Gabriella and Mark? They’re high school sweethearts. “We met in year 10 at high school and have been together ever since. People can’t quite believe it when we tell them!”

The couple, who have grown up together, wanted to celebrate their partnership in a way that was “Elegant and rustic vibe with an abundance of fresh florals and wooden banquet tables. We wanted our wedding to be fun and memorable for everyone.” And with a beautiful Western Australian barn as their backdrop complete with horses as very special VIP guests during the ceremony) and the ever-talented  Amy Skinner behind the camera, they made the most of the stunning country setting. Incredible flowers (the floral designer was the first vendor they chose!) misty rain creating the most romantic scenes, and plenty of stories to tell, this is one you’re going to adore.

It was in Singapore, after a decade together then Mark dropped to one knee, says Gabriella. “Mark proposed to me (Gaby) whilst we were on holiday. It was on our 10th anniversary and he popped the question at the Singapore aquarium after his initial plan to propose at the Singapore Gardens was scratched when it began pouring it down with rain that day (it was the only day of our entire holiday that it rained!).”

Mark and his groomsmen chose blue suits from Tony Barlow. Says Gabriella “Mark wore a silver tie and pocket handkerchief whilst the groomsmen wore blush pink ties and handkerchiefs to match the bridesmaids. Mark’s older sister was also a groom’s woman and purchased her navy jumpsuit to match the boys online.”

Gabriella found her beautiful, lace Enzoani gown at Dion For Brides. “I had been a huge lover of the designer Enzoani so made sure that I went to Dion for Brides who are an Enzoani stockist when choosing my wedding dress.”

She had the gown customised with detachable sleeves to make it her own, adding Christian Louboutin shoes (gifted by her parents and sister) and her grandfather’s pin and nan’s brooch to her bouquet for a personal touch. Her hair and makeup, styled by Gamine Dynasty added a touch of glamour. “My hair was styled in loose flowing Hollywood waves and had a natural glow style for my makeup. I wanted to still feel like myself on the day and my hair and makeup were perfect.”

The couple were married at Brookleigh Estate. “For us, it was all about the scenery and the florals! We wanted to be surrounded by nature and beauty which is exactly what Brookleigh Estate gave us!

A  last-minute storm shifting the ceremony into the stables onsite.  “Our ceremony was originally planned to be outdoors next to the lake at Brookleigh Estate however a huge storm rolled in the morning of our wedding which resulted in the last-minute switch to the stables, a switch which turned out even better than we could have ever imagined” explains Gabriella. “The stables were stunning and we had the added perk of the horses peering over the stalls to watch the ceremony too (or nibble on the guest’s hair!). We had wanted our wedding to be fun and enjoyable and the extra character the stables gave us was beyond perfect! Even if I (Gaby) was a tad stressed out by the switch at the time but our amazing wedding planners, Sarah and Holly pulled it together perfectly!”.

Gabriella walked down the aisle with both of her parents by her side.

Gabriella and Mark chose Kiss Me You Fool Marriage Celebrant for their ceremony, Gabriella remembers “Dilhari is amazing!!! She really tailored our ceremony to showcase us, even down to featuring lyrics from “our song” from year 10 into our ring exchange. She keeps everything a surprise and just uses information from a questionnaire she sends out to her couples to formulate the perfect customised ceremony for each couple. It was so good not knowing about all her little nods to us and our lives until the day, it really made the day ours.”

If Gabriella has one piece of advice for you, it is “get a planner!” These two have zero regrets over hiring Confetti and Co Events to bring their day to life. “If anyone is debating over whether to hire a planner or not, 100% do it, and these girls are the best. They helped us plan our day to perfection, reassured us (mainly Gaby) throughout the whole COVID lockdown period, had a backup plan after backup plan ready and ensured the entire event went without a hitch on the day. A wedding planner is a lifesaver! They are angels in human form!”

Gabriella’s favourite photo? “We have an amazing photo of us and our wedding party as the champagne gets popped. It just really showcases the fun and happiness felt on the day.”

As I am sure you will agree, Gabriella and Mark think their photos from photographer Amy Skinner are incredible. “We loved Amy’s work as it showcases the beauty of nature and she has an eye for creating beautiful rustic photos which is what we wanted! We met with Amy for coffee before our wedding and instantly clicked with her, she understood us both perfectly and we all had a few laughs over Mark’s blasé attitude and how this completely counteracted my (Gaby’s) idea of perfection.

On the day she was incredible, she knew exactly where to go for the most perfect shots and wasn’t afraid to tell you when you were pulling a face in a photo (a trait which is essential to ensure no double chins etc!). Her photos are beyond perfect and we wouldn’t change a thing!!!”

Flowers were incredibly important to Gabriella- in fact the florist (Katie Cooper Floral Design)  was the very first vendor these two chose! Says the bride “Katie made our beautiful bouquets for the bride, bridesmaids and Junior bridesmaid (my 11-year-old sister) as well as matching pins and corsages for the groomsmen and immediate family.

We had a large custom made floral arrangement arc for our ceremony which was then moved to the Sperry tent and placed over our cake for the reception. We then had a large main floral arrangement hanging above the bridal table with festoon lighting hanging through it.

Katie supplied all the table numbers and candles and vases of different shapes and sizes to decorate the tables along with foliage down the centre of them. Our arrangements included roses, orchids and a variety of other flowers that fit our aesthetic. My bouquet also had several anemones in it as an extra touch!”

Gabriella ordered rock candy in navy blue and blush pink with the couple’s initials. She put this into glass test tubes left at each guest’s place setting as a wedding favour.

“We were told by one of our guests to make sure to take five minutes together to step back from the party and take it all in. We did just that and took 5 minutes to stand outside of the Sperry tent and just watch the party unfold in front of us – it was such a lovely moment.”

The choreographed first dance was a truly special moment. “Our first dance was to “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran sung acoustically by our wedding singer Joe Boshell. We had a few dance lessons before our wedding especially because Mark has two left feet but he did amazing on the day!”

The beautiful film of the day? All the handiwork of cinematographers Oikos Studio.

Congratulations on your marriage Gabriella and Mark! How beautiful you made your story, how beautiful you made your day! Thank you both for sharing and thank you to Amy Skinner for sharing her incredible work.