We are lucky enough to have somebody who fully understands the other and shows support through any situation. It really is about being there for one another when they need it.”

Lincoln’s Rock in Wentworth Falls provided a spectacular backdrop. Ashley shares, ”We found our photographers first and they gave us a couple recommendations for the venue. We picked the spot without seeing it in person, so technically, we didn’t see any venues beforehand! We knew that we wanted our elopement to take place in the Blue Mountains, but never imagined that the location would be as stunning as it was. The view looking out over the hazy mountains was so surreal and dreamlike.”

Remembering the day, Ashley tells, ”My favorite memory is walking up to the location where the ceremony took place. I had seen pictures, but had not visited Lincoln’s Rock prior to the day. Kyle and Venetia went and took their place near the cliff edge as I anxiously waited near the car for Damien’s signal to walk up. I walked around the corner and saw the rough terrain that I had to walk up which was a little difficult in the dress and boots that I was wearing. I didn’t immediately have a good view of the venue, but as I walked up over the rocks, the Blue Mountains came into sight. It was absolutely gorgeous and took my breath away. Kyle and Venetia were standing by the edge and everything was silent except for the wind. The moment was so peaceful and I knew that this was where we were meant to be.”

No longer fond of airport salons, Ashley had a manicure hiccup on the way to Sydney. She remembers, ”Prior to our trip, I had planned on getting my nails done for our wedding. I ended up procrastinating until it was too late and there were no longer any appointments available the day before our flight. I found out that our layover airport had a nail salon in it and that we would have plenty of time to stop, so I made that my plan. Little did I know that this airport manicure would leave me with the worst shellac experience of my life! My manicure looked terrible with less than 72 hours to our wedding and cost a pretty penny. I ended up picking the polish off on the 17 hour plane ride to Sydney. When we landed, I made it my mission to book a nail appointment and found Margaret’s Nails in Sydney. They did an amazing job and I was so lucky to find such an accommodating salon at the last minute. Learn from my mistake! Make sure you are prepared and do not trust airport nail salons!”

Thrilled with their vendors, the bride and groom had a small but dedicated (and talented!) crew. They tell, ”We found Damien Milan Photography through an online search. When I visited his site, I was immediately impressed with the photos from the past weddings that he had photographed. Choosing Damien and Anastasia worked out wonderfully because they were already located in the Blue Mountains so were able to provide us with wonderful recommendations. Luckily for me, Anastasia is also a floral artist at The Flowerhead so she was able to make my bouquet, which was stunning in itself. The celebrant that we used, Venetia Robertson, was a friend of Damien and Anastasia and had worked with them in the past. All of our vendors were outstanding! We were so lucky to have found Damien, Nastia, and Venetia. They were so friendly and welcoming and made us feel at home, half a world away. Finding vendors online can feel scary at times, because you never know what you’re going to get. If it feels right, go with your gut, and you may just end up finding some of the most talented people you will ever meet!”

On their decision to elope, Ashley and Kyle share, ”We are really glad that we decided to elope. We love our friends and family, but wanted this sense of adventure incorporated in our wedding that, apparently, could only be achieved by standing on the ledge of a cliff, in the blue mountains, overlooking a couple of bushfires. It was absolutely beautiful, serene, and a day that we will never forget.”

Thank you so much to our beautiful bride and groom for sharing your wedding day with us, and congratulations! Thank you also to Damien Milan Photography.