With the incredible Blue Mountains as their backdrop, Jazmin and Aaron tied the knot with a beautiful open-air wedding. Their shared New Zealand roots showed up across the day and came to a head with a special Haka performance at the reception. These free spirits are full of warmth, love and fun that flowed through every single element of their day! Thankfully, Susannah Johnson was there was their photographer – and was able to capture all of these moments.

If there is one thing that ties Jazmin and Aaron together, it’s their love of music and dancing. Or at least music events tie their relationship milestones together! “We met by chance at an under-18s music event – We were 14 at the time. I was dancing, enjoying the music, when a girl came up and tapped me from behind. This girl would consistently tap me flirtatiously and run away, so I reciprocated whenever I saw her, eventually leading us to dance in the same space. That’s when I first met Jaz,” Aaron recalled. “It was her friend who had been tapping me all night, though once I saw Jaz beside her, I was instantly infatuated. Once the event finished, we left but hadn’t exchanged any information, so I thought this was it; I’d never see them again. Then… a few weeks later, I got a friend request on BEBO (the popular social media of that time) from her friend, and through her, I found Jaz, sent a message, and the rest was history!”

Their proposal was also filled with tunes but with more spontaneity this time. “We were at a music festival in the middle of nowhere Easter long weekend 2021. A few drinks in, we decided to climb up into a treehouse that overlooked the stage, and we danced and had the best time. Then, Jaz said we should get married! I immediately agreed, so with no ring and no big proposal plan, I turned to her right then and asked if she would marry me. We went and chose a ring together a few days later!”

Aaron wore a simple linen button-up shirt with sleeves rolled up for a more casual look. He finished the look off with cream linen pants and brown shoes and had to forego the blazer since the weather was hotter than expected.

The thing they struggled the most with when planning their wedding was finding the perfect venue to match their dream wedding. And as soon as they stepped foot into Suzrosa – they knew they’d found their venue. “Suzarosa is a beautiful home in the Blue Mountains area sitting on acres of land looking over mountains and Wollemi National Park. The house was beautifully decorated with a timeless interior, floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out to the panoramic views, a wooden deck that wrapped around the house, five bedrooms that accommodated our entire wedding party, and so much more. It was just perfect,” they described. “Outside was like a blank canvas field. There was so much space and greenery to work with, which perfectly suited our wedding theme and vibe. We wanted our wedding to be outside with lots of fairly lights, outdoor bar, games, etc so all boxes were ticked. The venue even had a spot to hold ceremonies so we could hold our wedding all in one place. The owner, Susan, was an absolute gem and a big reason why we chose this place too!”

Jazmin wore a beautiful, simple, fitted slip dress from Grace Loves Lace. Covered in lace, a low back, and a deep V plunging neckline, the gown was the perfect contrast to the rustic Blue Mountain vibes of the wedding. “I was open to different styles, as I wasn’t after anything in particular – I knew I just wanted simple and elegant. I had tried only a few dresses on by the point, so I was lucky that when I put on the River Gown at Grace Loves Lace in Alexandria, Sydney – I instantly fell in love with it!”

Within their wedding party, Jazmin and Aaron each had four people. The bridesmaids wore olive green infinity dresses, worn in whichever style suited them best. The groomsmen wore matching outfits to the groom, adding to the relaxed look of the day.

An open-air ceremony with the Blue Mountains as their backdrop was exactly what they had hoped for. The hilarious and engaging Marry Me Zoe officiated for them, and to kick everything off – vodka shots were handed out to guests! “We wanted it to be informal, and to the point with minimal mushiness and rather it be a quicky and fun yet heartfelt moment without the carry on of a regular ceremony. Our opening to the ceremony began with welcome shots for all our guests, and all the groomsmen did their own entrance dances down the aisle to “War” by Low Rider!”

Once everyone was reading to start, Jazmin walked down the aisle to “Gravity” by John Mayer with her father. The rest of the ceremony kept the same engaging and fun vibes as the opening. “We didn’t have a priest or a church, but instead, we had a groovy, vibrant celebrant named Zoe Zabados and with the scenic surrounds of the blue mountains as our cathedral!”

The only tradition that Jazmin and Aaron wanted to include was that Jazmin’s grandfather held and delivered the rings for them during the ceremony.

Flowers were kept simple, as they didn’t want to take away from the incredible greenery of the Blue Mountains. The colour theme they chose was classic white and sage, with the addition of gum leaves. “We had fresh eucalyptus garlands made for our tables and we DIY our ceremony flowers in jars that matched our bouquets.”

After the ceremony, the couple and their wedding party stepped aside to take their portraits – with a fun twist. Some of their favourite photos from this collection are the ones of the party walking along, enjoying a drink and soaking in the beautiful reality of their marriage.

Their photographer, Suzanna, was the perfect addition to their vendor dream team – capturing every moment as it happened. “Our photographer was amazing, Suzanna was everywhere at the right time, and our photos prove it. She got the greatest shots and was there for every moment. It was only at the end of the night, upon saying goodbye, that we found out she was actually pregnant with twins! Wholesome way to end the night!”

One of the best parts of their wedding was this realisation: “Besides marrying my best friend, it would have been seeing two worlds collide with our family and friends mixing and mingling with each other – most meeting for the first time.”

Most of their wedding they DIY’d themselves – with the help of a few vendors. Matakata Tipis supplied these beautiful tables, chairs, bar tables and lights – and everything else was sourced through Marketplace, dollar stores and Kmart. “Our amazing maid of honour did most of the intricacies herself, from the bar/ceremony signage and desserts to the flower decor and invites. Our guest gifts were also DIY; we had bought shot glasses and made our own personalised wedding labels to stick on!”

For catering, Jazmin and Aaron had the help of The Wilderness Chef – who they’ve described as the ultimate food experience! “They were precise, super quiet, and most importantly, their food was delicious! Cooper and his team provided the most amazing professional experience.”

Both Jazmin and Aaron hold their New Zealand heritage close to their hearts, so when the Best Man got every male in attendance involved in a Haka performance at the reception, it was a memorable experience.

They had initially planned to do their first dance to “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton but decided not last minute. Their DJ from Time Of Our Lives played such an incredible lineup that neither Jazmin nor Aaron wanted to stop – having too much fun just dancing with everyone.

Congratulations Jazmin and Aaron on your marraige – and bringing this fun wedding to life! And thanks to Suzannah Johnson Photography for capturing and submitting!