When Annie and Matt came to planning their wedding, they wanted it to be filled with colour and filled with fun. “Have fun! A wedding is a commitment to one another, yes, but it’s also a celebration!” advises Annie to those of you still planning your big days. “Make it into something that you want it to be and something that you will both look back on and think, my gosh that was a fabulous day! You only get to do it once, make sure you don’t hold back!!”

And these two? They got all that they wanted and more. With Photogerson behind the camera, this is a story that includes all the DIY beauty, but so much fun too – a rose gold sparkly wedding gown, a vintage car and guests who travelled from Liverpool in the UK and Montreal. This was a day well and truly with the party they wanted.

The couple first met online, but they knew something was different from the moment they met. “There is something extra special when you meet someone (online chat or meet in person) and things just flow… chatter, laughs, easy! That was us. Our first date was super cute. We went for ice cream at a little store in Leederville (right in between where we each lived) and sat in the sunshine, sharing stories over ice cream on a gorgeous summer afternoon. Matt had a single scoop of salted caramel. I never miss an opportunity, with a double scoop of Sour Cherry and Dark Chocolate. From here, the afternoon led into the evening and we went from ice cream shop to local bar, to restaurant to fringe show!”

Matt, who works away from home as a geologist and spends a lot of time swagging in the bush  (and created his wedding day cufflinks with quartz crystals collected from the Kimberley) proposed one rare weekend home. Tells Annie “He was due home Friday evening and I had booked us a weekend in the South West for the Margaret River Open Studios (we love art). A chance to just have some quiet time, and get away. Anyway, I pick out all the artists I want to see, etc. etc. What I wasn’t aware of, is that my weekend was about to get hijacked! From his swag, Matt had another weekend planned… Sunday morning, we set off on this hike through the Boranup Forest (the most magical place, it’s stunning) and we come across this little line of bunting… How cute! I say as I power on up the path towards the next turn in the bush walk. But Matt stops, shocked by my disinterest in the bunting. Take a look… he suggests. But I am sure this isn’t for me, so I couldn’t possibly intrude on someone’s setup. It takes me a few moments to join the dots, but when I see the most gorgeous picnic, with a whole board of cheeses, fruits, champagne and all the most delicious things, I start to realise what was happening. Of course, I cried.

Anyway, we celebrated with some fellow walkers, and with our friends who were hiding in the car post-picnic set-up! It was a very special moment. Our picnic was gladly followed by lunch at Hay Shed Hill’s restaurant, Rustico. What a day.”

Matt paid homage to the pink and green vibes of the day with a stunning green tweed suit, tells Annie. “He looked so handsome. He loves tweed, and just like me, Matt loves to have something out of the ordinary. We searched high and low for a green suit but we needed to search much further afield. He ordered a stunning two-piece (too warm for a three-piece tweed suit in WA) from Walker Slater in the UK. To compliment Matt’s textured green suit, he wore a Peggy & Finn pink and green banksia print tie and pocket square, and brown leather lace-up boots. Also an amazing op shop purchase, these were emerald green on the inside, and dark brown on the outside. They were a hit!

I think the greatest part of this, was the inverse of our colours. Green with touches of pink and pink with touches of green. I love it when a plan comes together!”

Annie glittered all day in a beautiful sparkling Reign The Label A-line gown completed with teal accessories. She shares “The dress was a blush tulle, covered in glitter. It was stunning how it moved and caught the sunlight, moonlight, and party lights! I never wanted white or ivory, it just wasn’t for me. I think I always knew I wanted what I ended up having, but I could never really see it so clearly in my mind. I met the ladies of Reign, and Jo bought my vision to life.

My two favourite colours are pink and green. And my gosh do I love them together! So there was no other option for me, than dark green accessories. I wore a stacked-heel, pointed-toe green shoe around which I tied big velvet bows. I got these for $14 from the Salvos (we are avid op shoppers!). I had earrings and bracelets that shared peach, emerald and pink tones. My hair was up with no extra dressings or clips.

I always wanted wings, not a veil coming from my hair. What a bother I imagine that would be. My wings were blush and they so delicately hung from my shoulders. It was pretty. And I felt pretty wearing them. And I had blush fur! Because I felt that I had no other option than a little cropped blush fur for my A-Line dress. For a series of items that I curated over some months, I was pretty chuffed with how well it all came together.”

The flowers? DIY by Annie and her mum. “I ordered a stack of florals from Yelverton Protea Farm and we arranged them the day prior. My mum and I arranged my bouquet – it weighed about 4kgs but was 100% worth the weight. It was stunning!! And the boy’s button holes, we did these also. I ordered some velvet ribbon from the UK which my mum sewed to my bouquet, and we used it for the boy’s buttonholes so everything matched.”

