We would like to ask you one thing. If a wombat didn’t crash your wedding, did you even really embrace nature on your wedding day? Emily and Jason’s plans were thwarted by COVID and with most of their guests in lockdown, they decided to secretly elope to one of their very favourite places on earth – Cradle Mountain.

Says Emily “Cradle Mountain is a sentimental place for us, we had our first anniversary there and we got engaged there. With everything happening with COVID it was a no brainer to go to our favourite place to celebrate our love when we couldn’t have the wedding we had originally planned.”

Doxa Visual join the couple capturing not only today’s beautiful photographs but a stunning film (scroll down for that one), the day, full of love, full of nature, and full of everything Emily and Jason are. “We wanted a day just about us and our love” explains Emily. “It was everything we wanted in our wedding but didn’t expect to get.”

It was over basketball that Emily and Jason first laid eyes on one another, the pair telling “Emily was filling in for a social basketball team, we met and were both initially too shy to talk to each other… We became friends on Facebook and started talking and found out we worked across the corridor from each other in the same hospital.”

We told you too, that Cradle Mountain is special for these two, it is after all the very same place that Jason dropped to one knee! “Emily had spent months planning Jason’s surprise birthday getaway, she organised a suite at Cradle Mountain and a spa package. The night before Jason’s birthday it was snowing and we going to dinner he got down on one knee in front of the fire and proposed.

Emily was so in shock and cried so much Jason had to clarify it was a yes!! Jason said he knew Emily was taking him away and it would be somewhere amazing and he knew Emily wouldn’t expect it.”

Emily wore a beautiful pink floor-length gown adorned with sparkling beading. “I wore a pink dress I purchased from a UK boutique. I lost my mum suddenly in March 2020, one month before our original wedding date, her favourite colour was pink so I wanted something pink for her. I wore sparkly trainers from Mimco as I wanted flats, I’m not a heels person so trainers were a great decision! I wore a floral hair slide from Etsy in my hair. I wore one of my mum’s rings to have her close with me.
I didn’t wear my ‘actual’ wedding dress because I didn’t think it would suit our elopement. I hope I can wear it one day to a vow renewal as I have the best memories of picking it out with my mum.. she was so excited. I felt as if my mum was there with me, giving me the perfect day.”

On his wedding day attire, which was by MJ Bale. Jason tells “I love the look of a navy suit, when I tried it on it felt amazing and I loved it. I wore a pink and blue tie from Routleys Menswear Fashion which complimented Em’s dress. Em surprised me with some cuff links which matched my watch she gave to me for my birthday.”

 The bride walked down the aisle to her favourite song – not that she was expecting it! She tells “There was no ‘aisle’ per se, but stairs were leading down to a platform in front of a waterfall. Jason surprised me with an acoustic cover of one of our favourite songs ‘Shelter’ by Porter Robinson.”

Being the most important part of the day, the ceremony was also Emily’s favourite. She tells “The ceremony was very emotional, after everything we had been through we were certain something would happen to stop the wedding (covid). We wrote our vows, it was intimate and personal.”

The bride’s bouquet was faux! She explains “As it’s a national park we couldn’t have real flowers, the bouquet is artificial! I still have it sitting in our house…. I was dubious but it looks amazing in the photos!”

Emily and Jason’s wedding was a credit to two vendors, in particular, says Emily. Photographers Doxa Visual and wedding planners Pop Up Weddings Tasmania. “Our wedding planner Tracey, made everything so easy and stress-free. We just had to turn up!

I spotted Jon and Jac from Doxa Visual on Instagram and I was so drawn to their work! I knew if I got married I wanted them. We met them and clicked with them instantly. They’re so professional and truly passionate about their work. When our original wedding was cancelled they were so flexible, although they don’t usually work through Pop Up Weddings they were happy to come up to Cradle on a Sunday for us… we appreciate them so much!”

“I remember everything…” says Jason to his new wife. “I remember how relaxing the morning was and semi getting ready with you and then going to have a quick relaxing drink. I was waiting down at the waterfall and I remember you walking down the stairs and how beautiful you looked … I remember how nice it was to take the photos and how we just got to walk around parts of Cradle Mountain. It was relaxing, I remember how nice the weather was. The day was something very special that was just for us.”

It was not a day that was what Emily and Jason had envisaged, but every moment was special, even with friends and family afar, says Emily “Jason surprised me with a video of our family and friends wishing us the best day, all our bridal party were stuck in lockdown bar 1, as well as Jason’s family. It was a perfect day, it was warm, sunny and you could see the summit of Cradle … just perfect. Whilst having dinner a couple celebrating their 30th anniversary bought us some champagne and another couple bought us drinks! It was so lovely.”

The biggest of congratulations to you both Emily and Jason! Thank you for sharing your day with us and thank you to the Doxa Visual team for today’s beauty!