Farm Inspired Wedding at Lazy River Estate

On a stormy Summer day, Ash & Mack gathered their friends and family to celebrate the love they have for each other, with nature’s light show as their backdrop. “As our celebrant was guiding us through the ceremony, there was lightning cracking behind us; we both thought it was an omen from all the relatives that couldn’t be there that day,” They explained. Even as the storm rolled in, nothing could put a damper on their outlook, “the chaos of the freak storm let us have 10 minutes of secluded peace in the middle of our day.” Showcasing the picturesque event was Amy from Amy Allen Creative Co, perfectly capturing the sparks flying at this farm-inspired wedding.

If there’s one thing to take away from this couple, it’s this: find someone who loves you like Mack & Ash love each other. Mack is a Farmer in Central West NSW and met Ash when she came home during a university break. “He took me out on a date while I was home. We got along like a house on fire, but I wasn’t keen to continue into anything serious because I still had a while to finish my study and was not looking for a long-distance relationship,” Ash recalled, “Mack didn’t want a bar of my hesitation and begged me for a second date, he even promised to drive the 8 hours to the coast to take me out. We went our separate ways that night, and two weeks later, he turned up on my doorstep with a half-dead bunch of red roses, and we have been together ever since.”

Their fairytale doesn’t end there, only continuing when Mack proposed. “I knew something was happening because Mack came in from the paddock at about 2 pm that day; normally I don’t see him in daylight hours. I was on all fours cleaning out the oven, and he was walking past the kitchen window taking things out and bringing things in from his ute in the driveway. At about 4:30 pm, he walked in and very nervously asked me if I wanted to take a beer and go and look at the crops with him. I agreed, and off we went. That year we had an experimental grain-growing trial site in one of our paddocks. I started walking up the rows asking questions about all the different-looking wheat varieties and turned around to Mack kneeling with the ring box open.”

Ash wore a classic white gown from Belles & Beaux Bridal, “I thought the dress really matched my personality and I had ‘that’ moment in the dressing room when I tried it on for the first time.” Her wedding party included her sister Chloe, who wore a champagne-coloured dress from Billy J, and her best friend Sam wore a black suit. Mack wore a simple black dinner suit, to which Ash remarked, “To be frank I always thought he looks hot in a beautifully tailored black dinner suit & Bow tie!” His wedding party wore black suits to match the rest of the party.

They found the perfect venue that matched the simple and elegant vibes of the party. “Originally we wanted to get married at home on the farm, however, we were flooded out, so Lazy River Estate was the next best option! They really matched our energy,” they explained. “The Lazy River team were calling me with suggestions (see just married tractor) that they thought would match our day.”

Ash’s wedding attire included a collection of heirloom items passed down through her family: a pearl necklace her mother wore to marry her dad, a hand-beaded bag with a blue silk handkerchief, a ring and a brooch from her grandmother. “I made a visit to my grandmother’s nursing home on the way to the ceremony as she was too unwell to make it, she came out with all the nursing staff and took photos in the entrance of the home. It was so special.” Ash recalled, “She also hand-made me a garter… it never saw action though.”

Walking to Shania Twain’s “You’re Still The One”, Ash was accompanied by her dad on her arm and her mum holding her veil. “We wanted the ceremony to feel like it was just us with our family having a really intimate chat. Mack’s sister read Blessing of the Hands – everyone cried.” Their ceremony was officiated by Rachel from Love Language, “Rach made us feel like family not like clients.”

The flowers were put together by a family friend as well as Ash’s mum and sister, incorporating elements of their farm into the arrangements. The reception was decorated with handmade creations that included a wall decorated in wheat stalks for guests to take photos with and table decorations to match the vibe of the venue.

The couple danced to Chris Stapleton’s “Millionaire” for their first dance, “Mack absolutely insisted on this song, we were out on the deck under the fairy lights after the rain, it was so peaceful and cool, the perfect moment.”

If these photos don’t prove Amy’s incredible photography talent – listen to what Ash had to say, “OMG – she is a legend. She was so much more than a photographer for us, she helped me find vendors and work through details. She was so easy to communicate with and went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable.”

When asked what her favourite part of the planning process was, Ash responded, “I really connected with my family again after living away for so long, it gave us an opportunity to be excited and look forward to something.” Mack, as a man of few words (according to Ash) shared, “Shaking my father-in-law’s hand and lifting Ash’s veil to see her face, and then later in the night the speeches.”