Wanting a day that was relaxed and inviting, Annie and Matt held their wedding at Solitaire Homestead. Annie explains  “It was really important for us, that our day was as simple and seamless as possible. And this meant hosting our wedding at one venue. We both love being outside, I love florals and we love the Australian bush so travelling down to the southwest (three hours from Perth) seemed like the obvious choice for us. Solitaire Homestead is a private property – 110 acres of bushland with a lovely homestead and a “shed” that made such a lovely space for us to celebrate with our guests.

We chose to use Solitaire’s stunning antique door to act as our ceremony backdrop. Set amongst the peppermint trees, this shaded and secluded space was the perfect spot for Matt and me to get married! And after saying our vows and signing our certificate, we celebrated with our family and friends under the trees, by having a cheeky drink before the reception kicked off! This led to a relaxed and comfortable ceremony and wedding.

Post-ceremony, we ducked off for family photos amongst the peppermint trees, and bridal group shots by the grass trees before joining our guests back at The Shed for some canapés. It was really important to us that we could come and go from photos to our friends as much as possible. We didn’t want to be taken away for too long! The Shed was awesome for a long table dinner. With 50 guests, we had an intimate long table shared meal with friends. It was pretty amazing, I must say! All in all, we loved Solitaire.”

Annie walked down the aisle on the arm of her father. “He actually drove me to the ceremony in his 1989 Corvette, and then walked me down the aisle. We walked down to Vera Blue’s version of “Heroes”, and Matt and I walked back up the aisle to Bowie’s original version. This is one of my dad’s favourite songs.” Adds Matt “When Annie walked up the aisle. It was, honestly, not what I was expecting. I was blown away. I was expecting a white ballgown, I wasn’t prepared for a glittery pink number!”

“Our ceremony was led by celebrant Liz Quicke – she was so gentle and calming, it made for a very stress-free and chilled ceremony which was perfect. I was excited. And I think Matt was too. Looking back on our photos and video we both look so chuffed. How neat is that? We wrote our own vows which we read on the day from lovely pink vow books Liz printed for us.”

“It was all about colour and we asked that no one wore black. I think this was a game-changer. Looking out to your friends and seeing a sea of much-loved smiling faces, dressed in colour is something special. It’s a different energy.”

In keeping with the rustic county vibe) Annie did most of the decor herself – she and Matt enlisted family and friends to help them set the tables with green napkins sewed by Annie’s mum, honey in jars as favours gifted from friends with hives and their own designed stationery. Even the flowers were DIY! “It’s so special be a part of the creation of the day. Not only in planning, but in curating florals and setting the tables. My friends and I arranged the table florals – these were gin bottles with long stems. So simple, but so beautiful. Honestly, people were stealing them off the table at the end of the night. That goes to show how stunning they must have been! I don’t think I even got one.”

Golden sunset portraits? Just one of the reasons these two adore their photographer “Luke – what a legend! Non-stop energy loves a landscape and absolutely nailed the imagery. I don’t know how to possibly sum Luke up in a few words. His energy and enthusiasm for our wedding and the day honestly brought everyone up. His work is stunning. Matt and I couldn’t have picked a better photographer for our day to capture these special moments.”

It was very important to Annie and Matt that every guest felt welcome. “I think for us, it was all about the special people in our lives. Everyone was involved somehow and that made the day feel like a shared moment for everyone, not just our wedding people who attended.

I love sentimental items, so I was sure to make something for Matt, my mum and my dad. I wrote them each a note and got them each a gift. I think these touches are important because these people are the most important in your life, and this day is the (or one of the) most important in your life. Matt also gifted me a necklace, and every day I wear it and every day it makes me smile.”

Annie adored every bit of the planning! “I am an event planner, and there is nothing I love more than a wedding! So for me, this was heaven. I loved the details, I loved the endless possibilities, I loved dreaming up what our day was going to look and feel like and how it was all going to come together. I don’t think there was a favourite part for me!”

Annie & Matt chose Tina Turner’s “Simply The Best” for their very much loved first dance, says Annie. “Our first dance was amazing. I don’t say that because we are incredible dancers, because we are not. I say that because it is such a fun song, and Matt and I took it upon ourselves to learn a dance routine, in our living room, from a Youtube video and it was not an easy feat. But on the day, it was amazing to get out there and have so much fun. No one knew what we were going to do, and the element of surprise made the moment even greater. Especially, the second lift…”

And the dance floor? Packed! “Matt’s friend, Axel Carrington played an acoustic guitar set including a song written just for us! Axel then teamed up with his buddy Stu (Full n Cream) to DJ all evening spinning vinyl and bringing the dance floor to life! Everyone loves a classic 80s beat.”

Congratulations on your beautiful wedding Annie and Matt! Thank you so much for sharing your stories with us and thank you to Photogerson for today’s beautiful wedding day story.